As with any paint finish, most substrates will require some surface preparation before applying the Spectra Chrome finish. It is imperative that the surface be clean, dry, and free from all contaminants – such as dirt, oils, silicones, and grease. Raw substrates (i.e. substrates that have not previously been painted) must first be coated with a primer dedicated for use on that substrate.

• A metal etching primer is used for “raw” unpainted metals.
• A sandable primer or “high-build” filler primer is used create a smooth, even surface on textured substrates like fiberglass, wood, high-density foam, and 3D-printed materials.
• A plastic adhesion promoter is used for prepping substrates that do not sand well; such as plastics, ceramic, and porcelain. One of the amazing properties of Spectra Chrome is that it remains flexible over bendable substrates – and plastic adhesion promoter is ideal for use on vinyl, leather, rubber, and other flexible materials.
• After prepping any substrate, a water-based degreaser is always used to clean the part and remove any surface contaminants.

Most of these products can be purchased at your local Harbor Freight store; but similar products can be used for the same application. If you have painting experience already, you’ll be familiar with this – all the surface preparation techniques used for Spectra Chrome are exactly the same as those used in traditional paint application. The next sections will discuss the use of these products in more detail.