What is clear coat?
A clear coat is the top coat of a paint that contains no pigmentation or color. In a typical automotive paint surface, there is a primer coat which is what is sprayed on the metal or plastic body surface, a base coat, which contains the color and a clear coat. A clear coats purpose is to provide depth and gloss to the finish (known as DOI, or Distinction of Image in the industry) and to protect the base coat from the elements, including the harmful UV (Ultra-violet) rays of the sun. Clear coats require special consideration. Because they are clear, scratches and swirls tend to become more prominent since the clear characteristic causes such defects to be magnified. The protection provided by a clear coat will not prevent oxidation but it does help considerably. The clear coat itself can lose it’s oils which makes it vulnerable to oxidation, causing the surface to dull. Although clear coat protective properties make modern paint jobs last longer, they still have to be maintained with oi
