How can paint deceive a paint thickness gauge?
3 Answers
Paint can deceive a paint thickness gauge by properly managing the proportions of each paint layer. Below is an introduction to related car paint content: 1. Spray paint: White spray paint is primarily used to repair scratches on cars, but it certainly differs from the effect of baked paint. 2. Adhesion: The adhesion of spray paint is much worse than that of baked paint, and it may start peeling off after about a year. The difference in the paint surface not only includes a certain color deviation from the original factory paint but also lacks the gloss of baked paint. Therefore, if you have requirements for the paint surface, try to avoid using spray paint. 3. Sunshade: Besides providing shade, a car cover can also prevent paint aging. If you need to park outdoors for extended periods, a sunshade is essential.
I've been in the car painting business for over ten years. The paint thickness gauge measures the thickness of the paint layer, and it's nearly impossible to fool it. The proper method involves sanding the scratched area thinner than the original paint, then applying primer, basecoat, and clearcoat in layers, each controlled within a few dozen microns. But even if you spray it ultra-thin, professional inspectors using dual-mode paint gauges with magnetic induction and eddy current technology can detect thickness variations exceeding 30% immediately. Not to mention repair surface orange peel and color differences that become obvious under strong light. Last year, a client insisted on trying this, and when selling the car, the secondary paint job was detected, resulting in a direct price cut of 10,000 yuan—totally not worth it.
Veteran drivers will tell you, don't bother trying! Paint thickness gauges can measure down to 0.1 microns, and factory robotic spray painting achieves paper-flat uniformity in coating thickness. Even the most skilled manual spraying will leave ripples, and uneven clear coat thickness will trigger immediate machine alerts. Some repair shops mix metal powder into primer to interfere with magnetic induction, but modern devices using eddy current mode can still measure accurately. Recently, I helped a friend inspect a used car - the gauge showed the right door coating was 380 microns, over twice as thick as the left door's 150 microns. Peeling back the seals revealed nothing but body filler. These color-change film cover-ups can't fool anyone anymore. Honesty is the most cost-effective policy in car repairs.
