The blue with real depth

A standard powder lays a colour onto the part. A candy does something else: it is translucent. Light passes through the film, hits the base coat, travels back up through the blue and comes out coloured. That round trip is what creates the depth, the wet look and the reflection no opaque powder can produce.

One direct consequence, and it is all you need to understand before you start: this blue never works alone. Its final colour depends on what sits underneath and on the film thickness you lay down. Control those two things and the result is spectacular. Ignore them and two parts from the same job will not match.

The numbers that matter

The base coat makes the colour

A candy reveals whatever it covers. Two base coats give two different results, and we stock both.

Over our Chrome Silver: mirror effect. The most spectacular result. A deep blue that throws light back like tinted chrome. This is the combination where the product gives its best.

Over our Satin Aluminium Grey for wheels: metallic effect. The reflection is more restrained, the blue denser, and the metallic grain stays readable under the film. A more understated result, close to an OEM shade, which works very well on a factory wheel.

Over a base that is neither of those two, the result changes again. Over black the blue goes dark and almost disappears into midnight blue. Over white it drifts towards a milky light blue. Neither is a fault in the product: it is how a candy works. But if you expect a mirror and you spray over black, you will be disappointed.

The base coat must be cured before the candy goes on. You do not stack two uncured powders.

Film thickness IS the colour

⚠️ The trap that catches everyone. On a candy, thickness does not control coverage, it controls colour intensity. A difference of just 20 microns is enough to create a colour difference visible to the naked eye. Two wheels sprayed one after the other with a different gun pass will not match, and it will show on the car.

So the rule is simple and not negotiable: consistency above all. Cross passes, constant gun distance, constant arm speed, the same number of passes on every part of a set. Aim for around 90 microns in a single coat. For a deeper shade, go to a double coat at 120 to 160 microns, but then treat every part of the set the same way.

Do a set of wheels in one session, same settings, same powder. Do not come back to one wheel three weeks later and expect the shade to match.

The test panel is not optional

On an opaque powder, a test panel is a nice-to-have. On a candy it is a process step. Before coating a part you cannot remake, prepare a panel with exactly the intended build: same base, same thickness, same cure, same clear coat. You approve the real colour before you commit, not after.

Do two or three at different thicknesses. You will see for yourself what 20 microns are worth, and you will know where to aim.

The full build, coat by coat

1. Preparation: full degreasing, removal of all oil, grease, scale and oxidation. Blasting on bare or stripped parts.
2. Primer (outdoor or exposed parts): epoxy primer, cured.
3. Base coat: Chrome Silver for the mirror effect, Satin Aluminium Grey for wheels for the metallic effect. Applied, then cured.
4. Blue Candy: around 90 microns, cure 15 to 20 min at 180 °C part temperature.
5. Clear coat (outdoor): UV protection and long-term durability.

Three to four coats depending on use. Check your oven and your gun can follow: each coat needs its own full cycle, and the total film build has to stay under control.

Clear coat: it depends where the part goes

⚠️ Parts used outdoors, wheels, motorcycle parts: clear coat over the candy. We recommend it for long-term UV protection. Indoors or on a sheltered part, the candy stands on its own. A clear coat slightly changes the look: validate it on your test panel, not on the part.

A matt clear coat also lets you kill the gloss if you want a satin finish rather than a mirror.

Surface preparation

All traces of oil, grease, scale and oxidation must be gone before coating. On a candy, preparation counts double: any flaw in the base coat comes straight back through the transparent film and shows. A chrome base laid over a poorly prepared surface will give a dull candy, no matter how good the blue is.

On an alloy wheel that has already been painted, strip it fully and blast it. On cast iron or any porous substrate, add a degassing bake before the base coat: trapped residues come back out during curing and create craters the candy will not hide.

Where it delivers

• Car and motorcycle wheels, tuning and show builds
• Frames, swingarms, yokes, motorcycle and motocross parts
• Custom 50cc parts, casings, guards
• Engine covers, rigid lines, trim parts
• Any show part where depth of colour is the whole point

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply it straight onto bare metal?
Technically yes, but you lose the candy effect. The product is translucent: over bare metal you get a transparent blue with no depth and no reflection. The base coat is not a styling option, it is what produces the result. Chrome Silver for the mirror, Satin Aluminium Grey for the metallic.

Why do my two parts not match?
Film thickness difference, almost every time. 20 microns is enough. Check the consistency of your passes, gun distance and number of passes. On a set of wheels, do all four in a row with the same settings.

What thickness should I aim for?
Around 90 microns in a single coat. 120 to 160 microns in a double coat for a deeper shade. The absolute figure matters less than applying the same figure to every part of a set.

What curing temperature?
15 to 20 minutes at 180 °C part temperature, not the thermostat reading, which measures air. On a heavy alloy wheel the gap is significant. Temperature indicating labels stuck on the part cost a few euros and settle the question.

Do I need a clear coat?
Outdoors, yes: clear coat for long-term UV protection. Indoors it is not necessary. Either way, check the final look on a test panel before the part.

Can I spray it with a tribo gun?
Yes. The product works with both corona and tribo application.

How much area from 1 kg?
Around 10 m² per kilo at 90 microns, in theory and before spray losses. Expect less in practice, especially on complex shapes such as a multi-spoke wheel.

Safety

Professional or skilled DIY use. Recommended PPE during application: gloves, goggles, P2 dust mask. Keep away from ignition sources. Store in a closed container, in a dry and cool place. Safety data sheet available upon request.