Painting a car with raptor: review of technology and photos

Modern paintwork on a car body is very strong and durable. He is not afraid of temperature changes, rain and snow. The gloss does not fade or scratch for a long time. Unfortunately, operating conditions are very different. Harsh environmental conditions literally leave their mark on cars - branches and stones leave scratches on the varnish. And a lot of transported cargo contributes to the formation of abrasions.

Over time, moisture inevitably enters through scratches and abrasions and contributes to the development of rust with all the ensuing consequences. It is precisely for such cases that a special technology has been developed for coating the body with a special polyurethane composition, which is collectively called “Raptor”.

It received this common name thanks to the U-POL trademark, which produces elastic coatings with this name.

What is Raptor?

First you need to figure out what it is. Paint, or rather polyurea elastomer, is a specialized two-component organic polymer. Thanks to it, it is possible to obtain seamless, durable and at the same time elastic coatings on surfaces of any shape and curvature. Roughly speaking, paint coating is not, but rather, an elastic plastic that is sprayed and then hardens, having high adhesive and protective properties. Such properties have made polyurea ideal for industrial use in coatings that require high wear-resistant and protective properties. These coatings can be used in a wide range:

• construction;
• various engineering structures;
• energy and utilities.

Coating car body parts with this polymer is just one of the areas of its application.

Positive reviews of Raptor painting of trucks confirm these statements.

DIY raptor painting

Welcome to the kuzov.info blog!

In this article we will look at what Raptor protective coating is, its advantages, preparation for application, the application and drying process.

Raptor is a trademark of U-POL. The full name of this product is U-POL'S RAPTOR Truck Bed Liner, which means a cover for the rear bed (cargo compartment) of pickups and trucks. Initially, this coating was developed precisely for these purposes. Subsequently, Raptor paint began to be used everywhere, for painting both individual parts of the body and the entire body.

Raptor can be applied to areas most susceptible to wear.

Raptor is a 2-part paint, meaning it is mixed with a hardener before application. It has a urethane base, which gives this paint special strength, while it remains elastic and does not crack upon impact.

So, let's list the main advantages of the Raptor coating:

Surface preparation for Raptor coating

Mixing Raptor Ingredients

Spraying with an HVLP spray gun

Raptor can be painted with most modern paints. To do this, you need to wait 24 hours after applying it and treat it with Scotch Brite. Next, paint or varnish is applied. This is not a mandatory process, but possible.

Drying the Raptor coating

Raptor dries touch-free in 1 hour. After 2-3 days you can use it with caution. After 7 days, the surface painted with Raptor is completely ready for use. Drying can be accelerated by increasing the temperature (60 degrees), but complete hardening will also occur no earlier than 7 days.

It is not recommended to infrared dry the Raptor.

Source

Features of the Raptor coating

A special feature of polyurea elastomers is that they do not contain volatile solvents. This makes them non-toxic and non-flammable. They also do not contain carcinogenic resins and tar, which are harmful to the human body.

Another feature is the absence of plasticizers required for paint and varnish coatings in the polymer. Over time, they cause the coating to shrink as it dries. In other words, such a coating, in the absence of mechanical impact, will last forever, as reviews say. Also, one should not forget about exceptional strength and elasticity, moisture resistance and chemical inertness. All this suggests that we have a very promising and generally positive type of coating. It is no coincidence that the reviews about Raptor painting are the most positive. But our story does not end there.

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.

What is needed for painting with Raptor?

This polymer coating is sold in bottles with the base material, plus a container with a hardener. The kit also includes a special paint gun (sold separately). With its help you can adjust the degree of surface roughness. Naturally, there are packaging options in aerosol cans for local painting or for individual small elements. Specialized primers and cleaners are used to prepare the surface. They are also produced by U-POL and some other companies.

Preparatory work

High-quality anti-gravel compounds are two-component substances. Raptor in this case is no exception. Before use, it is necessary to combine the paint from the bottles with the hardener in a strict proportion of 3:1. The packaging is designed in such a way that 250 ml of hardener must be added to 750 ml of paint to obtain a liter volume of the product ready for application.

You can stock up on sufficient mixing containers in advance. The manufacturer recommends that before applying the Raptor protective coating, thoroughly stir the composition for several minutes to a homogeneous consistency. You can simply shake the closed container for a while.

The composition may contain one of the types of hardeners, which come in different concentrations and chemical characteristics. When purchasing, you can select substances with optimal values. There are even formulations available that can dry within 20–40 minutes after completion of spraying.

The branded sprayer is offered as a set or can be purchased separately for 1.5–1.7 thousand rubles. It can be attached to any spray gun. It is important to keep the nozzle approximately 45-55 cm away from the part to be painted to ensure an even application.

It is important to know that the recommended number of Raptor layers to be laid should be limited to 2-3 coatings, since increasing them can lead to negative consequences.

Price

As for the cost, a painting kit (4 liters in volume), which includes 4 cans of starting material and a hardener, costs about 6 thousand rubles. To this you need to add a special spray gun (1,700 rubles).

