Paint is simple... Look at the directions on the can. Unless the clerk at autozone has a phd in coating technology I doubt he knows more about paint than the manufacturer of it.

 

The person at the store has 30+ years experience. It is a specialty automotive paint store, not Autozone.

Another reason I believe the catalyst might be optional is because the paint could be put into an aerosol can at the store, and of course it isn't possible to put the catalyst in the aerosol too without activating it.

 

Sounds like a polyurethane aerosol paint - in which case you should only be using it with proper protective gear - which would be a full face respirator with external air supply.

 

Just guessing , but it sounds like a simple alkyd enamel paint,that will cure without a hardener, but will take much longer to dry( rustoleum is a alkyd enamel) a hardener is available for most of these types of paints which will cure it faster( meaning less chance of dust or debris from sticking to the paint surface, and a harder paint which can be wet sanded and buffed much sooner ,
But the hardener is a isocyanate derived product and should be only sprayed with a full fresh air mask set up or rolled and tipped..

 

All a catalyst does is speed up the process of degradation of the inhibitors in the paint. Thus why people call it hardener, which isn't the proper term. If you want it to cure faster use the catalyst. For some paints like awlcraft and awlgrip, and you are brushing it they have certain reducers and catalysts that are slower than the spraying versions. This allows the paint to "lay out" better to allow the brush lines to settle smooth.

My family owns and operates a marina and boatyard. I have painted boats, masts, cars.. My advice to you, use the catalyst. If your in the northern hemisphere, it's winter now, it's cooler than normal so it takes even two part paints longer to cure, so I'd use the catalyst. If you don't want to wait for it to cure over the course of a few days to a week, I'd use the catalyst. If it's there and all you have to do it mix it, I'd use it.

Any two part paint will get hard over time, usually it's uv that breaks down the inhibitors (same goes for resin and epoxy) but it takes a lot longer.

-sent from sea via corked bottle

 

Wind Magic,

I just reread what I wrote and ya, it came off as seriously d*ckish. Sorry about that. It wasn't intended that aggressively.

 

It's cool Stumble, I've read lots of your posts and know it was not your normal post, I figured you were just having a bad day or something.