Guide: Koloi Aqua Clear

The clear coat is the last step of the Koloi Aqua system. It protects the colour from handling and fingerprints, seals decals so their edges disappear, and sets the final sheen of the model.

You will need

• Koloi Aqua Clear: Gloss, Satin or Matte
• An airbrush

Which finish

• Gloss: the factory shine of road and race cars. It brings out the depth of metallics, pearls and candies and can be polished after 24–48 hours.
• Satin and Matte: for work vehicles, military models, interiors and engine bays. Satin can also be polished after 24–48 hours; Matte is not polished.

Step by step

1. Let the colour dry at least 2 hours, and decals until fully dry.
2. Shake the bottle for at least 60 seconds.
3. Airbrush straight from the bottle with a 0.3–0.5 mm nozzle at 1.5–2 bar (22–29 PSI).
4. Start with one light mist coat. It grips the surface and seals the decals without soaking them.
5. Then apply wet coats until the surface flows out glossy.
6. Let the clear cure fully before handling, masking or polishing.
7. Clean the airbrush with water before the clear dries.

Over decals

Always start with a light mist coat over decals and let it flash off before the wet coats. Heavy wet coats straight onto a decal can damage it. Test on a spare decal first if you are not sure how a decal reacts.

Polishing Clear Gloss

Wait 24–48 hours. Level any dust or orange peel with 3000–4000 grit wet abrasive, used with water and light pressure. Then polish with a fine polishing compound until the shine comes back. Polish edges and ridges gently: the clear is thinnest there.

What usually goes wrong