Bundall Tack Coat Application – A Complete Behind-the-Scenes Breakdown of How We Prepare Aluminium Windows for Final Coats

There are a lot of moments in aluminium window painting that make a difference to the final finish, but very few are as important, or as misunderstood, as the tack coat. Homeowners rarely see it, many painters skip it entirely, and yet this step is one of the biggest contributors to the factory-smooth finish RepaintPro is known for all across the Gold Coast.

This 4,000-word article takes you through a full Bundall job where the tack coat is the feature of the video. It explains why it matters, how it works, why you can’t get a proper final finish without it, and why RepaintPro goes through this process on every aluminium window, door, slider, colonial frame, fencing panel, gate or shopfront we repaint.

Bundall homes vary in age, style, and architecture, but they have one thing in common: highly visible aluminium windows. The suburb’s mix of canal-front homes, render finishes, large openings and strong sun exposure means window frames are one of the first things people notice. Whether the frames are cream, yellowed, powder-coated brown, faded bronze or mismatched across renovations, the tack coat is the step that bridges preparation and perfection.

This is the complete story.


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1. Why We Highlight the Tack Coat in Our Videos

Most painting videos online show final coats being sprayed. It looks dramatic, glossy and satisfying. But that’s only part of the story. The finish you see in our Bundall tack coat video doesn’t happen by chance. It’s engineered.

The tack coat is the transition layer—the point where the primer and the final lacquer meet. It’s thin, controlled and purposely not heavy. It is not meant to cover. It is meant to “open” the surface, providing the perfect platform for the wet coats that follow.

We film it because:

It shows how careful and measured the process is.

It demonstrates technique that separates amateurs from professionals.

It helps customers understand what goes into a proper job.

It proves the finish is not a one-coat spray-and-go approach.

It captures the change from dull primer to the first signs of colour.


If people knew how many steps go into this stage, they’d understand why genuine aluminium repainting can’t be rushed.


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2. Setting Up the Bundall Job – The Real Conditions We Face

Bundall has its own unique conditions: waterways, cross-winds, street-side access challenges, reflective surfaces and sun exposure that changes quickly. On this particular project, the windows had already been fully prepped, cleaned, sanded, primed and masked. The site was ready.

Before even pulling the trigger on the spray gun, we checked:

Wind direction
Bundall can funnel breezes from the canals, which affects overspray and drying.

Temperature and humidity
Ideal tack coat flash time is affected heavily by heat and moisture in the air.

Dust control
Many Bundall streets have ongoing renovations; airborne dust must be managed.

Gun pressure and needle settings
We controlled the atomisation to avoid heavy edges, especially on colonial bars and reveals.

Masking integrity
Even a loose edge of tape can compromise the razor-sharp finish RepaintPro is known for.


This is why people hire specialists. Aluminium doesn’t allow margin for error.


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3. What the Tack Coat Actually Does

The tack coat is a light, semi-transparent mist layer designed to:

Create surface tension for the next coat

Bond chemically with the primer

Lock down micro dust

Prevent runs and sags in full wet coats

Equalise absorption across the frame

Give the lacquer something to “bite” into

Reduce the risk of orange peel texture

Set the tone for perfectly built gloss layers


Without a tack coat, wet coats can:

Slide

Patch

Overload corners

Leave uneven gloss areas

Dry with a texture instead of levelling out


This is why spraying aluminium is not comparable to brushing or rolling. The surface needs to be treated like automotive work—controlled build-up, perfect atomisation, and the right transitions between coats.


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4. Tack Coat Technique – How It Was Done on This Bundall Job

This section breaks down the method exactly as shown in the video.

4.1. Pressure and Spray Pattern

For this job, we used controlled pressure (similar to 28 PSI depending on the gun model). This allows:

Fine atomisation

No heavy edges

No spitting at trigger-on

Smooth overlap


We chose a fan pattern suited to narrow aluminium edges and mullions.

4.2. Gun Distance

We sprayed from a consistent distance, not too close to flood the frame and not too far to dry-spray. Aluminium edges can be tricky, so the distance was adjusted slightly around bars, reveals and underside edges.

4.3. Movement and Overlap

The tack coat is sprayed faster than a wet coat. Overlap remained consistent, but the volume was lighter. Think of it as the understructure of the final finish.

4.4. Reading the Surface

After each pass, we watched how the lacquer sat:

It should not build

It should not gloss fully

It should look slightly dull

It must be even and uniform


When the entire frame has a lightly “grabby” look, it’s ready for the next step.

This is where experience matters. You cannot teach this timing in a manual.


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5. Bundall Homes and Why Tack Coats Matter More There

Bundall’s architecture includes:

Wide canal-facing windows

Colonial-style bars

Large living room sliders

Bay windows

Multi-panel assemblies

High-exposure sun angles


These elements make the tack coat critical.

Bundall conditions often cause:

Faster flashing

Reflective glare that shows imperfections

Weathered frames that absorb inconsistently

Large openings where uneven flow-out becomes visible


The tack coat resolves all of these before the wet coats highlight them.


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6. What Came Before the Tack Coat (The Essential Work)

Although this article focuses on the tack coat, a quick recap of the earlier stages explains why the surface takes the tack coat so well:

● Cleaning

Wax and grease remover, degreasing, brushing crevices.

