Painting Wood to be Shiny

[Andrew C.]

My buddy and I are going to be entering the Redbull Soapbox Race in Los Angeles and we are coming up with designs for the body. Initially we were planning on doing a fiberglass body, but we decided that would be a lot of work and money for something that we are going to probably end up crashing.

So we are probably going to just build the body out of plywood and paint that. Is it possible to paint wood and make it as shiny as clear coated automotive paint? Does anyone have any suggestions or know of any systems to paint wood and make it nice and shiny?

I'll have to explore more into the options out there, but I'm guessing I can lay down a primer, base coat, and the clear coat, and sand the clear down to being nice and flat. Just seeing if anyone on here has ever done this before?

Thanks!

[Murr1525]

Re: Painting Wood to be Shiny

what kind of wood?

Would be hard with plywood, unless you coated it with some kind of plaster, etc and sanded that.

Better wood would be heavier and more costly...

[BillyJack]

Re: Painting Wood to be Shiny

There's no reason why you can't make wood as shiny as metal. The paint really doesn't care what's underneath, as long as you establish a smooth, impermeable base. Years ago, I did some lacquer work on my woodwork and windows. I shot a few coats of shellac as a sealer, scuffed with a scotch pad, then sprayed clear furniture lacquer as a finish coat. I shot my final coat heavily thinned so it flowed well, but I wouldn't hesitate to cut and buff if necessary. Cuemakers use automotive clearcoats as a standard finish on custom pool cues, often over a base of shellac-based sanding sealer and turn out beautiful finishes. Have at it. Are you proficient with a spray gun? If you plan on a DIY job, remember that modern automotive finishes are very, very toxic, and require a proper respirator. Dupli-color has a line of paint sold in parts stores, pre-thinned and available in many colors. It's actually lacquer, so it's easier to paint, it won't destroy your lungs and is easier to cut and buff than the hi-tech finishes.

Bill