Refinish Materials, Product Selection, and Documentation
Refinish Materials, Product Selection, and Documentation tests choosing a compatible system and proving what was done. Product selection is driven by substrate, warranty, VOC rules, and the TDS, not by color alone.
Core rules
- Read the TDS for mix ratio, pot life, induction time, recoat window, dry film thickness, and gun setup. The SDS covers hazards, not application.
- Mix by the stated method, usually volume for refinish products. Use a graduated stick or mixing cup; do not estimate.
- Respect pot life. A 4:1 clear with a 2-hour pot life cannot be kept overnight, even if it still pours.
- Use only the recommended reducer, hardener, and additives. Wrong reducer can cause blushing, slow cure, or loss of adhesion.
- Record color code, variant, batch or lot, products, mix ratios, spray dates, and film thickness. Documentation supports warranty and comeback diagnosis.
- Check VOC and local rules before selecting a system; compliant products may require different gun settings and flash times.
Worked example
A technician needs 12 fl oz of a 4:1 by volume clear. Divide 12 by 5 parts = 2.4 fl oz per part; use 9.6 fl oz clear and 2.4 fl oz hardener. If the TDS lists a 1-hour pot life, mix only what can be sprayed within that hour. Reason: ratios are by volume, and pot life starts at mixing, not at first spray.
Traps
Mixing by weight when the TDS says volume, adding extra hardener to speed cure, using expired hardener, and skipping documentation. Another trap is assuming a universal reducer is approved for every system.