It takes about three of these sets to repaint the entire car. To this amount (from 19,700 rubles) it will be necessary to add the cost of the work itself (the same amount). Of course, the figure turns out to be rather large. However, considering all the advantages of this technology, it is worth taking advantage of. Many people decide to undergo such a procedure as painting with “Raptor”. Reviews indicate that the coating perfectly protects the body from rust and scratches.

Painting technology

The technology itself is not too complicated, however, it requires preliminary preparation. If the entire body will be processed, then all attachments must be removed. These are bumpers, headlights, mirrors, door handles, etc. After this, the body is prepared - removing and cleaning rust. Exposed metal must be primed with a special primer. Dents, as usual, are straightened and puttied. After preparation, the entire surface is matted with sandpaper. The surface should be rough for better adhesion.

The paint material itself is mixed with a hardener in a ratio of 3 to 1 and applied using a paint gun, like regular paint. The first layer dries for an hour. Then a second one is applied, which requires polymerization for 5-7 days. You can start using the car within 12 hours. It is, of course, better to maintain a longer time interval to obtain optimal results.

Nuances when painting with Raptor

The composition must be prepared with the correct proportions of paint and hardener (factory standard 3 to 1). Next, apply 2-3 layers of paint; additional layers are more likely to lead to a loss of the Raptor’s properties than to an increase in protection.

With an unscrupulous approach to the preparation of the surface to be painted, when even the smallest source of corrosion may not be removed, the applied composition may swell due to the development of corrosion that has begun underneath it.

A very important point! After complete drying, the Raptor does not immediately acquire protective properties; the manufacturer recommends careful use of the vehicle for 21 days after painting.

Make a thoughtful decision: after a poor-quality application of the Raptor somewhere in garages or by an inexperienced painter, it will be difficult to repaint the car and return it to its original appearance!

Security measures

Treating a car with any material, whether regular paint or Raptor, must be carried out with mandatory observance of safety measures. There are certain types of danger:

• flammability;
• toxicity of the starting material to mucous membranes and skin (can cause cracking and irritation), and respiratory organs.

Therefore, when working with Raptor, you should follow all safety precautions as when painting.

Protective clothing, goggles and respirators must be available, and the room must be ventilated. The coating will lose its toxicity after polymerization, and care should be taken before it dries.

Features of the Raptor

The polyurethane coating forms a special protective film. It has the following advantages:

• Increased durability of the Raptor paint. Reviews say that deep scratches can be removed even with a regular hair dryer.
• Resistance to mechanical stress and abrasion.
• Does not fade in the open sun and does not fade.
• The painting process itself does not require high qualifications.
• Does not require careful preparation for painting compared to ideal removal with conventional processing.
• Apply using a spray gun and roller.
• Painting can be done even outdoors, at normal room temperature.
• Painting a car with Raptor does not require additional protective coating (varnish). Reviews repeatedly confirm this fact.
• Reliably protects against corrosion and chemical influences.

Manufacturer's suggested format

Raptor car paint, reviews of which are mostly positive online, is sold in various packages. You can easily find packages of the required volume, which are enough to completely treat a large machine or for partial application to problem areas. It is advisable to purchase a special gun for applying a protective layer. If you don’t have a gun, then as a last resort you can use a brush or roller.

Online stores often offer the usual set of 4 0.75 liter containers and a bottle of hardener necessary for the durability of the result. Its cost is about 5200 rubles.

The price of painting a car with Raptor, based on its area and the price tag for materials, will be different . You need to focus on the approximate consumption:

• NIVA Urban will require about 8 liters, which is equivalent to 2 sets of RLB/S4 or RLT/S4;
• UAZ Hunter is larger in area, so it needs 12 liters or 3 sets;
• TOYOTA LC 200 with a five-meter length will be covered with 16 liters;
• TOYOTA Tundra at 6.2 m with complex processing will cost 20 liters.

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.

DIY raptor painting

Welcome to the kuzov.info blog!

In this article we will look at what Raptor protective coating is, its advantages, preparation for application, the application and drying process.

The content of the article:

Raptor is a 2-part paint, meaning it is mixed with a hardener before application. It has a urethane base, which gives this paint special strength, while it remains elastic and does not crack upon impact.

So, let's list the main advantages of the Raptor coating:

Painting "Raptor": reviews

The pros and cons of this technology have already been described above. The opinions of many owners are encouraging. For example, painting a UAZ “Raptor”. Reviews indicate that with this coating, the car is no longer afraid of branches or stones. The car is now not afraid even of contact with other cars. Niva is also often painted with Raptor. The reviews practically repeat what was said about the UAZ.

No scratches or abrasions, on any off-road and in any weather conditions. In some places the Prado 120 (Raptor white) was painted. The reviews are also encouraging - the car retained its original color, but became rough and matte. In addition to external beauty (however, not for everyone), resistance to scratches has appeared, which are inevitable with a varnished coating.

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.