What is Halfords Appliance White?

[Anthony Kesterton]

Hi

 

Feeling a little foolish, but I have been looking for Halfords Appliance White, and can't find anything called that on the Halfords web site.  Is it the plain white enamel spray, or something else.

 

thanks

 

anthony

 

[Steve Noble]

They sell it in aerosol. I think it's originally intended for spraying washing machines, fridges, cookers etc, the exterior, hence the appliance white title. It's not enamel, it's a form of acrylic, but not like a hobby acrylic ie. water based type product. It's more of an auto acrylic, so a tougher finish than hobby acrylic. The smell is also a lot stronger than hobby paint. However, it's not as tough as something like Zero paints. It dries quickly, but to dry properly takes longer. I find maybe a minimum 1 week drying time is best before handling and polishing. It does remain softish for quite a while and can mark with fingerprints and general handling. I also found that unless the primer coats are properly dry when you apply the Halfords paints, they can crack weeks, even months down the line. Generally I've stopped using them and use Zero, Mr Color, Tamiya TS or Tamiya LP instead...

[Anthony Kesterton]

8 hours ago, Steve Noble said:

They sell it in aerosol. I think it's originally intended for spraying washing machines, fridges, cookers etc, the exterior, hence the appliance white title. It's not enamel, it's a form of acrylic, but not like a hobby acrylic ie. water based type product. It's more of an auto acrylic, so a tougher finish than hobby acrylic. The smell is also a lot stronger than hobby paint. However, it's not as tough as something like Zero paints. It dries quickly, but to dry properly takes longer. I find maybe a minimum 1 week drying time is best before handling and polishing. It does remain softish for quite a while and can mark with fingerprints and general handling. I also found that unless the primer coats are properly dry when you apply the Halfords paints, they can crack weeks, even months down the line. Generally I've stopped using them and use Zero, Mr Color, Tamiya TS or Tamiya LP instead...

Thanks for the warnings Steve.  I did try and search for Halfords Appliance White and variation, but nothing comes up on their web site.

 

I will have a look at the other paints you suggested too.

[Steve Noble]

16 minutes ago, Anthony Kesterton said:

Thanks for the warnings Steve.  I did try and search for Halfords Appliance White and variation, but nothing comes up on their web site.

 

I will have a look at the other paints you suggested too.

It depends what you're using it for? I tended to use it mainly for 1/24th rally cars and it worked very nicely as a gloss white that was decal ready. Also with it being in large cans it was pretty good value for money as I got quite a few cars painted from one can..

[bentwaters81tfw]

Appliance White is my tool of choice. Indispensable for Airliners or anywhere you need a high gloss finish. Do let it gas out, or it will mark with masking tape. Nothing a coat of Klear won't fix after decals. It won't yellow over time either.

For something like an Anti-Flash white, use Halfords White Primer, and finish to your liking.

A few of my local Club members used to laugh at first........they are now converts!

[FIGHTS ON]

+ 1

 

i use it by decanting it (spraying) direct from can into an old plastic mug. then pour intop my airbrush cup to spray as already mixed white paint. Need to be quick as it os already starting to dry. Super tough finish, 1 pass with airbrush is solid (not like normal white that takes several layers. And it stays pure, brilliant white for ever.

 

Use it on ALL my USN jets (gull grey over white)   IMG_3165 by Dom GOLDEN, on Flickr

[Anthony Kesterton]

Thanks all - my main question is the following: What does Halfords call this Appliance White - I can't find it on their web site.

[BritJet]

Here you go - https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/car-spray-paints/halfords-gloss-white-spray-paint-500ml

 

Steve

[Anthony Kesterton]

2 minutes ago, BritJet said:

Here you go - https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/car-spray-paints/halfords-gloss-white-spray-paint-500ml

 

Steve

Thanks Steve!

 

[Nick Belbin]

I've come here with exactly the same thoughts as Anthony when trying to find Appliance White in the past (and now for the future).

