Orange Peel?

[Lydia]

Just a quick question...I keep on hearing about orange peel on here....what is it and what causes it? Does anyone have a good picture of it? Also, what can be done to fix it? Thanks in advance!

[sneek]

its the rough kind of looking paint that is not quite smooth. I think you have to use wet sanding to get rid of it.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10425

i'll find a pic later

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4085

look at jfelbab's post

[gb387]

My truck is loaded with orange peel as many Fords are but I can not find a good photo in my gallery that shows it. It looks just like it says, an orange peel. Like sneek said not a smooth feel to it ans the link he posted has some good info in it.

Here is an OK photo, its a reflection on the door of my truck, you can see the wavy not totally clear look to it. Not really showing the OP, just a reflection shot but gives an idea:

[amg/md]

I kind of disagree that orange peel paint doesn't feel smooth. It can be quite smooth on the surface, because the clear coat is over the paint. My car has orange peel even though it is very smooth after claying and polishing/waxing. The clear coat is very smooth to the touch. The reflections are great, but you see the wavy look to the reflected images.

[the other pc]

Lydia, you're from Florida, Orange Peel is your state's biggest export.

But seriously folks...

If you look at the skin of an orange (well, any citrus fruit really) it's nice and shiny but when you look up close there are little bumps. Paint, especially glossy paint, tends to have a similar texture so they call the effect "orange peel."

Here are a couple more examples:

The first is from PPG's website, the second from Jotun Coatings':



It's caused by the drying/curing process. As paint dries the volatile chemicals in it evaporate out and the paint's molecules rearrange themselves. The surface changes in size and shape as it transforms from liquid to solid. The final shape depends on many factors like the paint, the volatiles (carriers, thinners and reducers), temperature, humidity film thickness, spray gun speed, spray gun settings, etc.

Paint line technicians have to strike a balance among time, cost, final visual characteristics, regulatory compliance, etc. Most consumers don't notice and don't care about moderate orange peel so the tendency for car manufacturers is to shift the whole process toward lower cost, faster application, etc and allow quite a bit of orange peel.

Other than adjusting the painting process to minimize it in the first place the only way to remove it (or reduce it to a more attractive level) is to sand it down, grinding the bumps flat. This should only be done with extreme care since factory finishes are thin to begin with and sanding can easily compromise the integrity of the coating.


PC.

[Lydia]

Originally posted by the other pc
Lydia, you're from Florida, Orange Peel is your state's biggest export. PC.

LOL.

Oh ok I understand now. I've seen it before but I didn't know that's what it was. Kinda makes sense though .... Nice shine on that truck, gb387

I don't know how to wet-sand or anything and I woudln't want to risk it anyways so I'll just have to live with it. My Chevy doesn't have it that bad but a Mazda I detail has it bad on the hood. Oh well.

Thanks so much for all the help and good pictures too!

[SiriusRIMZ]

I'm not sure if this is true, but I've heard most orange peel is directly realted to the amount of reducer used when painting. If anyone else is into auto body, can anyone reccomend a formula for less orange peel? I currently mix 1:1, paint to reducer.

[the other pc]

How much reducer you add certainly affects orange peel but there are too many other other factors, paint chemistry, gun type, gun settings, spray distance, arm speed, environmental conditions and such to make any blanket recommendations.

Too much reducer and you'll be more prone to get sags, runs, poor film consistency, excessive dust inclusion, etc. It's best to stay within the range recommended in the product data sheets.

I'm no expert but the best advice I can give is to contact the manufacturer of whatever paint system you're using and talk to their field representative. These guys have a wealth of knowledge and are happy to share it with you.


PC.

[Murr1525]

At least on my car, the orange peel is somewhat mild (mild to me) but very even, so it looks like it should be there to untrained eyes..

People probably think it is supposed to look textured...

[Godiva]

So basically if you've got a new car, you're stuck with the way they painted it. The only solution is to have the car sanded down, possibly repainted but most certainly it will need a new clear coat because you had to sand down to the color layer.

Well, I don't have that kind of money so I guess I live with it.