Raptor protective paint - properties and application instructions

Paint application area

Raptor U-POL paint is a two-component paint and varnish material (LCM) that creates a protective coating of increased strength. This characteristic makes Raptor very different from conventional car paints.

The material restores even the most worn-out body coating, creating a film resistant to the following damaging factors:

• extreme temperatures, harsh climate;
• rust (corrosion);
• salt;
• mold;
• scratching, friction;
• ultraviolet radiation;
• dirt.

Raptor is also suitable for creating sound insulation, because after applying paint, the insulation characteristics of the car are significantly increased. The scope of application of auto enamel is varied. Its application is indicated on bumpers, plastic body kits of cars, especially SUVs and other off-road vehicles.

This material should be used by car enthusiasts who often go outdoors, hunting, or fishing. After painting, the car will not be afraid of curbs, roadsides, or icy surfaces - scratches will no longer appear.

After an accident, it is recommended that all car owners use Raptor. With higher quality, painting costs will be similar. As a result, a durable coating 2–3 mm thick is guaranteed, which will mask all surface defects. To update the appearance of Raptor U-POL is used on ATVs, bicycles, boats, and any equipment for outdoor activities.

Reviews from car owners

Most motorists speak well of the Raptor paint. The specificity of the issue plays a role here. Repainting the body is an expensive undertaking. And if you take into account that you will have to paint in an unusual format, instead of car enamel, blowing the entire body into polymer, then it becomes clear: before making such a decision, car owners thoroughly study the issue and do not do this work “at random.”

This paint gets good reviews mainly for its really high resistance to external influences. Foresters, hunters and fishermen who drive their vehicles through forests and off-road have appreciated the ability of Raptor coatings to withstand abrasive dirt, stones and tree branches.

Negative reviews of Raptor paints often include motorists' dissatisfaction with local peeling of the coating and the impossibility of spot repairs with an acceptable result. This problem is especially relevant for plastic elements. It happens that almost half of the coating falls off from a bumper or molding at one time.

Typically, motorists with an adventurous streak decide to undertake such experiments. Those who are not afraid to try new things. Those who try, for example, “Titan” paints or protective compounds like “Bronekor”. And often such experiments end in positive emotions.

Advantages and disadvantages of paint

The paint and varnish material has many advantages. Basic:

• the finished coating is incredibly durable, resistant to mechanical and chemical damage, but quite elastic, so it does not crack and can bend along with the plastic;
• the paint film does not fade or darken over time;
• painted body parts do not need polishing;
• applying paint is very easy; for this you can use various devices, including a brush;
• You can work with paint even outside - the sun, dust, wind will not prevent the coating from drying normally;
• the cost of repairs is moderate, especially considering the highest quality;
• washing and cleaning the car will be very simple;
• the level of vibration and noise after painting will be significantly reduced;
• You don’t have to worry about rusting of parts - after treatment with paint it is eliminated.

The disadvantages include some dullness of the coating, so the Raptor cannot be varnished. The disadvantage is a significant increase in consumption when applied with a roller or brush: professionals always choose automated types of painting.

“Pure” Raptor is sold in black and white: if tinting is necessary, you will have to buy additional pigments.

Like any paintwork for cars, Raptor U-POL is not safe for the body - you will have to work in the air or with the use of protective devices. Before the paint hardens, it is toxic, but after drying it is not harmful to humans.

Pros and cons of coverage

The protective layer has its advantages:

1. Self-application is possible (cost savings).
2. The level of noise insulation increases. No sounds from the street can be heard inside the cabin.
3. Protection of the body from any external influences.
4. The service life of the car increases, the processes of rotting and corrosion are significantly reduced.
5. Can be applied to both metal and plastic.
6. Application does not require many tools.
7. Different types of processing can be used.

Disadvantages of coverage:

• Only matte coating option.
• Roughness is clearly visible.
• Long “waiting” period after painting.

The total cost of applying “Raptor” reaches 40,000 rubles. You can save a lot of money by treating only the lower part of the car with this product.

