How long before appling decals and emblems on new paint?

[GMC Truck]

Just finished painting my 01 GMC but how long should I wait before I apply the "stick-on" stuff? Paint is base clear and air dry only no bake. This truck has stick on wheel flairs and emblems and 2 4x4 decals. I was told to make sure that all solvents have evaporated before putting them on but how long is that?

 

[kaharshs]

I am assuming you used Urethane paint. It does not dry by evaporation like lacquer. Urethane uses a catalyst to dry. What brand and line of paint did you use? If you have it look at the paints technical data sheet, it may be listed on there. I usually wait a day or 2 depending on the air temperatures of where the vehicle is. Also you can go by the cutting and buffing dry times in the tech datasheet, because if its dry enough to sand you can put a sticker on it.

 

[GMC Truck]

Paint is PPg Omni line basecoat/clearcoat. Only thing sprayed with catalyst was the clear the sealer and color is just reduced. I allowed 1 week before wetsanding and buffing the clear.

 

[ryoken]

all base is non-catalyzed....

as mentioned with urethane your usually fine after 24 to 48 hrs..... technically, the paint is still "curing" for up to 6 weeks... thus why you'll often hear not to wax fresh paint for a month...

but after spraying a couple thousand at the collision shop, I rarely would ever see an issue..... heck, we'd be putting station wagon woodgrain on the next day...

just be aware that adhesives and solvents will have MUCH more of a tendency to bite in on fresh stuff, than month old paint.. in other words, using emblem adhesive on fresh paint, your more likely to hurt the paint getting the emblem off down the road, than if you wait awhile..

back in the old days with lots of lacquer sub products, you had much more of an issue with stuff coming out down the road due to shrinkage and evap.... I've seen it... lots of bodyshops where running lacquer primers, glazing puttys, etc under quality urethanes when they first came out... you would often see cars done a couple months ago with sandscratches, etc starting to show thru.... but since catalyzed primers and puttys came out, the issue is pretty rare anymore... the same thing with bleedthru issues....

 

[GMC Truck]

Thanks ryoken thats what I was looking for, somebody that knows this stuff. I keep getting diffrent info depending on who you talk to and none of it jives up. PPg states is safe after 24 hours.

 

[kaharshs]

Thanks ryoken thats what I was looking for, somebody that knows this stuff. I keep getting diffrent info depending on who you talk to and none of it jives up. PPg states is safe after 24 hours.

Your welcome also, not like I didn't say the same thing.

 

[ryoken]

your still in collision now right?

 

[kaharshs]

I was joking. If you count my own car then yes. I do aircraft paint.

 

[ryoken]

ah ok, I remembered you where in the industry to some extent.. I was gonna ask ya if you knew what the body shops "federal" rate was these days.... it was a joke when i was in/got out... that whole 70's rip off the insurance companies binge really made the guys down the road pay..

what are they shootin on the planes these days? the 2 I did decades ago I used Imron... small Cesna type stuff....

 

[kaharshs]

I have only used Deft and Sherwin Williams for primer and finish coats. We use other high temp coatings that have heavy metals in them for inside of engine cowlings.