Author Topic: How to get the correct interior paint sheen with activated paint from a gun?  (Read 2579 times)

Offline jtfx6552

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PPG DBI appears to me to have the perfect sheen (when unactivated).

For durability I'd prefer to activate it, as unactivated it's easily scuffed and will come off fairly easily. I know that from moving around some doors that I had painted.

According to the PPG tech sheet, activation is optional, but supposedly will increase the shine, which I don't want, but possibly would still be acceptable.

Diamont interior paint is meant to be activated, has anybody used it? How'd the sheen turn out?

Picture of unactivated DBI for reference.

1965 Mustang Fastback, October 29, 1964 Dearborn Build, In the family since new.

Offline jtfx6552

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I painted my dash and a pillars with activated DBI. Looked a little shiny compared to what I think was typical, but it's really hard to tell. I had some sanding marks that showed through so I had to redo it no matter what. I took the opportunity to spray some matte clear on it as that would cover the sanding marks. It did do cover the sanding marks, but I think it's a little too flat. Is there a way to quantify sheen? Is there a way to order paint with the correct sheen? The rattle can stuff looks right to me, but It's not very durable.

I need to figure out what I'm doing next. In order to spray the clear I had to shoot in DBI's recoat window and it's possible the sheen on the activated DBI would have gone down a little more and been more to my liking. So I'm not sure if I should try that again, or try to find some slightly shinier clear by tomorrow before the recoat window on this recently shot clear closes, or live with it?


1965 Mustang Fastback, October 29, 1964 Dearborn Build, In the family since new.