When purchasing paint, it is important to buy a good quality hardener. It is advisable not to use a brush when applying Raptor, since traces of the pile remain on the surface in the form of furrows that quickly dry out.

Packaging, colors, features

Raptor U-POL paint is sold in a variety of packaging - in spray cans, large cans, bulk cans, and barrels. They should be purchased based on the area to be painted. There are packages of 3 - 4 bottles, each of which includes 0.75 liters of paint, other packages contain 1 - 2 cans per 1 liter.

Complete set of Raptor U-POL: the actual coloring composition and hardener, which is required to fix the material. One bottle of hardener is enough for 10 - 12 square meters. m of cultivated area.

Some Raptor kits include a gun for applying paintwork (anti-gravel gun GUN/1), although it may not be used for work. A brush for processing the bottom and lower parts of the sides will have to be purchased additionally, as well as pigments for tinting.

Painting a car in the desired color

In order to paint the body of a raptor car in the desired color, you need to purchase a kit from the U-POL company with a cloudy-whitish material, which is intended for tinting. You can also purchase ready-made color pigments from U-POL. To purchase, you should contact the company's representative office - they will give recommendations on how to mix the pigment and raptor and how it should be applied to the surface of the body.

Next, you need to mix raptor with the hardener in a 3:1 ratio and add up to 10% of the base pigment to the finished mixture. If you have difficulty selecting the right color, you can contact a colorist and use the selection system to determine the right component.

In the case when the color of the car is light, and the owner wants to preserve it, you need to take into account that the raptor itself is milky in color - this can give a peculiar shade.

Staining order

The pigment is introduced into the paint and varnish material before adding the hardener. The amount of color determines the brightness of the finished coating, which must be taken into account in advance. In order not to make a mistake with the shade when coating individual parts, it is better to carry out tinting using special equipment. For painting small equipment and bicycles, it is quite possible to do the coloring on your own.

Materials, tools

It is best to paint using a special sprayer that has a spray control function. This will help reduce the number of air bubbles formed and eliminate the presence of strokes that the brush leaves.

But, as indicated in the instructions, if you have certain skills, you can use rollers and brushes for the job. A small brush should be on hand for touching up hard-to-reach areas.

You need to put rags and rags on your work area to remove paint drops and streaks. For preparatory work you will need a grinding machine.

Preparation

The better the preparation of body parts, the better the final result in painting. First, remove all unnecessary accessories from the machine:

• wipers;
• pens;
• mirrors;
• bumpers and others.

All non-removable parts that will not be painted should be covered with paper tape around the edges and covered with paper. You can remove the paper only after the paint and varnish coating has completely dried.

It is highly undesirable to apply new paint over old paint. In defective areas, the thickness of the coating will vary, and the durability of the finished film will decrease. The entire surface of the parts must be thoroughly cleaned of old paint, for which a grinding machine with a fine abrasive is used. This should not be done manually due to the risk of reduced quality.

The next procedure is as follows:

• remove dust, dirt, and small particles of paint that appear after sanding manually or using a compressor;
• wipe all parts with anti-silicone and white spirit;
• chips, holes, and other defects are filled with special automotive putties;
• allow the parts to dry thoroughly;
• treat the products with a special auto-primer and dry again;
• Start painting the body.

Security measures

The material is highly flammable. When a fire hits, the paintwork immediately flares up, so there should be no sources of combustion near the place of work - cigarettes, stoves, etc. In the garage, it is better to check the wiring in advance to prevent short circuits and ignition.

During work, there is a risk of damage to the mucous membrane of the eyes - its inflammation, drying out, and therefore you should work in safety glasses. Due to allergies and drying of the skin of the hands, they work only in comfortable gloves, and wear special clothing on the body.

Since inhalation of toxic fumes leads to poisoning, the following safety precautions should be taken:

• the room should be well ventilated, and even if there is a general exhaust hood, it is better to install additional mechanical ventilation;
• You should use a respirator and go out into fresh air as often as possible;
• After finishing work, all used devices and materials must be filled with water until they are cleaned (solvents are used for this), the rags should be packed in tight bags, and then disposed of.

