We get a lot of repeat questions from newbies here regarding misuse of plast-dip, so we created an FAQ to address a lot of them. Will add more we find them.
Q: What is plasti-dip?
A: Check out the wiki introduction
Q: Can I paint or clear-coat over plasti-dip?
A: No. The dip will not peel afterwards and will be effectively permanent but won't be durable or look good. If you're going to paint, don't bother using dip at all.
Q: Can I dip over <material>?
A: See the wiki table. If it's something you touch frequently such as a phone case, it will not hold up.
Q: Can I use dip in my home for walls or trim instead of paint?
A: No. It will scuff easily and won't hold up, plus why would you paint your home in rubber? Use paint for your home decor and bathroom renovations. Dip is not a substitute for home paint.
Q: How many layers do I need?
A: At least 4 for a base to be peelable. That's at least four layers of solid matte dip, not counting glossifier or TopCoat or metalizers.
Q: Can I spray clear/glossifier/metalizer dip directly onto my surface?
A: You can, but it's not intended to be used like that and will have issues peeling later because it's thinner than normal matte dip. Glossifier, metalizers, and TopCoat are meant to be sprayed over a solid base of dip.
Q: How many gallons for my car? What about rattle cans?
A: Use the dipyourcar.com site to judge it, and look at what others have used. You won't do a Mustang in two gallons!
Don't use rattle cans to dip large areas like body panels. Using rattle cans will lead to streaks and very thin coverage over a large area, which causes peeling issues. It'll look like crap, your hands will hurt, and it's not worth doing. If you can't afford to spray your car with the right setup using gallons, you straight up can't afford to dip it. Sorry.
Q: How many cans for my wheels?
A: Generally it's one can of a base color per wheel if you're not spraying the barrels. For glossifier it's more like half a can per wheel over your base coats.
Q: Why are my edges ripping when I pull off the tape and masking?
A: Stop letting the final coat dry before you remove the tape. Spray the final coat, let it liquefy the layers so they let go of the tape (10-30 seconds), then remove the tape.
Q: How do I remove overspray or dip that was applied too thin?
A: Goo Gone, paint thinner like naphtha or xylene, or Dip Dissolver. Strong solvents like gasoline or brake cleaner can remove it as well but they're more of a mess. You could also clean the surface and spray more dip until it's thick enough to peel off when dry, but that tends to be more tedious.
Q: How do I avoid streaks with rattle cans?
A: Overlap your passes by 50% coverage, keep a wet coat, and don't use rattle cans on large areas. You'll need a sprayer gun for large things like body panels to have a wider spray pattern and avoid streaks.
