Good paint process for trailer???

[droptopgt]

i was wondering about this exact same topic for painting utility trailers. Is there any product like tremclad rust paint where you can just spray bare metal? Or better yet, anything you can spray through a hvlp gun?

Hopefully someone knows of a one shot process.

P.S. Sanding isn't an option.

[monte55]

Sherwinn Williams DTM.....direct to metal

[dabar39]

With over 500 trailers built to date, the best thing I have found is plain ole' Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and a top Coat of Rustoleum Gloss Enamel. Cost is about $25.00 per gallon for each and about $10.00 for the thinner.

All I do is wipe trailer down with thinners, cut the primer with about 20% thinner and shoot one good coat. No sanding of primer is needed. Mix paint the same way with about a 20% reduction with thinner and spray a couple of coats. The wetter you can spray it the more gloss it retains and smoother it lays out, spray it dry and it will look dull and rough.

I use both siphon feed and HVLP spray guns with equally good results either way. The paint holds up for years and is easy for a customer to get touch up when needed. I've got a few customers with well taken care of trailers that are 5 years old that still look almost new.

I have had some people tell me that Rustoleum is cheap junky paint and a poor choice but I swear by it for commercial or industrial use. Dave

[fabricator]

With over 500 trailers built to date, the best thing I have found is plain ole' Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and a top Coat of Rustoleum Gloss Enamel. Cost is about $25.00 per gallon for each and about $10.00 for the thinner.

All I do is wipe trailer down with thinners, cut the primer with about 20% thinner and shoot one good coat. No sanding of primer is needed. Mix paint the same way with about a 20% reduction with thinner and spray a couple of coats. The wetter you can spray it the more gloss it retains and smoother it lays out, spray it dry and it will look dull and rough.

I use both siphon feed and HVLP spray guns with equally good results either way. The paint holds up for years and is easy for a customer to get touch up when needed. I've got a few customers with well taken care of trailers that are 5 years old that still look almost new.

I have had some people tell me that Rustoleum is cheap junky paint and a poor choice but I swear by it for commercial or industrial use. Dave

I second that . Its pretty much what i use 90% of the time.

[kcstott]

Don't degrease with mineral spirits. That's a petroleum base solvent and leaves a oily residue behind.
Either degrease with a water based degreaser i.e. simple green or use Acetone, xylene, MEK, Lacquer thiner or something like that. these will not leave a residue behind and your paint will stick much better.
No as for surface prep. Usually just cleaning up the splatter around the welds degrease with above chemicals prim and paint.
The hot rolled finish is actually pretty rough and provides a good surface for paint to adhere to.

We painted over fifty machine bases a year this way and never had one come back for paint pealing. and we did do a rebuild on a machine that was ten or so years old. the paint was worn but it was not pealing we just sanded the worn areas and repainted to whole thing.

[madcow]

when i powder coat or paint an odd part that cant be blasted i get some preclean from eastwood.com

[dabar39]

when i powder coat or paint an odd part that cant be blasted i get some preclean from eastwood.com

You must really like spending money, Eastwood is very high on most of their prices. Their powder is ridiculously over priced and most other products are too.

[Badd00SS]

You must really like spending money, Eastwood is very high on most of their prices. Their powder is ridiculously over priced and most other products are too.

Agreed. BTW, thanks for swaying me to rustoleum, came out great in my opinion. Pretty durable too... and the best part, it was CHEAP!!!!

[STRENGTH AND POWER]

Agreed. BTW, thanks for swaying me to rustoleum, came out great in my opinion. Pretty durable too... and the best part, it was CHEAP!!!!

Hey, Where's my thanks? I threw rustoleum out at the begining LOL

[Badd00SS]

Hey, Where's my thanks? I threw rustoleum out at the begining LOL

LOL, I meant a while back when I painted my trailer, I too suggested rustoleum here, im one of the first posts..