When you are doing some type of painting, you may want to use epoxy paint. Depending upon what is underneath, it may be hard to work with it. Can you put epoxy paint over enamel paint?
Enamel paint is typically an oil-based paint and although you can put epoxy over it, you need to make sure that everything is prepared properly in advance. For the most part, epoxy works better on water-based paint than oil-based paint.
Although it is true that putting epoxy over and enamel paint is sometimes difficult, it certainly is not impossible. The real difference is that you have to prepare the surface properly because it may work for a while but it won’t work for long.
We will cover this in greater detail under the section associated with problems to watch out for. It is good to keep in mind that you do have to seal everything properly in advance or you could end up with the epoxy peeling or not lasting as long.
Can You Put Epoxy On Enamel Paint? (How To)
It is also a good idea to understand how to work with epoxy properly. For the purpose of this article, we are talking about a two-part epoxy that includes both a resin and a hardener. We are not talking about epoxy paint.
This may make you wonder what the difference is between epoxy paint and epoxy resin. Essentially, epoxy paint is just an acrylic type paint that is water-based and has a minimal amount of epoxy mixed into it. Epoxy, on the other hand, is a two-part product with resin and a hardener.
Another difference between the two is the fact that resin will cure but paint is going to dry. In the case of epoxy paint, you are essentially trying to put a water-based product on an oil-based product, and it isn’t going to work properly.
I’m not saying that it is impossible but you really need to prepare the surface in advance for this to happen. Surface preparation is an important part of using either, as you will see.
If you are using a two-part epoxy to cover enamel paint, then it will work nicely once everything is prepared properly. Essentially, you want things to work well and to work for the long term, which is why epoxy is typically put over enamel.
This is often the case when it comes to artwork. You may have a piece of art that is enamel based and you want to protect it and perhaps even make it more beautiful by using epoxy. That is absolutely possible to do.
You just want to make sure that you are being cautious while working with epoxy because the fumes can get overwhelming and it can also be irritating to the skin.
Always work in a well-ventilated area and wear a respirator if possible that is well-suited for these types of fumes. If you’re going to spread the epoxy with your hands, which is sometimes beneficial, make sure that you are wearing two pairs of latex or nitrile gloves.
We are now going to look into the nuts and bolts of using epoxy resin on enamel paint. You will find that is a good idea, but it does take some work.
Should You Put Epoxy On Enamel Paint?
We’ve already discussed the fact that you can put epoxy on enamel paint but there are some specific problems to watch out for. What are those issues?
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Mixing Paints – Obviously, you would want to have the enamel paint completely dried and properly cured before you put on any type of epoxy. If you didn’t do so, you would actually be mixing different types of materials that may not work well together.
Essentially, you are using epoxy as a coating for the enamel paint. As long as the paint has dried fully and there are no contaminants on it, the epoxy will work as a nice seal and will even beautify the colors.
Floor Paint – One of the biggest areas where you will find the use of epoxy is epoxy floor paint. It is important for you to understand how to use this properly so the job will last as long as possible.
Epoxy floor paint is a water-based paint that has a minimal amount of epoxy mixed into it. Typically, it is just enough epoxy to give it a shiny look and a hard finish.
What you are essentially trying to do is mix water-based paint over oil-based paint, and that isn’t going to work well. The only way you can do this is by scuffing up the surface of the oil paint and putting on a good primer, one that was well-suited for water-based paint.
Drips – One of the biggest problems you will experience when working with epoxy is the possibility of drips. Epoxy is self-leveling but when it runs off the edge of a canvas or another platform, it may drip underneath.
You can work on the drips by trying to smooth them out on occasion, but you will probably end up with some eventually. Preparing in advance can help you to avoid this problem.
You can prepare for drips by putting some painter’s tape on the bottom of the item you are working with. Put it along the edge, but make sure you don’t go over the edge slightly.
Essentially, the drips are going to form on the tape and after everything is dry, you can use a heat gun or blow torch to quickly warm up the epoxy so that you can pull the tape off. The drips will be gone.
Bubbles – One other big problem that often comes up when working with epoxy is bubbles. You can avoid this to a certain extent by using a wooden stick and stirring it by hand but you will probably still have bubbles in it. Those bubbles will come to the surface as you spread the epoxy over the enamel.
The easiest way to work with this is to use a heat gun or even a blowtorch to warm up the epoxy as it is settling. Doing so will quickly bring the bubbles to the surface and cause them to pop.
Be careful when doing this because you don’t want to apply too much heat to the area for too long or it could melt and burn the epoxy, ruining the finish.
Now that we know the major problems to watch out for, let’s consider some of the things that can be done to properly apply epoxy over enamel paint.
What Tools Do You Need To Put Epoxy On Enamel Paint?
You will not need many tools for putting epoxy over enamel paint but here are a few to gather in advance.
Rags
Buckets
Wooden Stir Sticks
Measured Mixing Cups
Electronic Scale
Plastic Sheet
Cups for Underneath
Plastic Spatula
Squeegee
Painters Tape
Nitrile Gloves
Respirator
Goggles or Safety Glasses
What Preparations Do You Need To Put Epoxy On Enamel Paint?
Preparing any DIY project is one of the most important steps to ensure that things go smoothly. What preparations are necessary for applying epoxy over enamel paint?
Surface Preparation – The most important thing you can do to prepare enamel paint for epoxy is to prepare the surface. This type of preparation is going to depend on the surface you are using.
For a large surface, such as a wall or countertop, you should lightly sand the surface to rough it up. You can then use some TSP as a cleaning agent and degreaser. Finally, it is necessary to use a quality bonding primer that will allow the enamel to stick.
If you are preparing a piece of artwork for epoxy, you just need to make sure that the paint is dry and clean. Some people will wipe down the surface with a little rubbing alcohol on a paper towel, but that is up to your comfort level.
Tape Edges – Tape the underside near the edges with painter’s tape. This is to catch any drips that may occur and give you the opportunity to remove them easily. You may need to heat up the epoxy after it dries to remove the tape cleanly with a hairdryer or heat gun.
How To Put Epoxy On Enamel Paint
At this point, the surface is prepared and it’s time to put the epoxy on it. How can you do this?
Level – Prop the piece up on some cups or other items. Make sure it is both stable and level. This will allow the epoxy to be level across the entire piece.
Mix – Use the instructions for the epoxy and mix the resin with the hardener. Typically, this is going to be a 1:1 mixture.
Mix it by hand using a wooden stir stick. You may need to mix it for up to 5 minutes to make sure it is ready. Mixing it slowly keeps too many bubbles from forming.
Pour On – The next step of the process is to pour the epoxy from the cup onto the piece you are working with. Pour some epoxy around the edges and then pour some in the middle.
Spread – Spread the epoxy using a plastic spatula or squeegee. Some people prefer to use their hands to further control the epoxy but if you do use your hand, make sure you wear 2 pairs of gloves.
Edge – As you move the epoxy around the top of the item it is going to drip over the sides. Make sure you protect whatever is beneath it from the epoxy.
Bubbles – Use a heat gun or blow torch to quickly go over the surface of the item as the epoxy settles. Doing so will remove most of the bubbles that are forming on the piece as the epoxy finds its level.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 16, 2022.
You can put epoxy over enamel paint but you must prepare the surface first. Doing so will allow you to mix the two without having the epoxy chip or lift from the surface.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 16, 2022.