 

So it's just Halfords' white car paint then?

 

Nick

[bentwaters81tfw]

1 hour ago, Nick Belbin said:

I've come here with exactly the same thoughts as Anthony when trying to find Appliance White in the past (and now for the future).

 

So it's just Halfords' white car paint then?

 

Nick

It is called Appliance Gloss White. You will find it on the car paints rack, usually on the top shelf, along with their primers, as it's a larger can than the auto paints.

[Nick Belbin]

Ok, thanks. I’ve looked a few times but never managed to find it - I’ll have to look harder next time! 🧐

 

Nick

[spitfire]

It's great paint, I used it on a yellowing bath panel and it worked really well, and is really tough.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[speedy]

It’s great stuff. Put the can in very warm water and let the heat do its thing. It sprays really nicely when warm and you won’t get orange peel. Also over time it doesn’t yellow.

 

Steve.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Unless you don't have an airbrush I can't see why anyone would choose this to be honest. There are superior whites that airbrush beautifully from numerous manufacturers.

[FIGHTS ON]

On 10/18/2019 at 7:51 PM, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Unless you don't have an airbrush I can't see why anyone would choose this to be honest. There are superior whites that airbrush beautifully from numerous manufacturers.

because spraying direct from the can comes with a whole list of hazaeds (not least of which is the sheer volume of paint coming out on a "hairline trigger") I ALWAYS spray  into a large plastic beaker (holding a paper towel over the back, as it were, to stop overspray). I then decant this liquid white paint into my airbrush cup & away I go. You need to be quick as the stuff very quickly begins to dry - and if you spray from too far away, the stuff will actually "dry" in air (as the spray) before it reaches the model surface.

 

But once on the kit, it's super tough, almost scratch proof and remains (15+ years so far here) remains a brilliant white.  There is no translucency (big word for me!), so on an RN Buccaneer, I sprayed the white on AFTER the Extra Dark Sea Grey and it goes on, super white, at the 1st pass of the airbrush.

 

ALL my cans from Halfords are silver in colour with a white cap if that helps you find it. Answering the question from Nick Belbin, as an alternative, I would guess that ANY automobile White spray can would work, but just check as to how "white" the colour is.

 

[JohnT]

On 05/08/2019 at 18:30, bentwaters81tfw said:

Appliance White is my tool of choice. Indispensable for Airliners or anywhere you need a high gloss finish. Do let it gas out, or it will mark with masking tape. Nothing a coat of Klear won't fix after decals. It won't yellow over time either.

For something like an Anti-Flash white, use Halfords White Primer, and finish to your liking.

A few of my local Club members used to laugh at first........they are now converts!

 

 

A thread resurrection following on my acquiring the new Airfix Vulcan and being tempted towards the all white scheme.  I nipped into Halfords before finding this thread and bought a can of the aforesaid appliance white and have taken the advice here to heart.  One thing though did you mean its better to use Halfords white primer as a top coat for V bomber anti flash white or just as the primer coat?  If so i can pop back and get that too.  I have a can of Tamiya white primer but realise that mixing ones paints like mixing ones drinks can lead to disaster

 

I am reading that decanting is best rather than straight from the can which I know from other non model work can get messy.

[bentwaters81tfw]

I used white primer on V bombers as the top coat followed by Klear.

You can see the difference on the following picture. The Pan Am clipper is white primer, the Interflug spaceplane is Appliance white oversprayed with matt varnish.

 

[JohnT]

4 minutes ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

I used white primer on V bombers as the top coat followed by Klear.

You can see the difference on the following picture. The Pan Am clipper is white primer, the Interflug spaceplane is Appliance white oversprayed with matt varnish.

 

 

Thanks for the fast reply.  Much appreciated.  I've always wondered just how white was a white V Bomber not having been old enough to see one in the tin as it were.  My first sight was camo on top and white below but at a great distance so not able to really work it out by eye.