Which finishing process includes basecoat, mid-coat, and clearcoat?

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The finishing approach that uses basecoat, mid-coat, and clearcoat is the three-stage finish. The basecoat provides the main color, the mid-coat adds effects such as metallic or pearl depth, and the clearcoat seals in the color, adds gloss, and protects against UV light and wear. This three-layer system creates richer depth and a durable finish compared with simpler two-stage systems that skip the mid-coat. The other terms refer to issues or prep steps rather than a multi-layer color system: fisheyes are defects from contamination, scuffing or deglossing are surface preparation steps, and runs or sags are application defects from applying too much material too quickly.