vinyl backup for window band?

[Steven Vigeant]

I have a low window band which has matte gold lettering with black enamel over it. It's right where people sit and eat ice cream or whatever. It has some scratches and holidays after a few months. Could it hurt to put a vinyl band on top? Maybe right over the small holidays? Or better to touch it up and clear it, possibly with water bourne clear which I think of as little resilient?

[Mike Jackson]

Steven,
After 41 people have viewed your post and no one responded, I suspect most of them are as confused about your question as I was when I read it.

Is this a reverse glass job? People inside are scraping the lettering and panel?

While YOU might understand what you intended, I am not clear on the job and description.

Maybe you can clarify it for us.

Mike Jackson

[Steven Vigeant]

Yes Mike it's just a standard painted window band on the inside of the window. Could it hurt to put vinyl on top of the paint? There's gold lettering under the paint. Thanks, Steve

[Kent Smith]

Steve, vinyl is not a good option here as the expansion/contraction differential will cause the vinyl to pull the rest of the paint and gold off the glass and cause it to move around making a bad situation intolerable. Patch and seal as best you can. The waterbornes are not suited for glass either. Perhaps another layer of enamel with hardener will help but people will scratch it anyway. You cannot protect against that human factor.

[Steven Vigeant]

Thanks Kent, would a last top coat of window spar be redundant or would it help add some strength?

[Kent Smith]

While every coat built up helps to protect the gold, at least against the attack of window washing, no amount will protect against scratching. The resin in recent formulations of window spar is much the same as lettering enamel so you do not gain the protection that we used to look for in a higher bonding and water repelling "cooked" spar nor the silicone modified clears (RK190 and Overcoat Clear).