Paint and Body Sikkens

[Davedacarpainter]

We started demo-ing Sikkens last Monday.

I had built Sherwin Williams up in my head and was believing they are almost as good as Sikkens.

It's been 21 years since I shot Sikkens in a production body shop.

Sikkens is a spectacular paint system. SW doesn't come close.

Not that SW is a bad paint system, they're just not as good as Sikkens. Period.

I believe we might change over to them. Hallelujah!

It would be nice to finish my painting career with them.

This is just so you know, Sikkens is an absolutely incredible paint system.

 

[RaggedGT]

That's awesome dave,
Could you expand on some of the differences?
What you do and don't like about the different brands/systems?

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Did you paint Roby/Scuby with SW?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Did you paint Roby/Scuby with SW?

Yeah, but I'll finish with Sikkens, except for the base color. I have enough of the blue in SW to finish the car.

It'll still match, I believe. It's just that the clear will lay out way better.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

That's awesome dave,
Could you expand on some of the differences?
What you do and don't like about the different brands/systems?

Differences? Just about everything.

To start with, it takes less material with each individual coat.

The sealer lays out flatter giving a smoother layer for everything else I spray on top.

The colors match better and take less paint to cover.

All of the clears lay out smoother with way less orange peel.

Kind of wish I would have started with it on my car. I may go back and sand the parts I've painted with 800 grit and spray one more coat of clear over them.

It's just pretty paint, very easy to get an outstanding job.

Here's a picture of a Mazda 3 I just painted the hood, fender and front bumper on. This is an average Sikkens paint job.

It's kind of hard to show how flat the clear lays out, you just have to trust me, it's very nice.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Does Sikkens make multiple paint lines? Like Sikkens Premium, Pro, etc?

 

[68keyblr]

Dave, have you ever used SPI (Southern Polyurethanes) products? If so I'd love to hear your opinion as to how they compare to other brands.

 

[chizler]

Sikkens has always been a great product. The shop i work for just switched us from BASF to DeBeers and what a horrible call that was, but its cheaper so its gotta be better right. Just be thankful that your shop choose a great product instead of trying to save money.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Does Sikkens make multiple paint lines? Like Sikkens Premium, Pro, etc?

Sikkens is the premium line. Akzo Nobel is the parent company. The next down the line is Lesanol, which is not a bad paint at all if you have some real experience painting.

It seems AN saved money with their Lesanol products by not providing much documentation with it (in short, how to effectively use their paint). A novice can use it, but an experienced painter can really take full advantage of it's potential. Still, quality wise, a step down.

I would compare Lesanol with Sherwin Williams.

All three still better than any PPG product or Dupont too.

I think that AN has at least on more line, but I'm not sure. We have practically every tech rep in the region at the shop helping us. I'll ask them tomorrow.

The beautiful thing about Sikkens, after about the second day, I didn't need them anymore!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Dave, have you ever used SPI (Southern Polyurethanes) products? If so I'd love to hear your opinion as to how they compare to other brands.

I've heard of them, they're a small company. I've never shot their stuff though. I don't know if they make their own product or rebrand a larger companies paint line.

So I can't say much about them. Sorry.

 

[LX Dave]

I've sprayed Sikkens one time years ago and really liked it. Unfortunately, I don't think we have a local distributor any more. I've resorted to using PPG for everything. I tried some of DuPonts high solids clear and hated it, though it did lay out nice. Been really happy with PPG, but just may have to look for another Sikkens dealer.

How's their pricing compared to others?
Not sure if you would know, but do they offer a clear like PPGs DCU 2002?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Sikkens has always been a great product. The shop i work for just switched us from BASF to DeBeers and what a horrible call that was, but its cheaper so its gotta be better right. Just be thankful that your shop choose a great product instead of trying to save money.

I shot R&M (a BASF paint line). It worked well for me.

DeBeers? Never shot them before. Their name makes me want to try them out though (De BEERS).

You a painter?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I've sprayed Sikkens one time years ago and really liked it. Unfortunately, I don't think we have a local distributor any more. I've resorted to using PPG for everything. I tried some of DuPonts high solids clear and hated it, though it did lay out nice. Been really happy with PPG, but just may have to look for another Sikkens dealer.

How's their pricing compared to others?
Not sure if you would know, but do they offer a clear like PPGs DCU 2002?

Out of all of PPG's lines, it's ironic that I like their Deltron line the best. It being their cheapest line you'd think it's the crappiest. I can't stand Global or Nexa. I used to really like Global 20 years ago. They've let their paint lines really die out. It's like they don't give a crap anymore.

I haven't shot much of their Lesanol line, but I could safely say they have a clear easily equal to DCU 2002.

Sikkens is pricey, but when comparing apples to apples, it's cheaper.

Like the sealer, I use about 4.5 ounces to seal a mid size bumper. With SW or Nexa, I would use 6.5 ounces. Not a big deal until you paint 80-100 cars a month.

AND, as I stated earlier, it's stunningly beautiful.

I've been doing this long enough now (40 years) that I think I can get the shop to change based on my views. Here's to hoping. My manager is someone I've known since he started as a detail boy 22 years ago.

I think I may be getting old, I see a 40 year old as a kid now. I wonder what Joe thinks of me? @jrichker ?

 

[chizler]

I shot R&M (a BASF paint line). It worked well for me.

DeBeers? Never shot them before. Their name makes me want to try them out though (De BEERS).

You a painter?

Dave, i am a painter, 20+ yrs of spraying color. Ive spent the last 17 yrs spraying R&M, probably the easiest paint i have ever worked with. De Beers would be a decent paint if you never had to go back and paint over it again, it will WRINKLE if not primed, and their clear is either orange peely, or running in the floor their is no inbetween.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Actually Sikkens can do the same, at least their base coat does. Really though just on any area that had been cut through. It has a very aggressive reducer.

All the other stuff though won't lift anything, primers, sealers, clear.

It's an easy fix though, you just spray a wet bed with their blending additive before color and you're golden.

But Sikkens clears are easy to shoot and lay out so sweet. It takes effort to run them.

I liked R&M myself as well. Decent paint line. At least it was, but Global used to be decent too. I'll take your word for it though that they maintained their line.

 

[EBW83]

Hey guys, really enjoyed the thread and am amazed by your wealth of experience (coming from a guy who has painted one car in his life). In my case, I relied on advice from the folks at English Color as well as a few good buddies who have painted cars. Put simply, for me the clear was the most difficult part of the job and I agree with Davedacarpainter when he said it’s either orange peel or runs: I had both but as I got more practice toward the end of the job, my technique improved. I used PPG Omni Gold with an Advantage 675 clear.

For me, what made the job a success was hours and hours of color sanding, buffing, and polishing. Needless to say, I’m envious of you professionals who can produce beautiful results right out of the booth.

 

[General karthief]

Foam roller and house paint, ya I don't give a cht what it looks like. If my car was shiney I'd have to take a bath more often and wear nice clothes.