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Product
Questions
Q. What are your paints made of?
All of our products are urethane based, base-coat/clear-coat
applications. Our paints have been thoroughly tested and are as
good as or better than O.E.M. quality standards.
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Q. I noticed that point of the touch up pen is removable why?
You can take the tip out and clean it with thinner. This way the
pen is good to use for years.
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Q. Is it necessary to use clear-coat?
Absolutely, clearcoat is very important for multiple reasons.
First of all, it makes the paint shine. Second, the clear actually
creates a chemical bond with the base color that makes it chemical
and weather resistant. Without clear-coat, your paint will not
shine properly or be nearly as resilient as it should be.
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Q. How long will my paint last?
If you are referring to the storage of the paint after
use, it will last a long time. Typically, a touch-up pen lasts
approximately 7 years. The aerosols and professional packaging
typically will last 3-5 years if properly stored.
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Q. How long will the paint last on my vehicle?
It will last as long as your original paint if you care
for it like your original paint. It will not wash off, or fade
off over time. It is real paint, tested and designed to last.
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Q. Who makes your paint?
We make our own.
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Q. What is a tri-stage color?
Tri-stage colors, or tricoats, are special colors that require
an additional step during application. Many pearl whites and a
few reds are tri-stages. They simply require that you apply a
base color first, let it dry, and then apply mid-coat. After the
mid-coat comes the clear. All ExpressPaint orders come with the
appropriate, detailed instructions on how to apply your color.
You can also find application instructions on our site.
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Q. How do I know if my color is a tri-stage (tricoat) ?
All tri-stage colors are indicated as tricoat and/or 3ct in the
color description. For each tri-stage color you order, you will
receive a base coat color and a mid-coat color. You will need
a clearcoat to finish your paint job properly, but tricoat paint
does not include clearcoat, and therefore you will need to order
the clearcoat separately.
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Payment
Questions
Q. I paid using PayPal but I can not find
my order, why?
We will hold your order until the electric fund transfer has been
cleared by your bank. If you used PayPal funds to purchase our
products, your funds will immediately transfer to our account.
However if you used bank transfer via PayPal, we will hold the
funds (eCheck) as "pending/uncleared" for about 2-3business
days. ExpressPaint cannot send your order to you until the eCheck
has been cleared. For more information, please contact PayPal.
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Q. My order is cancelled, why?
Most likely we are unable to charge your card successfully or
we can not find the color you have ordered using manual form.
Normally we will hold your order for one week. If we do not hear
from you, your order will be cancelled. We are not responsible
for any email problems you may be experiencing. Please re-place
your order or if you have any questions, please e-mail our customer
service at support@expresspaint.com
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Q) Why was I notified there was a problem
with my credit card? I called my credit card company, and they
assured me that the charge went through.
To protect against credit card fraud, the billing address you
entered during check out is compared to the address your credit
issuer uses for verification purposes. When we say there was a
problem with your billing address, it means that through Address
Verification Services, the address came back as unmatched. We
may receive an error even when the billing address you entered
exactly matches the address on your credit card statement.
The reasons for the error may be due to non-updated by credit
card company, or minor errors or differences such as misspelling,
wrong spacing, and/or commas.If your card issuer notifies us that
the address you entered does not match its verification address,
we cancel the transaction and your credit card will not be charged.
However, you may have a "pending" item for the charged
amount on your statement. Your bank will cancel this pending item
in a few days according to their schedule.
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Q) If I see multiple records on my online
credit card report, does this mean you charged me more than once?
Your bank statement may show the charged amount twice, but the
first charge was cancelled and should clear after a few days.
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Q. When will I receive my order?
ExpressPaint prides itself on fast delivery, easy ordering, and
quality products. All of our products are in stock and ready to
ship. You can usually expect to receive your paint within 3-7
business days from when you place your order.
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Q. Can you send products to PO Boxes?
We cannot send most of our products to PO Boxes. We can send touch-up
pens, touch-up jars, and other small items such as sandpaper and
masking tape to PO boxes via US mail. However, we must send any
large size packages via FedEx, and they do not deliver to
a PO Box.
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Q) Do you ship your products to Foreign countries?
Yes, we can ship 1/2 oz. touch up pen and 2 oz. touch up jar to
foreign countries but there are a few restrictions, so please
read our policy carefully before placing an order. http://www.expresspaint.com/shipping_policy/
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Q) Do you ship to APO/FPO/Hawaii/Alaska address?
We can only ship touch-up pens and bottles to APO, FPO, Hawaii,
and Alaska, and we cannot ship aerosol or pro size to these addresses.
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Color
Code Questions
Q. I found the color code on my car and located the
code in your database. However, the color name is different than
what I thought. Is this the same color?
Yes it is the same color. It is very common for automobile companies
to have multiple names for one color. This is the reason the color
code is so important. The code will always identify the correct
color.