To avoid damage and fire, store Raptor paint in a dark place, out of direct sunlight, at a temperature not higher than +70 degrees. The container must be tightly closed.

Instructions for using paint

First, you should dilute the paint with a hardener. For 3 parts of Raptor, 1 part of the hardener, which is included in the kit, is injected. There is a mark on the paint can up to which the hardener is poured (for 750 ml of the main composition you will get 250 ml of the latter). Then the jar must be tightly closed and its contents shaken for 2 - 5 minutes to thoroughly mix.

The operating procedure is as follows:

1. Screw the gun onto the can and connect the hose from the compressor.
2. Start applying the first coat of paint, starting with the roof of the car.
3. You must act with uniform movements, without jerking, hold the gun 50 cm from the part (the layer should lie without overflow).
4. Too thick a layer causes a decrease in the mechanical strength of the paint, so the thickness of each sublayer does not exceed 1 - 1.5 mm.
5. To dry the first layer you need 0.5 - 1 hour at a temperature of +20 degrees, after which you can apply the second in the same way.
6. The total polymerization time for Raptor is up to 5 – 7 days, but operation of the car is permissible after 12 hours (loads and mechanical stress are excluded in the first week).

For tinting, you should buy a Raptor set with white (milky) paint. There are pigments from the same brand in stores that are ideal. The amount of color added does not exceed 10% of the paint weight. If you have difficulty with tinting, you should contact a professional colorist.

To accurately select a color when painting individual parts, find out the VIN code of the car’s paintwork in advance, and then look for the color using special reference books.

How is Raptor used?

This composition can be applied not only to metal car surfaces, but also to any other surfaces that require protection from external factors. It is used by energy workers or construction workers due to its adhesive and antifungal properties.

The composition contains components such as elastomers. These components do not contain volatile substances (solvents), and therefore are not toxic to humans. Manufacturers managed to exclude plasticizers from the composition. These substances are part of the coatings of previous years. Manufacturers have excluded plasticizers from the composition, and after complete drying, the Raptor coating of the car shrinks completely.

Procedure for removing paint from a car

Removing a coat of Raptor U-POL paint that has already dried is quite a task. Doing this manually using sandpaper is difficult, ineffective and time-consuming, because the paper immediately gets clogged.

Using an angle grinder is simply dangerous, since the abrasive wheel creates nicks, defects, and chips on the body that will need to be puttied. Only putting a metal brush on a grinder or drill will allow cleaning to be more effective, but large parts often overheat and become deformed.

It is best to use a construction hair dryer, which is used to heat the base, and then remove the material with a special narrow sharp spatula.

Disadvantages of coverage

With all the variety of advantages, this coating also has disadvantages. This coating cannot be varnished or polished. Therefore, it will always be matte. The applied coating will always be rough, like shagreen, which does not always look beautiful on all cars.

The application technology requires strict adherence, otherwise chips and surface defects are possible, which again spoils the aesthetics. Very long (especially in comparison with conventional paintwork) drying time and complete polymerization. It lasts up to three weeks.

Paint price

The cost of a set of 4 750 ml jars of paint and hardener is about 6,000 rubles. The kit does not include a pistol, which is sold additionally (approximately 1,700 rubles). Sets with a pistol are sold for 7400 – 7700 rubles.

To paint a whole car (sedan) you need about 3 sets, you will have to pay for the work of a specialist (from 4000 for one part). If you paint it yourself, you can save costs at this point, but if you are not confident in the quality result, it is better to trust a professional.

Safety precautions when working with raptor

Painting the body of a car with a raptor should take place while observing personal protective measures. The passport that comes with the product itself indicates the main types of danger the raptor poses to humans:

• the material is flammable;
• irritates eyes;
• open contact with the material leads to dry skin and causes it to crack;
• vapors may cause drowsiness and clouding of consciousness.

Therefore, you need to work with a raptor in protective clothing and gloves, goggles and a respirator. The room where the work will be performed must be equipped with exhaust ventilation and fire safety equipment.