Enamel, Urethane or Lacquer? What do I use for my paint job.

[hutch]

I am thinking about painting my own car and found this Fire Red Pearl color that totaly rocks.  I have no idea what the diff is between Enamel, Urethane or Lacquer.  Do I use one in place of the other to give me a quality shine? Or do I use one on top of the other to enhance my paint job?    And what does the URETHANE BASECOAT/CLEAR buy me if I use it? 

Thanks and sorry for such a rooky question.

hutch.



Fire Red Pearl QUALITY ACRYLIC ENAMEL Car Auto Paint 
$89.95

  Fire Red Pearl QUALITY ACRYLIC URETHANE Car Auto Paint 
$109.95

 
Fire Red Pearl QUALITY ACRYLIC LACQUER Car Auto Paint 
$119.95


  Fire Red Pearl QUALITY ACRYLIC URETHANE Car Auto Paint 
$109.95
 
Fire Red Pearl QUALITY ACRYLIC ENAMEL Car Auto Paint 
$89.95

  Fire Red Pearl URETHANE BASECOAT/CLEAR Car Auto Paint 
$199.95

[RogerDodger]

As a beginner enamel would be a good bet however I wouldn't want to start with a pearl. Laquer is obsolete and hardly used. Basecoat clearcoat is more durable and will give a better shine. Are you sure you want to do it yourself?

[hutch]

Well, tight budget.  I was going to pait the hood on my lawn tractor a few times as a dry run.     What makes a pearl so hard to do?  I want a candy type of paint job but I dont have the bucks to shell out something like that.

[Silver R/T]

BC/CC is the way to go nowadays

[RogerDodger]

If you can practice on something that will help a lot. Will you be painting the whole car at once or is the car apart? Its a lot easier for a beginner to paint fenders and doors... separately. It gives you the chance to set them up were they are accessable. My first two paint jobs were enamel. Its pretty forgiving if you get a run or something you can most likely wet sand and buff it out. Metallic is more difficult. It needs to flow out consistant. I have not done a pearl. Do a lot of reading especially follow the manufactures directions for mixing, flash time and pot life...

[hutch]

Good to know.  After I played with my tractor hood I was going to take the hood of the car off and to it first on some saw horses to see if its worth doing the entire car.  I want a good paint job, i just dont have the bucks for it.  And as long as it looks nice rolling down the road I am cool with it.

Thanks guy, great info.

[Charger-Bodie]

i would like to just clear up one thing for you here and thats the fact that base clear is about the easiest ecspecially if its metallic but clear is not as tough as everyone thinks it is the single stage paints are far more durable they just arent as easy to work with to make them look great

[RogerDodger]

Once you commit and decided to do it the underside of the hood and trunk is a good place to start. That will give you an idea of what to expect. Good Luck.