Q. Are you the manufacturer of Mastercoat & The Master Series Coating Line?
A. Yes, we are the manufacturer.
Q. Why should I buy Mastercoat & The Master Series Coating Line products directly from you?
A. All of our products are manufactured in small batch quantities right here in the USA. We manufacture only small batches so product isn't sitting on a shelf until it is sold, ensuring freshness to our customers. When you buy it directly through us and cut out the middle man, that's even less time between the product being manufactured and it reaching you.
Q. If you've been in business since 1988, how come you don't have a fancy website/professional videos/advertise in big publications/have a large internet presence like the competitors/etc.?
A. The answer is simple--we are a small family business and all of these things are very costly for a small business. We do advertise from time to time in smaller publications, but even that too can be costly. We even make all of our own videos. Since the day we established this business, our livelihood has depended largely on word of mouth from our customers. When you buy from us, you are supporting actual people and not a big corporation. We'd rather save the money from advertising and pass the savings on to the customer, so if you like our products, make sure you tell a friend!
Q. Why don't you have many reviews of your products if you've been around for so long?
A. In the new age of the internet, many companies offer free product for reviews, but we've never done that. If you search for reviews of our products through search engines, you'll find many years worth of good reviews of our products in places such as forums. All the reviews you find are completely organic and not paid for!
Q. Why don't you have FREE SHIPPING like Amazon???
A. We apologize if the shipping rates are high, but what we charge are the rates that FedEx and USPS charge us. We are a small family business (the smallest possible, owned and operated by only two people), and we do not get discounts from the carriers like large corporations do and certainly do not have our own delivery trucks like Amazon. The shipping rates are according to weight, not cost of item, and we do our best to keep the costs of our products low for this very reason. The material type of these products is limited quantity HAZMAT and can only ship ground, so we cannot offer economy shipping, rush shipping, or any other type of shipping on these materials because they don’t exist at this moment. Not to mention packaging HAZMAT is much more costly for us due to extra packing materials being required, but we do not add this to the charges. On most orders, the actual rate the carrier charges us after residential and fuel surcharges ends up being more than what we charge the customer. In other words, we as a small business, have to pay the carrier for shipping on every order with no discounts, so shipping is not free for us. To absorb "free shipping" and stay in business, we'd have to raise the prices of our products exponentially and we'd prefer not to do that because we like to be transparent about our pricing. If you are in NJ or the surrounding areas, we do have free curbside pickup by appointment.
Q. Will I get a better discount/faster shipping if I buy Mastercoat on Amazon?
A. No. As of right now, we only offer select few products of ours on Amazon but are working on adding more. All Amazon orders are shipped directly from us, the same as if you order from our website. Amazon makes it very difficult to offer rate discounts/kit discounts, which is why the prices may vary. Plus it costs us more to sell on Amazon.
Q. How does Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer work and how long does it last?
A. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is a moisture cured urethane. The more moisture in the air, the faster it dries so it’s actually strengthened by moisture. The aluminum powder in the coating cuts off the oxygen so the coating itself is waterproof and air tight. It’ll withstand 8000 hours of salt spray. This product was originally developed in the mid-70’s as a bridge primer. Bridges coated with 2 coats of silver and one coat of color such as our AG111 Ultimate Finish Coating have a documented 20-25 year service life and will take up to 14,000 hours of salt spray.
Q. What color is the Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer?
A. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is aluminum silver.
Q. Since Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, Mastercoat Extreme Pit Filler, and Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating are "moisture cured"...that means the more moisture the better, right?
A. NO. Mid-range relative humidity (50%) is perfect for these coatings. You don't want them to dry too quickly, which is what happens when you use them in high humidity. When the humidity is too high, you risk brush marks, bubbling, and poor adhesion.
Q. How does Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer compare to automotive epoxy primers?
A. Two coats of automotive epoxy primer, five coats of color, and two coats of clear will withstand 500 hours of salt spray. Two coats of Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer and one coat of AG111 Ultimate Finish Coating will do 14,000 hours of salt spray. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, if scratched, the rust will not go beyond the scratch. Epoxy primers are not air tight like Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, so they are not very effective against rust, so rust will eat through it eventually.
Q. How does Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer compare to other paint over rust products?
A. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is sunlight stable, sandable, paintable, sticks to clean steel, and is air tight. We don’t recommend painting just black urethane or just clear urethane over rust since these coatings are not air tight and are simply polyurethane designed for wood and concrete. Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating is ideal over Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer on a chassis and on floorpans, especially with a paint brush, but not as a rust sealer alone. Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating can seal rust and prevent from coming back it for a few years, but you'll get a much longer service life if you use Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer as a primer and Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating as a topcoat.
Q. Why are the prices of Mastercoat products lower than the competitors’?
A. It is our philosophy to give people an honest price, the best products, and guarantee satisfaction of quality. Being members of the antique car hobby for many decades now, we have enjoyed speaking personally with our customers and knowing that treating them fairly has kept us in business for many years. "Needy but never greedy!" is what Pat (retired) would always say when he ran the booths at the car shows.
Q. Sometimes I see rust products on the internet with a similar tagline or product name as "No More Rust", but worded differently. Are these also Mastercoat products?
