Trailer skin aluminum prepaint vs finish colors.

We skinned the trailer in all polar white, then masked and sanded for other paint colors; either a Z or bottom zigzag pattern. We sanded the white to be sure the primer and paint would stick. We never had trouble with bleed thru.

Our usual primer is light grey Rustoleum oil based in a RATTLE can. Do not use Rustoleum auto primer in the quarts! For some reason, it doesn't stick correctly. Supposed to be identical to the spray cans, but it isn't. (maybe old on the shelf?)

According to owner's wishes, we usually used Rustoleum oil based quarts for the colors.

Automotive paint is expensive and takes special products. It dries to a hard durable finish and is worth it if you want a paint to last.

When I researched my cheapskate paint job, I read a lot of reports of fading and chalking with TSC soy based Majik tractor paint. I went with Valspar enamel tractor paint from Amazon and it's held up great in the SoCal sun for several years. It went on easily with a $10 HF gun for a first timer like me.

Anyone with insight into this.
Painted aluminum as supplied - overcoats of primer or other finishes - and adhesion issues?

LOL, it's good to seek second opinions.  My advice comes from someone that's actually done this stuff, it's not just internet fodder!

Regarding TCP Global paints.  They offer many different kinds of paint, but it falls into two basic groups.  They sell a program of standard colors, and a program where they will custom mix any color to match any factory color back to the 1900's.  In both programs, they offer all of their different kinds of paint.  The cost of paint in the standard colors is much cheaper because it's sold as a system and  includes the required hardener.  You have to purchase a gallon of temperature sensitive reducer, in addition to the color.  Note, they offer a lot of colors in their standard color system, for example they offer 17 different whites, and 19 different reds in the standard system.  Unless your trying to match the color shade of a vintage vehicle there's no reason to use their custom mix program.

Acrylic Enamel is the lowest quality (lowest cost) paint sold by TCP Global.  For just a few more dollars you can upgrade to their Acrylic Urethane paint.  My Covid Project this spring, was rebuilding a 1970 Early Bronco that was rolled over.  After the metal work was done, I painted the truck inside and out with TCP Acrylic Urethane in a metallic gold which was "custom mixed" by TCP to match the original 1970 Ford Color (their color match was perfect).  It was done in a single stage, not a base coat, clear coat system.   I'm not a pro painter, I have no spray booth, and spraying a single stage metallic is more difficult than a opaque color.  The paint job was done in my driveway under a 10 by 10 E-Z-Up canopy.  It turned out nice.  It did not require a color sand, and buff.

Prep is the key to any finish.  It cannot be over stated.  As "Manly Men", we take pride in never reading the instructions until after we have a problem.  You will receive a MDS (Material Data Sheet) when you buy automotive paint.  If you read, and then follow to the letter, the instructions, you will have a good out come.  It will talk about proper surface prep, the ambient temperature that you can spray, the relative humidity that you can spray the product, the pot time life, the recoat times, even the surface temperature.  Follow the rules, they are your friend.

Equipment for painting, you need plenty of air volume, not necessarily pressure.  You will most likely be spraying with a HVLP (high volume low pressure) spray gun.  A small air compressor will not keep up with a HVLP spray gun.  The harder you work the air compressor the more condensation you will get into your lines.  You need a way to cool the air and collect water moisture.  It's lots easier to spray paint if you have a consistent air pressure.  Make sure you research "spray painting at home".  You will find good information on The Hamb (a Hot Rod board), or on Southern Urethanes.


Primer, yes you will get lots of opinions.  In general, you use a lighter tinted primer under a lighter top coat color so it covers better with fewer coats.  You cannot go wrong by using a two part epoxy primer under quality top coat paints when painting aluminum.  The old school way was to use zinc chromate primer, the new way today is to use epoxy primer.  TCP Global, and Southern Urethanes both sell low (lol, ok lower cost) automotive quality epoxy primers.  As with top color coats, you need to follow the MDS for instruction on prep and when to spray primers.

Buy your normal Acetone locally for gun clean up, no point is paying for freight on Acetone.

John

Hi all,

Sorry to resurrect this threat, but I am confident that the knowledge base on this thread is exactly what I need.

I am doing a complete rebuild on a '65 Shasta. I recently put on my new skins (from Hemet Valley RV) and I am in the process of choosing colors to paint. Some questions:

1. The skins have the polar white color from the mfg. What is the exact process for putting on new paint? Do I have to sand, etc? If so, do I do the roof too? I was really hoping to not paint the white part at all and only do the bottom with the classic chrome zig zag with the seafoam/surf green color. However, I ended up scratching more than I anticipated and now I need to paint for sure. 

2. I saw another thread for the seafoam/surf green color, but couldn't find what colors people have used. Any suggestions?

3. Seems like getting the z to stay shiny is tricky and some don't recommend it. Should I just try something like this. I really like the chrome z, however, I am way behind my wife's expected camping date so I need to get this moving.

4. What color white paint would you recommend on top of the polar white? Something similar or less bright (trying to get as vintage as possible even though this is a complete rebuild).


Thank you in advance.

 

Thanks nccamper,

These were extremely helpful. 

I think I will go with the painting and not do the stipe that will need to be polished. I like how you did the second camper. Regarding the polar white, I see that you left the top of the trailer alone and just left it the way it came from the trailer. I like idea, however, I have some holes and dings that need to be repaired. How would you handle fixing those and painting. Would you just touch up the polar white? Do you have a color that matches?