To get a perfectly smooth finish wait for the primer to dry and then lightly sand the surface with some Ultimate Fine Sandpaper. This will remove any brush marks and give you a perfectly matt surface to paint on.

6 Secrets to Silky Smooth Paint

1. Prep the Wood. Sand any bare wood to 120-grit and no finer.
2. Sand Your Primer. Without a smooth base, you can’t get a smooth finish.
3. Use Additives.
4. Buy The Right Paint.
5. Strain Your Paint.
6. Put it On, Leave it Alone.

A big factor in getting that factory smooth finish is using good quality paint made for doors and trim like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin Williams ProClassic. Add a small amount of Floetrol (affiliate link) to help the paint level better.

Sand between coats Sand with non-clogging 180- or 220-grit sandpaper or sanding sponges (look for “non-clogging” or “stearated” on the label). Sand just enough to make the surface feel smooth.

Sand with fine sandpaper between coats after they dry. Make sure you remove sanding residue before applying additional coats. After the final coat of flat paint, sand lightly with super fine sandpaper. Your project should be smooth and even.

The clear coat feeling coarse or leaving a sort of misty effect can be due to a few things such as the clear being applied too light, too far, or in high temperatures. Unfortunately you will need to sand the surface before applying clear coat in order to avoid cracking when applying a fresh coat of clear.

If your dried clearcoat is dull, try polishing. We find this works about 70% of the time when the clear coat isn’t looking glossy when dry. If you have a really coarse finish and the polish isn’t working, you may want to try wet sanding. This option is also good if there are drips that have dried and are visible.

A: Clear coat can be applied over existing clear coat, as long as it is in good condition. If old clear coat is de-laminating, or otherwise damaged, it is best to remove it all and start over with a base coat.

The clear coat should be wet-sanded with 400 grit sandpaper. This is to replace the orange peel with finer and finer scratches, which will eventually be filled in with polish. The sanding steps help diminish the clear coat until the entire surface is smooth.

Many first time painters may not realize that spray-on clear coat does not come out of the can glossy until they look at their final product and discover the paint looks dull and flat. Fortunately, this is easy to remedy and with the right materials you should have your paint job looking glossy and shiny in no time.

Wet-sand the base coat before starting the clear coat. Wet sanding makes the surfaces smoother. If you wet-sand the base coat, wash the vehicle with soap and water after this step, not before. Once the base coat is smooth and clean, start spraying on about three to four layers of clear coat.

In order to paint clear on it again, you actually need to do some more sanding, scratching the surface even more. With the newly-painted panel polished, new clear coat won’t stick and will most likely peel off of what you have there already. You want to hit the surface with some 1000 grit wet sanding.

The bad news is, you can’t just sand for adhesion and respray clear coat. You can sand for adhesion and spray a new coat of clear over the base, but it will never lock in, and it will always sit on top of the old clear at the edges. The new clear coat will never be as strong as the original and will fail much quicker.

Wet sanding can cause damage to the paint of the vehicle if not done correctly, so take your time as you progress through the process.

Wet sanding is used in home interior jobs, and it is effective in reducing a lot of dust in the process compared to dry sanding. The sanding dust gets wet and doesn’t ruin the paint later on. The sandpaper used for wet sanding also lasts a long time, but you have to keep rinsing it with water.

Also, it’s recommended to wait about one month after the paint job is completed before sanding. That’s the best way to ensure the paint is fully cured.

Drying time will vary depending on the paint, but it is recommended to let it dry for 12-24 hours before starting to sand. Letting it sit overnight can be helpful to ensure complete dryness.

Given the delicate nature of the paint and clear coat, the idea of using an abrasive like wet sand is enough to make any car lover squeamish. They use it to even out new paint, to smooth out small runs and sags, to “knock down” orange peel, and remove any debris that fell on the paint while it was wet.

After your first coat of paint is dry, it’s safe to recoat typically after four to six hours. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least three hours to recoat your paint or primer if it’s water-based. Waiting 24 hours is best for oil-based paint and primer.