Hard paint recommendation

[John Mitchell]

I'm looking for recommendations for a paint that will cure harder than the standard variety acrylic latex or alkyd enamel available in hardware stores. Use to be indoors without any particular concerns for water or chemical resistance. My past experience with the above paints has resulted in premature wear on items subject to some hard use. My requirements are that it be suitable for rolling/brushing or available in a spray can since I don't have an appropriate spray rig. I also want a one-part formulation, preferably available in sizes smaller than 1 gallons. My initial research points to urethane-modified alkyds such as Interlux Brightside, Pettit Easypoxy, Epifanes monourethane, etc. used for boat painting.

I've found that the standard test for paint hardness is the pencil hardness test. However, the specs for this value are often only available for the paints for the industrial market, and I'm not sure how well the values compare across suppliers due to variability in the test as acknowdedged in the ASTM method.

Any recommendations?

Thanks, John Suffolk, VA remove knowspaam for email

[Artemus]

Have you considered paint intended for floors? Art

[dadiOH]

Polyurethane.

It is available in stores too but generally not in many colors. If you want color choice - and don't mind paying an arm and a leg - look in marine stores.

[J. Clarke]

Try an automotive paint shop. Stuff's even more expensive than marine supplies, but it will stand up for a couple of decades outdoors and they'll mix any color you want.

If it's going on wood though you don't want it _too_ hard or wood movement will crack it.

[chaniarts]

appliance epoxy paint.

the paint on all my kitchen door pulls was chipping off after about 9 years of not very heavy use. it wasn't well bonded to the underlying metal. i sandblasted all the pulls down to bare metal, which left a pretty matte surface. i then followed up with 2 coats of appliance epoxy paint (rustoleum rattle cans from HD). it was pretty soft even after being left in the sun for a few days. i fired them in my kiln at 350F for 4 hours. now, it's extremely hard paint and hasn't shown any markings or chips in a couple of years.

[xparatrooper]

Hammerite in a spray can, or you can get quarts as well. I have a steel pipe mailbox that I painted in 1996 and it is `just now` looking like it could use a touch up. It is full of xylene and porcelain chips in suspension... and cures hard as a rock. Comes in lots of colors too.

wouldn't recommend it for wooden surfaces unless you are sure the wood won't move (i.e. seal all sides) much.

[Father Haskell]

Tinted nitro lacquer, or nitro over a colored base coat.