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Q. I located my color on your site, but the color looks different
than my car. Is this the correct color?
Colors on the web do not and cannot look like the actual
color. Computer monitors simply cannot duplicate the pearls, metallic,
and hues that are in paint.
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Q. I have a 1994 Mercury, and I can not find Mercury in the manufacture
selection.
Mercury colors appear in Ford/ Lincoln selection. They
use the same color codes as Ford since Ford manufactures Mercury.
This is a common occurrence. Many companies make more than one
brand of car, i.e. GM. GM produces Buick, Pontiac, Chevrolet,
Hummer, GMC, Cadillac, Saturn, and more.
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Q. My color code on my vehicle is PFA, but
I can only find the code color on your web site PFA/ MFA, is this
the correct color to choose?
Yes, many colors have more than one code, PFA/ MFA is same as
PFA or MFA.
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Q. I have a Toyota two tone truck and I
found the color code 1C7 from the driver's door jamb. However
I need to purchase trim color. Where I can find the color code
for the trim?
If you cannot find the two tone code from your vehicle, please
Email us
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Q. I am looking for any black color to apply
to my bicycle; can you help me find a color?
We really cannot recommend colors because there are simply too
many different styles of color. We can make any color you want
if you find a color that you like, but we cannot send you paint
without a code or some sort of reference.
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Paint
Instruction Questions
Q. What is a spray-out?
A spray-out is a color test. ALWAYS CHECK THE COLOR BEFORE
PAINTING YOUR ACTUAL PIECE. EXPRESS PAINT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR
ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN PAINTED THE WRONG COLOR. If you test your
color, and it does not look right STOP. Contact us immediately
and we will work with you to arrive at a solution.
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Q. What do I need to do a proper paint job?
For a proper paint job, use wax & grease remover to clean
the surface. Then use sandpaper to remove clearcoat (if it's there)
and to make the surface smooth. Next, mask the area you are painting
with a masking tape. Apply the primer if the surface is down to
bare metal or plastic as it helps "build" the surface.
Then apply color and clear coat. Clear coat protects and adds
shine to the paint.
Our touch up kit includes everything you need for a proper paint
job. Color application is sold separately, so please find the
color code of your car and order the correct color code following
the easy 1-2-3-step ordering system first, and then add the touch
up kit to complete your order.
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Q) Can I apply your paint on any surface?
A) Our paint can be applied to plastic, metal, fiberglass, and
rubbery surfaces. If you would like to apply our paint on rubbery
surface, however, we recommend the use of Adhesion Promoter first,
and then apply the primer, color, and clearcoat.
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Q. Can I use other brand primers and clears
with your paint?
We only test with our own products and therefore do not recommend
any other company's products.
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Q. Should I apply primer to aftermarket
parts?
If the parts are not primed, you will need to do so.
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Q. Does your primer work on wood?
Yes our catalyzed primer will work on the wood, no problem.
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Q. I see wheel-paint on your site. What kind of wheels
can I paint?
You can paint virtually any wheels. With the correct preparation,
primer, and clear-coat, your wheel paint will last for many years.
Express Paint has everything you need so you can get the job done.
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Q. Do I need a touch-up applicator or an
aerosol can to do my job?
It all depends on what you are repairing and how large of area
you are repairing. If you have a minor nick or scratch, a touch-up
applicator should do the trick for you. If you are color matching
a part or repairing a larger area, you will probably need an aerosol
can. .
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Q. Which application should I choose; aerosol
or professional sizes?
Aerosols are the ideal answer for do-it-yourself jobs. They are
easy to use and produce excellent results. Professional sizes
are only recommended if you have the appropriate spray equipment
and painting experience.
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Q. If I ordered paint in aerosol, will it
turn out as good as a body shops paint job?
An aerosol can produce a very nice paint job, but it simply cannot
reproduce the original finish as well as a body shop can. The
color will be exactly the same, but there are many other variables
that can be controlled in a body shop. Dirt, spray pressure, spray-gun
atomization...all these things can affect the outcome of a paint
job. The only way to control these variables 100% is in a spray
booth at a body shop.
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Q. Is your paint premixed and ready for
a spray gun?
Yes, it is ready to go.
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Q. My paint job does not look to smooth.
It looks wrinkled or bumpy. What can I do?
If the area you are painting is properly prepared and is smooth,
the paint should apply smoothly. It may not be shiny, but it should
be smooth. After you have applied the coverage you need and you
have clearcoated the color, then you can sand the clear. Wait
a few days before sanding the clear, but once you do this will
make the paint very shiny and very smooth. We do not recommend
sanding between color coats so that the clearcoat works properly
when applied.
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Q. Can this paint be used on brake calipers
or in the engine bay? Is it acceptable for high temperature applications?
