Preparing the Area

• You need to prepare the area before you do any detailing with Dupli-Color. Remove any loose paint, rust and other debris by scraping or sanding it off. Wash the area with a mild detergent mixed in water. This will remove any dirt. Wash the area again with wax and grease remover. This will get rid of any grease and oil that detergent cannot dissolve. After the area is clean, dry it thoroughly and sand it smooth with fine-grain sandpaper. These sandpapers are marked with higher numbers, and an 800 or 1,000 grain will get the area smooth for repainting. Wipe the area with a soft, dry cloth to remove the dust from sanding and you can begin to paint.
  
  

Temperature

• The temperature and humidity of your work area or garage will affect the Dupli-Color paint. The enamel paint cures as it dries, which means it releases small amounts of heat and moisture. If there is too much moisture in the air, the Dupli-Color cannot cure properly. Very high and very low temperatures will impede curing as well. Dupli-Color cures best when it is between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with between 40 and 60 percent humidity.
  
  

Recoat Window

• Dupli-Color paints have a period of time when you can add another layer before the paint has completely cured. This is a recoat window, and for most Dupli-Color paints, it occurs after one to two hours. If you miss this opportunity to apply the next coat, you must wait until the paint has cured to add the top layers, which can take up to five days. If you apply outside of recoat windows, the paint may wrinkle or lift off of the lower layers of paint.
  
  

Primer Color

• Dupli-Color makes four different colors of primers, which go on before the enamel paints. Primers prepare the base material to accept the paint and provide a flat color so that the enamel does not look splotchy. Dupli-Color has a gray primer, suitable for light- and medium-color paints. Use black primer for very dark colors and white for very light. The red oxide primer is made for underneath maroon, brown and other dark colors that are not suitable for a black primer.