A. No. We've been using the tagline "No more rust™" as an identifier for our product line for nearly two decades. If the order of the words in the tagline are in any order but "No more rust™" (ex: "Rust no more") and do not have the Mastercoat or Master Series Coating Line brand name, that is not us and not our products. Accept no imitations!
Q. What is the correct way to handle these high grade urethane paints?
A. The very first thing is to read the instructions on the containers and enclosed with your order very carefully. You also must put on a pair of rubber gloves before you open the can. If the moisture cured urethane products (Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, Mastercoat Extreme, & Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating) get on your skin, you will wear it for a week. No thinner or solvents will remove it from your skin. The longer the lid is off the can, the shorter the shelf life. We don’t manufacture when the relative humidity is over 60%. For example, when you open the can in humid weather or you paint out of the can and the humidity is above 60%, the coating absorbs the moisture in the atmosphere into the can and will shorten the shelf life. More information on the how’s and where’s to use our silver and black are also on the tip sheet enclosed with your order and also found on this website. If you have any questions about the instructions, please call us at 1-800-833-8933 or email us before use.
Q. I'm unsure of how much product I need for my project. Can you give me an estimate?
A. Sure! You can send us an email or call us and we'll be happy to guide you. All coverage amounts are listed on the product description pages, and we can't physically be there to see or measure your project, so please have an idea of how much square footage you'll need to cover. Please understand that all estimates are approximate and not guaranteed.
Q. It says I can use any paint or primer over the Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer. Is this really true?
A. Yes! Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is solvent proof. Once it dries, you can use ANY kind of primer or ANY kind of paint over it. The sooner the other paints and primers go over Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, the better, especially in hot and humid climates.
Q. Do I have to remove all of the rust before applying Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer?
A. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer was designed to go over marginally prepared surfaces. For instance, cleanup done with wire wheels and grinders. It works well over rust, but it works better over sandblasted surfaces. So the answer is not necessarily, but remember the old paint rule–the cleaner the better.
Q. Can I use Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer on clean body panels or galvanized metal?
A. Yes. Over the years, both we and our customers have cars completely primed with Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer inside and out, especially in Florida where it is very humid. When painting over clean steel or galvanized steel, we recommend Mastercoat Metal Prep & Rust Remover to adequately etch the steel. This does a number of things: it changes the surface texture of the steel for better adhesion, kills the microscopic rust, and prevents future rusting. Mastercoat Metal Prep & Rust Remover is excellent for cleaning rust off parts and putting them away rather than coating them with a cheap primer.
Q. What kind of thinner do I use with Mastercoat products?
A. The MCT-101 thinner or urethane reducer for the urethane products. Reduction is ordinarily never more than 10%. MCT-101 should always be used with AG111, as MCT-101 was formulated especially for AG111.
Q. Can I use Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer on a gas tank?
A. Yes, by all means. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer will seal a gas tank inside and out. Mastercoat Metal Prep & Rust Remover is used first to etch the inside of the tank. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer SLIM is the optimal choice for coating the inside of gas tanks, since it sloshes easier for more even coverage.
Q. Can I brush Permanent Rust Sealer Sprayable Slim?/Can I spray Permanent Rust Sealer Original?
A. Yes/Yes. Our Sprayable Slim formula is actually our ORIGINAL "original". We sold only this formula for decades before we introduced a version with thickener in it which made it good for brushing. Eventually this thicker formula ended up being called "original" due to its popularity and versatility, and then we later reintroduced the thinner sprayable version and named it "Slim". Customers have brushed on both versions for many years. The thicker "original" ordinarily requires a 10% reduction to spray, but it can indeed be sprayed on. The "Slim" version brushes on, but rolls on with a roller even better. The Slim formula is NOT pre-thinned. The only difference between the two is the original has thickener and the Slim does not. At the end of the day, you'll get the same long lasting results no matter which formula you use. The only difference in how you prefer to apply it.
Q. What tip size should I use for spraying these products?
A. 2.0 will usually work best, but anything between 1.8 and 2.3.
Q. What PSI should I use for spraying these products?
A. 35 PSI.
Q. What ambient temperature is good to use these materials?
A. Is is best not to use them in temperatures under 40 degrees.
Q. What can I use for cleanup for the Permanent Rust Sealer/AG111?
A. MCT101 thinner, urethane reducer, or lacquer thinner is used for cleanup. Just do not use the lacquer thinner as a reducer for these products, as it is not compatible as a reducer.
Q. Can I use Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer on an engine?
A. Yes. You can coat the entire engine except for the exhaust manifolds and exhaust system. We have other paints for that–the Mastercoat Hot Jet Ceramic High Heat Exhaust Coating. The other exception would be if your engine runs very hot, as Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is air tight and may cause overheating.
Q. How about heavy pitting and pinholes?
A. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer has been sold for many years under the title “Get Rid Of the Pits!”. Its high build characteristics and high solid content will usually take care of some major pitting, especially on hoods, roofs, and trunk lids. This is where you’ll really see the quality. You can apply multiple coats until those pits are filled in!
Q. Aren't Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer and Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coat are the same product, just different colors?