The paint does have a relatively high temperature tolerance. If
you paint your calipers and use your car as a daily driver you
will be just fine. If you take your car to track days or autocross
it, then you may perhaps eventually have some discoloring. The
paint will hold up fine in the engine bay.
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Q. How much paint do I need for the part
I am repairing?
Almost every individual part on a car can be painted entirely
with 2-3 aerosol cans of paint. Small repairs will, obviously,
only require one can of paint, but if you are painting an entire
door, hood, roof, fender, bumper or trunk, you will likely need
2-3 cans to do it. If it is a larger car, go for the3 cans. If
it’s a more compact car, go for the 2 cans. Trucks are typically
larger than cars, so they will usually take between 3-4 cans to
paint the comparable part of a car. For example, a front fender
would probably take 3-4 cans whereas a car may only be 2-3 cans.
Truck tailgates usually take 2-3 cans.
Again, all of this is subject to the vehicles relative size. A
Hummer will take more paint than a Ford Ranger although both are
trucks. A Cadillac DeVille will take more paint than a Kia although
both are cars.
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Q.Why isn't my paint glossy or shiny?
Sometimes the clearcoat does not shine like you want
it to. Varying atmospheric conditions and application techniques
usually causes this. Luckily it's not terribly difficult to resolve.
First, wait 5 days from painting and then try using our polishing
compound on the area (follow instructions for compound). If this
does not help the situation, then use the 2000 grit sandpaper
in our 3M Sandpaper Combo pack. Again, follow the directions for
wetsanding. After wetsanding then use the compound again and you
should have a very nice gloss.
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Q.Why does my color look too dark?
Some metallic colors, usually silvers and grays, sometimes
look too dark. This is caused by the orientation of the small
flakes or "metallic" in the paint. When sprayed from
a spraygun or aerosol these flakes usually lay very nice and even.
But when applied from a touch-up, they sometimes do not lay properly.
Very often clearcoat will make the color look better by adding
gloss to the color and allowing it to sparkle more. But if it
still looks to dark, you may want to lightly sand the finish with
the 1500 grit paper and then apply a little more paint. Be sure
to apply is very lightly and evenly; this will also help with
the color. You can do this a few times to build the paint up a
bit.
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Q.What is "Orange Peel" and why
does my paint look rough?
Orange peel is the rough look you sometimes see after your clearcoat
dries. It looks like the skin of an orange; hence the name. It's
fairly easy to rectify. Just let the paint dry for 5-7 days and
then wetsand the area with 1500, following the directions with
the 3M Combo kit. Then buff with the polishing compound. You may
need to repeat the process a couple times, but you will smooth
the surface and achieve a nice gloss.
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Q.Why is my paint lifting or bubbling?
This is a chemical reaction caused from using incompatible products.
You should not run into this trouble if you use all ExpressPaint
products and follow the included directions. There are some tips
to help avoid chemical problems: always allow the paint to dry
thoroughly between coats. Apply even, medium coats of all products.
Don't go too heavy; paint doesn't like being apply too thick.
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Q.My Paint looks cloud or hazy, how can I fix it?
This is caused by too much moisture in the air. Sometimes
it will just go away on it's own, sometimes you need to redo the
paintjob. Prevention is key here; don't paint when it's really
humid out. Wait until it's under 50%-60% humidity and you won't
face this issue.
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Q.How do I fix tape lines?
Follow the tips on how to roll the masking tape (for more details,
please read our "how to
apply" under [re-mask] ) and you won't have tape line
problems. Also try not to tape in the middle of a panel; look
for body creases where the line will be less noticeable. But if
you do then normally you can wetsand with 2000 and remove the
lines. Then use the polishing compound to bring your gloss back.
If your line is really thick you may have to redo the job and
go lighter on each material. Remember, you do not have to lay
the paint on super thick, you only need good, even coverage.
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Q.Why doesn't my paint feel completely
dry?
This goes back to the chemical reaction issue. If your paint will
not dry properly then you have too much on. Remember to let each
coat dry thoroughly before applying the next coat. Also, do not
apply heavy coats. Nice, even, medium coats are what you want.
The same hold true with the clearcoat-two medium coats allowing
them to dry in between is all thats needed. Too Heavy coats will
not dry properly.
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Q.How do I fix small blemishes in my paintjob?
Sometimes paint blemish happen before you apply your clearcoat.
If so you can lightly wetsand the area with 1500 grit paper and
then apply more of the colorcoat. Then proceed to clearcoating.
If a blemish shows up after you have clearcoated, sometimes it
can be fixed, sometimes not. If it's just a little piece of dirt
or a dust bunny, then wetsand with 2000 and then use our polishing
compound. This should take care of the blemish. If the blemish
is too deep into the paintjob you have no choice but to redo the
paintjob or live with the blemish.
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