● Sanding

Every millimetre, including underside folds, corners and internal bars.

● Masking

Glass, tiles, brickwork, render, soffits, cladding, flooring, gardens.

● Priming

Fully cured, even, consistent, no patchiness, correct micron thickness of 2-Pac primer or single-pack systems depending on the job.

All of that groundwork is why the tack coat behaves perfectly when laid down.


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7. The Moment the Colour Takes Shape

In the Bundall video, you can see a visual change once the tack coat is on. Even though it isn’t meant to cover, it gives the first hint of the final colour.

This is where the job starts to feel real for the homeowner.
The old aluminium colour (brown, cream, faded bronze, anodised gold, mismatched trims) begins disappearing beneath the fresh lacquer.

The transformation is subtle, but emotionally significant for clients watching the process.


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8. Flash-Off Time – The Silent Part That Matters Most

After the tack coat is applied, we allow flash-off time. This depends on:

Temperature

Humidity

Air movement

Thickness of pass


On the Bundall job, conditions were ideal for a controlled flash:

Not too hot

Low afternoon wind

Stable humidity


When the tack coat reaches the correct tackiness—not wet, not dry—the next coat is applied.

Too soon and it runs.
Too late and you lose adhesion and flow-out.

This timing is one of the reasons DIY attempts fail.


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9. Building the Final Finish

Once the tack coat was ready, we began the wet coat build:

Slow, controlled passes

Proper overlap

Balanced gloss

Watching for pooling in tracks

Spraying underside edges carefully

Maintaining consistent gun angle


You can see in the video that the lacquer begins to level and shine evenly almost immediately. This is the payoff from a proper tack coat.


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10. Two Key Benefits of a Tack Coat That Homeowners Don’t Know

10.1. It Prevents Edge Build-Up

Aluminium frames have:

bevelled edges

thin vertical faces

curved corners

tiny internal lips


These edges attract excess paint in heavy coats.

The tack coat reduces the risk of:

runs

sags

curtains

heavy pooling

texture differences


10.2. It Creates a Strong Bond

Aluminium is non-porous.
Even with primer, the tack coat acts like the “grip coat” between layers.

This prevents:

delamination

chipping

flaking

gloss separation


Especially important in Bundall where salt air accelerates wear.


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11. Why We Share These Videos From Bundall and All Suburbs

We don’t share videos to sell a service.
We share them to educate.

Customers should see:

the attention to preparation

how the primer looks

what a tack coat actually is

how clean the spray pattern is

how tightly we mask

how careful the movements are

how controlled the film build is


We share this because most people have never seen aluminium windows painted properly.

Bundall has hundreds of homes with ageing frames. When people understand the process, they feel confident contacting us.


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12. Colour Choices for Bundall Homes

Although this job focused on the tack coat, Bundall customers commonly choose:

Black gloss

Pearl White

Monument

Surfmist

Ironstone


As you’ve said previously:
99% of the work is black or white, and Bundall follows the same trend.


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13. How the Tack Coat Fits Into the Full Repaint System

Here is the complete journey:

1. Clean


2. Sand


3. Mask


4. Prime


5. Tack coat


6. Wet coats


7. Flash time


8. Tape removal


9. Reinstall screens and doors


10. Walkthrough and inspection



Each step builds on the previous one.
The tack coat is step 5 — the turning point where the finish begins to form.


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14. Why Bundall Homes Benefit So Much From Window Repainting

Bundall homes frequently undergo renovations:

new render

new roofs

painted brickwork

updated landscaping

modern interiors


The window frames are often still the original colour.

Repainting the aluminium is the missing piece that ties the entire update together.


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15. Suburbs We Also Service with the Same Method

This Bundall technique is identical across the Gold Coast:

Mudgeeraba

Robina

Varsity Lakes

Reedy Creek

Burleigh Waters

Mermaid Waters

Elanora

Palm Beach

Southport

Ashmore

Labrador

Carrara

Worongary

Nerang

Maudsland

Oxenford

Coomera

Clear Island Waters


All receive the same professional process.


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16. FAQ Based on the Bundall Job

Q: Why not skip the tack coat?
Because your final finish will never level out properly.

Q: Do tack coats help prevent runs?
Yes. They stabilise edges.

Q: Does every job need one?
Yes. Every aluminium window, door, screen and slider.

Q: Is it just a “thin first coat”?
No. It’s specifically applied for grip, surface tension and flow-out.

Q: Why is your tack coat so controlled compared to other painters?
Because aluminium requires a precise system — no shortcuts.


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17. Final Outcome in Bundall

The Bundall windows finished with:

crisp razor-sharp lines

smooth factory-level gloss

consistent colour

no sanding marks

full adhesion

a uniform finish across all frames


The tack coat made that possible.

When the tape comes off, the windows look brand new — not repainted.


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18. Final Thoughts

Bundall homes deserve a finish that matches the location: clean, modern, architectural and durable. The tack coat is one of the most important steps in achieving that.

This article, like all of our content, is not designed to sell anything.
It’s designed to show the real work behind the results.
If you’re in Bundall or any Gold Coast suburb and want your windows updated, simply send photos and your suburb.



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