A. No, they are different. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, which is silver, is the primer. It’s air tight, therefore it seals the rust. It also dries toothy so paint can stick to it. Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer is part of the three coat polyurethane system and the way it works is two coats of the silver primer (Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer) and one coat of color (in this example, the "color" being Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating). Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating is a similar material, but it’s not air tight. We use it over two coats of Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer because it's much more effective as a topcoat than a rust sealer. You can indeed use Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating on its own as a rust sealer, but the service life may be much shorter.
Q. Can I use Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer under bedliner?
A. Yes. Apply two coats of Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer and then apply the bedliner as soon as Mastercoat Permanent Rust Selaer is dry to the touch to ensure maximum adhesion. Check out our Sound Deadener and Thermal Insulator--adding this to our AG111 makes a great bedliner! It can be added to Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, or any paint.
Q. Can I use body filler over Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer?
A. Yes. Apply a coat of Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, then body filler, sand, and apply another coat of Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer.
Q. Can I use seam sealer with Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealers?
A. Yes. Use a brand name seam sealer first as directed, and then apply the rust sealer over it. You want to ensure the rust sealer seeps down into the seam and covers to stop/prevent rust. Without it, the seam sealer will just prevent water.
Q. Do Mastercoat products have a shelf life?
A. Yes, the moisture cured urethanes, which are Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer, Mastercoat Chassis Black Finish Coating, Mastercoat Extreme Permanent Rust Sealer & Pit Filler, and AG111 Ultimate Finish Coating have a shelf life of 12 months if stored at room temperature. This is UNOPENED containers only. Quite often these products will last well past their published shelf life, but we highly recommend that you use them within a year of purchase to ensure the best quality. Once the lid is removed from the container, this may drastically reduce the shelf life of the product. We manufacture these products in quart containers as opposed to gallon containers, as these products are meant to be used all at once. We cannot guarantee the life of a product once the lid has been removed.
Q. Let's say I open a can of the moisture cured products and don't use all of it. Is there any way to preserve it?
A. We cannot guarantee the preservation of unused product after the lid has been removed, but if you will not be using the entire container at once, you may be able to preserve it by removing the lid, removing the portion needed into a different container, wiping the rim clean, and replacing the lid immediately. Do not open the containers when it is very humid out. It may also help to transfer the unused portion to a clean paint can. If you don't feel you'll use the entire container at once, it is always helpful to have a clean container, such as an empty paint can or a clean and dry plastic motor oil bottle on hand for transfer before opening the container.
Q. I tried to open the can and it seems to be glued shut! What can I do?
A. Moisture cured urethanes, which most of our products are, work fantastically but sometimes the resin pushes upward inside the can, seeps between the rim, and glues the can shut. Unfortunately this is something that can neither be predicted nor prevented with this type of material. If this happens and you warp the can from trying to open it, it is recommended to transfer the unused product to a different container immediately--clean, empty motor oil bottles as well as mason jars and new paint cans work well.
Q. Help! I applied Mastercoat Permanent Rust Sealer/AG111 and it bubbled/blistered! What can I do?
A. First of all, this can be avoided by reading the instructions and understanding that these products are very affected by moisture. If bubbling or blistering of these products has occurred, 9 out of 10 times it's because there was moisture on the surface. If using Mastercoat Metal Prep, or any kind of surface prep, make sure it is throughly dry before coating with Permanent Rust Sealer/AG111. If applying over epoxy primer, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THE EPOXY PRIMER IS THOROUGHLY DRY BEFORE APPLYING MASTERCOAT PERMANENT RUST SEALER OR AG111 OVER IT. Use only MCT101 thinner to reduce AG111. If a different thinner is used, we cannot guarantee results. Do not use lacquer thinner or other incompatible thinner to reduce these products. Do not apply these coatings too thick. Do not apply these coatings when relative humidity is very high. If bubbling/blistering occurs in a large surface area, you will have to sandblast it off and start over. Please avoid doing this.
Q. How can I order Mastercoat products?
A. You can order right here in our online shop or by calling 1-800-833-8933 with a credit card. To buy products online, you can pay for your order by credit card or Paypal. It's easy--just go through the online checkout and choose the payment method when you're finished.
Q. Do you have a body shop I can bring my car to?
A. No, we do not have a body shop that's open to the public. We only manufacture and sell the best coatings and chemicals for restoration. You can, however, speak to your local body shop about using our products on your vehicle if you do not want to do your own restoration work. Please have your body shop call us if they have questions!
Q. Do you ship to Canada?
A. We're sorry, we can't ship directly to Canada at this time. If you have a mailbox in the U.S., you may still order online or by phone and have your order shipped to your U.S. mailbox. Please call us at 973-874-0280 to place an order with a credit card.
Q. Do you ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico?
A. We're sorry, we do not ship MOST of our products to these places, BUT we can ship the Hot Jet High Heat ceramic coatings via Priority Mail to these locations. Email or call us with your address for a shipping quote.
Q. Do you ship outside of the U.S.?
A. No, sorry. We only ship to the United States.
Q. Do you have distributors outside of the U.S.?
A. Sorry, not at this time.
