Metallic vs Candy – What is the difference?

2024, Sep 14 | Blog

Candy colours use a metallic undercoat (Like silver or gold) while having a tinted transparent top coat to create the desired colour. Whereas Metallic finishes use powdered metal in the paint to reflect more light.

We often get asked what the difference is. The video tells all!

Candy paint is a mid-coat option. It’s always applied over your preferred base colour. The best options are essentially a clear coat with tinting, including pearl or metallic additives, that offer translucence to the Bikes frame. It is more vibrant which changes at different angles, creating a more ‘3D’ effect.

Before applying candy paint, you must place a base coat on the bike first. If you don’t take that step, you’ll see the primer through the base colour. That ruins the desired effect.

The coats need to lay evenly and look the same to ensure everything looks cohesive. If there are inconsistencies in the spraying techniques, you will be able to see the abrupt changes in the end result.

 

Metallic paint is the most common finish you’ll find on bicycles, even for custom looks.

Metallic paints use powdered metal in the product to reflect additional light than what you receive from a standard glossy product. You can also get more color depth and sparkle when using this option.

Metallic paint first started with fine flakes, but it has become more diversified as the size and shape of the additions change. Since the metallic bits float in the paint while it’s applied, it’s essential to use a product that maintains the product flow well.

The challenge with metallic paint is trying to color match. If you’re doing the custom work yourself, it helps to place each item next to each other to avoid slight development differences.

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