coating

[jerry carney]

Hey Guys and gals, just finished a address/sign . I used HDU, painted it with good sure shot paint .Am wondering
what is a good clear coat for the elements. Any tip would be welcome. Thanks you sign people.

[TReischl]

Well, you are going to get a lot of opinions on this one, that is for sure.

What I can tell you is that no matter what you use, Mother Nature will win. It is just a question of how long it will take her.

[OCEdesigns]

I use the brush on polyurethane and do 2 or 3 coats.

[ger21]

I would think that a high quality paint alone is better than most clearcoats.
If you do put something over it, it needs to be compatible with the paint, and be UV blocking. (Not UV resistant)

[Xxray]

This here is the coat of choice for people doing DIY vehicle painting https://www.amazon.com/SprayMax-Glamour ... lp_pl_dp_3

Not sure if it is specifically UV resistant, you'd think for vehicle applications it would have to be. [Does say "Excellent weather and chemical resistance " in the description] I have used it and it is very good stuff, I have some on the roof of my truck and its held up great, only been half a year though. its a 2 part mixture and far better than any common rattle can spray, hence its price. As stated though, anything outdoors the elements will always win and it will simply be a matter of time before it needs to be reprepped and recoated. [Stuff is highly toxic, will knock you clean out without a respirator]

[Jim_in_PA]

HDU is quite often painted with high quality 100% acrylic exterior rated paints. No top-coat is necessary nor is any desired. Outdoor signs will need to be serviced/refreshed at some point to counter fading, particularly on some colors, but in general, the "good stuff" lasts pretty well. Avoid cheap paint. Not many sign makers seem to like OneShot anymore...they loved it when it was still leaded paint, but not since the formula changed when lead was forbidden.