How different types of chrome paint work

Since its release, Go Chrome paint has been making waves because it is innovative in its operation and amazing in its beautiful 100% chrome effect results. So what are the real differences between chrome paints? What are their application techniques and how do they work? And above all, how to make your choice, according to the tools available, and according to your project!

There are in fact two products, two types of chrome effect paint, which are totally different, and there is a lot of confusion between what is said by the manufacturers and the results that are expected by the users. Added to this are other spray chrome plating processes that we will briefly see below, and which are even more different.

The two types of chrome paint

First of all, there is the traditional chrome product (1), which has been around for years.

Then there is a new product which appeared and which was named Brush-on-Chrome (2), Chrome Brush, Easy Chrome®, Go Chrome®… presented as a product to be applied with a brush.

1/ The professional or traditional version

It is a liquid product like water, with a mirror effect by evaporation.
Spray application on a shiny background.

Advantages: more resistant, which can be varnished (using a particular technique only).
It is resistant to UV and high temperatures.
Mirror effect 90% unvarnished and 70-80% with varnish .
Varnishing provides resistance to abrasion and friction.

Disadvantages: 3 steps to follow to the letter, including a hard and shiny base, application in fine and repeated veils and fairly long and restrictive drying times, moderate grip.

How it works: 99% of the product evaporates and the "chrome effect" pigment flakes are positioned on the shiny background, so as to create a mirror plating.

2/ Le Chrome au pinceau

It's Go Chrome, the real brush-on chrome paint, with a floating chrome effect.

Application : with a brush, spray, liner, spray gun, dipping, in short… As you wish.

Benefits : all supports, 1 single layer, very fast, 95% mirror effect.

Disadvantages : fragile to friction. It is not possible to varnish it.

Functioning : the mirror pigments float on the surface and create a mirror in seconds. The product evaporates little, it has a high solid content. It is filling and thick. Its thorough drying can take several days.

What is the difference and which chrome paint to choose?

Some competitors actually sell a single chrome paint (chrome by evaporation 1) under two names and two applications, as we did before (see video below), because they have not found the secret of floating chrome.

Stardust is the only company that has achieved true brush chrome (floating chrome)

>> Indoor artistic or creative use

Floating chrome is great, but these applications are unfortunately limited to artistic and decorative applications, for all objects that you want to chrome easily and quickly, without requiring resistance to friction or weathering.

Chrome paint can be successfully used for headlight lenses, or even for collector's vehicles that are only intended for display or occasional use.

>> Use for bodywork

In this case, it is imperative to varnish. It is therefore necessary to use professional chrome spray paint because Go Chrome paint cannot be varnished.
Two innovations have been made for traditional paint recently:
- Increased mirror effect.
/>- New base / varnish that allows maximum shine and accelerated hardening of 24 hours only.

>> For the airbrush

Go Chrome paint is quick and easy to use.
It allows you to handle objects, miniatures, figurines...
For more intensive use, the professional version is particularly easy to apply with a airbrush (more than a spray gun, especially for varnishing).

Other chrome techniques

Silvering is often confused with painting. However, this process is a chemical projection and has nothing to do with painting.
It is a complex and difficult technique to achieve, which gives magnificent results, clearly, the best of all.
This creates a silver mirror, which unfortunately does not like UVs or temperature.

Silvering at home

It is currently the same chemical system with silver nitrate, but in an "easy" version.
Nothing really easier in truth, but it can be noted that no machine is necessary to spray all these products: we are satisfied with plastic sprayers, practical, but very limited in power and capacity! The process is therefore suitable for chrome plating a small part.

How to redo the chrome plating of the headlight parabolas?

Where and how to use the chrome paint