Metallic paint, also called metal flake or

polychromatic Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statu ...

, is a type of

paint Paint is any pigmented liquid, liquefiable, or solid mastic composition that, after application to a substrate in a thin layer, converts to a solid film. It is most commonly used to protect, color, or provide texture. Paint can be made in many ...

that is most common on new

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded ...

s, but is also used for other purposes. Metallic paint can reveal the contours of bodywork more than non-metallic, or "solid" paint. Close-up, the small metal flakes included in the paint create a sparkling effect mimicking a metal surface.

Description

Metallic paints, or just metallics, generally consist of a base coat with a clear " lacquer", usually a transparent acrylic polyurethane top coat, for protection and extra gloss. "Flop", or "flip-flop", refers to the difference between the amount or hue of light reflected at different angles from a metallic paint surface. The differences are caused by the size and

reflectivity The reflectance of the surface of a material is its effectiveness in reflecting radiant energy. It is the fraction of incident electromagnetic power that is reflected at the boundary. Reflectance is a component of the response of the electroni ...

of the flakes in the paint, and also by their orientation and the degree to which they are all oriented in the same direction. Historically, it was difficult to achieve an invisible repair if the paint was damaged because it is critical to reproduce the flop of the original surface as well as its pigment. Modern techniques have more or less eliminated this problem.

Variations

Metallic paints may be generically referred to as metal-flake paint, but a specific variation uses larger flakes of metal that are individually visible. Flakes with different colour effects may also be used within the same paint. Pearlescent paint uses embedded pieces of

iridescent Iridescence (also known as goniochromism) is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Examples of iridescence include soap bubbles, feathers, butterfl ...

material to produce subtly different colours depending on the angle and intensity of the light. More radical colour changes and "two-tone" or "flip" colours (e.g. from purple to orange) are sometimes produced. Two-tone paints such as

ChromaFlair ChromaFlair is a pigment used in paint systems, primarily for automobiles. When the paint is applied, it changes color depending on the light source and viewing angle. It was created at JDS Uniphase and is used by DuPont and PPG Industries, PPG. ...

have been used by Nissan on some special parts, and are frequently associated with TVR cars. Metallic paint is sometimes described as polychromatic paint, although sometimes only two paints showing strong colour-changing effects. This is distinct from

polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statue ...

decoration, which is a traditional decoration in multiple flat colours. "

Candy apple Candy apples (or toffee apples in Commonwealth English) are whole apples covered in a sugar candy coating, with a stick inserted as a handle. These are a common treat at fall festivals in Western culture in the Northern Hemisphere, such as H ...

" or "flamboyant" paint consists of a metallic base coat, usually silver or gold, covered with a translucent coloured lacquer, or more commonly urethane. It gives an unusual effect of depth, but is almost impossible to touch up after damage without leaving an obvious mark. It is hardly ever used on automobiles but common on bikes,

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...

s and

electric guitar An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

s. Hammer paint dries in a pattern that looks like hammered metal. It is more commonly used on machinery.

Expense

Luxury car A luxury car is a car that provides increased levels of comfort, equipment, amenities, quality, performance, and associated status compared to moderately priced cars. The term is subjective and reflects both the qualities of the car and th ...

manufacturers (particularly German marques such as BMW and

Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquarter ...

) almost always charge a premium for the "option" of metallic paint on a new vehicle. This is often considered a captive market as metallic paints usually account for all but one or two of the colors from the palette available (only red, black, and white are available as solid colors from many brands). Buyers may choose to pay it, in some cases merely to maintain resale value. The price premium for metallic paint is GBP 500 or USD 1000 for a large car, while pearlescent paint (such as White Diamond Pearl) is even more expensive. For BMW Canada and BMW North America, the metallic paint premium applies to entry-level offerings such as the BMW 3 Series (resulting in a disproportionate number of 3 Series cars sold in the late 2000s being whit

and the BMW X1, while more expensive cars such as the

BMW 5 Series The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972, succeeding the New Class Sedans, and currently in its seventh generation. The 5 Series was initially available as a sedan, with a wagon/estate body style (market ...

have metallic paint as a no-charge option. Given that having a car subsequently resprayed in a metallic color is no more expensive than for a solid color, many consider the price premium for metallic paint as a way to boost the base price of a luxury car. Japanese luxury marques and many mass market brands usually do not charge extra for metallic paint.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite book, author=Robert Scharff, title=Complete Automotive Estimating, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXcNH5XwNHIC&pg=PA103, year=1990, publisher=Cengage Learning, isbn=0-8273-3585-7, pages=103– {{cite book, title=Paint and Coating Testing Manual, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ri6FkY2xvgcC&pg=PA228, publisher=ASTM International, pages=228–, id=GGKEY:7W7C2G88G2J {{cite book, title=AK507 - METALLICS VOL.1: LEARNING SERIES 04, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8B8ZCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA67, publisher=Ak-interactive, S.l., pages=67–, id=GGKEY:CRN01KR84QL {{cite book, author=John Pfanstiehl, title=Automotive Paint Handbook, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eec6t65Ef3gC, year=1992, publisher=HP Books, isbn=978-1-55788-034-5 Paints

Description

Variations

Expense

See also

References