How to reduce the paint gloss on my newly painted instrument panel?

Gents,

I painted my instrument panel the other day and it came out OK. I am using urethane enamel single stage paint. It was mixed without a flattener but was "blended" by the paint shop to have a lower gloss level. There is some minor orange peal (I call it texture and it appears on most of the parts I have painted) but otherwise it looks good.

I would like to reduce the gloss level and I was hoping for some input.

I have sanded some of my painted parts (to fix some other issues) using 1000 grit prior to repainting and it brought the gloss level down. So I wonder if wet sanding the instrument panel with 2000 grit would do the job of reducing the gloss level.

I have a few particles in the paint on the panel that I will need to sand down and polish to get rid of them anyway so I figure if I can find a good method of reducing the gloss level I won't have to polish the offending repairs.

I am new at this painting game so any input would be appreciated.

I have used a coarse rubbing compound to dull a finish and it worked fine. You can always bring it back with a finer compound if you get a little to dull. Try on on a test piece so you don't cuss me if it doesn't work for you.

Paul,

My panel was originally powder-coated, and it was very shiny. I painted over the top of it with a clear matte spray finish (avaiable at WalMart or HD). It was nice because it reduced the gloss and "locked in" the labels I had applied.

Scott

7A Finshing

Don't worry about it.

Hi Paul,

The shiny panel deal isn't. I have a very deep finished carbon fiber panel that is shiny. There are no issues. There is more glare from the canopy in my opinion. I wouldn't worry about it.

If you must, I'd shoot some clear over it with satin additive. Check with the paint store and tell him what you want to accomplish.

You can also wet sand with 1200 wet/dry.

Build on. You are trying to find a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.