What colour metallic to go for?
Discussion
Hi all 
Righty then, my car's recently been bumped into, no real damage other than the paintwork.
It's being sorted through the insurance, and I've opted to pay some ontop and get a full respray in the existing colour. However, I'd like to get a stronger metallic effect, as well as a stronger pearl effect to the paintwork.
The bodyshop I'm using seem very good, and I've heard nothing but great reports about them, and they say this is no problem.
My questions are as follows.
Basically, I'm going for a House of kolor metalflake metallic, not the big rubbish flakes, a very fine metallic. They offer a range of colours and I really am clueless as to what will suit.
My car is silver and is to be kept that way, though it does have quite a strong pearl already.
Help! What colour metallic goes with silver paintwork? Silver obviously. They offer a load of colours,
here's a few :
silver, gold, rainbow effect, orange, apricot, red, fuschia, royal blue, green, abalone, smoke, royal blue, rich gold, fireball, pink rose, deep red, red and gold, green and gold,
I know silver is the obvious one, but I can't help but think a subtle coloured metallic might look good also?
Any tips on how much to put in for a strong metallic but not over the top chavtastic blingfest would be appreciated to, in grams per litre
Righty then, my car's recently been bumped into, no real damage other than the paintwork.
It's being sorted through the insurance, and I've opted to pay some ontop and get a full respray in the existing colour. However, I'd like to get a stronger metallic effect, as well as a stronger pearl effect to the paintwork.
The bodyshop I'm using seem very good, and I've heard nothing but great reports about them, and they say this is no problem.
My questions are as follows.
Basically, I'm going for a House of kolor metalflake metallic, not the big rubbish flakes, a very fine metallic. They offer a range of colours and I really am clueless as to what will suit.
My car is silver and is to be kept that way, though it does have quite a strong pearl already.
Help! What colour metallic goes with silver paintwork? Silver obviously. They offer a load of colours,
here's a few :
silver, gold, rainbow effect, orange, apricot, red, fuschia, royal blue, green, abalone, smoke, royal blue, rich gold, fireball, pink rose, deep red, red and gold, green and gold,
I know silver is the obvious one, but I can't help but think a subtle coloured metallic might look good also?
Any tips on how much to put in for a strong metallic but not over the top chavtastic blingfest would be appreciated to, in grams per litre
Hi Stu,
Metallic particles (aluminium) are silver. They vary in size and brightness, but they're silver.
Pearls are bits of mica that add colour. The HoK lazuli pearl adds a beautiful blue tinge.
Holo flakes are flakes of hologram that add a colour that changes across the prism.
I guess from your posts you're actually after advice on what pearls to add to tint the silver, rather than metallics - having looked through the chips, that lazuli would be my advice, unless you hate the idea of blue...
Tol
Metallic particles (aluminium) are silver. They vary in size and brightness, but they're silver.
Pearls are bits of mica that add colour. The HoK lazuli pearl adds a beautiful blue tinge.
Holo flakes are flakes of hologram that add a colour that changes across the prism.
I guess from your posts you're actually after advice on what pearls to add to tint the silver, rather than metallics - having looked through the chips, that lazuli would be my advice, unless you hate the idea of blue...
Tol
Hi Tol,
Thanks for the tips mate, much appreciated.
A light blue hue to the pearl is basically what I was hoping to achieve.
I'm guessing the depth of the blue in the pearl will be determined by the amount that added?
Basically I'm hoping that it won't detract from the silver too much, not a flip paint, just a subtle difference in different light, a slightly stronger version of your average pearl.
If I can achieve that with the pearl you recommend I'll go with that. Am I right in thinking it means I can still add the normal silver metallic pearl to the paint, and the pearl goes in with the laquer as normal? If so sounds about bang on what I'm after.
Cheers for the help mate
Stu
Thanks for the tips mate, much appreciated.
A light blue hue to the pearl is basically what I was hoping to achieve.
I'm guessing the depth of the blue in the pearl will be determined by the amount that added?
Basically I'm hoping that it won't detract from the silver too much, not a flip paint, just a subtle difference in different light, a slightly stronger version of your average pearl.
If I can achieve that with the pearl you recommend I'll go with that. Am I right in thinking it means I can still add the normal silver metallic pearl to the paint, and the pearl goes in with the laquer as normal? If so sounds about bang on what I'm after.
Cheers for the help mate
Stu
My personal preference would be to have a measured amount of pearl added to the silver paint (aluminium flakes + binder) and then use a clearcoat without any pearl in it.
If you use a pearl-tinted clear, getting an even finish is much harder, as any variation in clearcoat depth will also add a colour tint difference, and getting any possible future repair to match the new finish will be really tough too - see the thread in here a few months back on a vandalised s2000 with a 3-coat process for an example of why: http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topi
HTH
Tol
If you use a pearl-tinted clear, getting an even finish is much harder, as any variation in clearcoat depth will also add a colour tint difference, and getting any possible future repair to match the new finish will be really tough too - see the thread in here a few months back on a vandalised s2000 with a 3-coat process for an example of why: http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topi
HTH
Tol
Gassing Station | Bodywork & Detailing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff