Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

[AguaSki]

I have a really nice trailer, but I have noticed a some small rust spots in a few corner. After properly prepping the trailer, I am thinking about shooting the trailer with a coat of black Rustoleum. I have two questions.

1) I noticed that Rustoleum comes in Flat, Semi-Gloss, and Gloss finish. What finish will look best on a trailer? I am thinking Semi-Gloss.

2) Does the boat need to be removed from the trailer? Since the trailer sits on carpeted bunks, most of the metal is exposed. I am thinking that I can protect the boat from over spray with some plastic sheeting and tape. I have read some of the threads on getting the boat off the trailer, but I have never tried it. Removing the boat from the trailer scares me, so I am not afraid of the extra effort required to mask everything off. Any thoughts?

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

rattle can gloss isnt going to be all that glossy.

 

[HVSTRINE]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

If you are doing the whole trailer, flat or semi-gloss or even a satin will look fine. Gloss is a little tougher to get an even finish. Several light coats is much better than heavy. You should be able to paint it on the trailer but definitely cover everything to avoid overspray. Make sure and go over the trailer with some light sanding before you paint to ensure good adhesion of the paint, just to rough up any shiny smooth spots. I also would wipe down the trailer with some thinner and a lint free cloth after sanding.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

if you can launch the boat, for a weekend, you can do the trailer in 1/4 of the time. it is so much easier. My little boats i just push off in the grass, then winch them back up the trailer 14-16 ft boats. large i either jack up or lauch. doing it this way, you can get to the necessary places that need attention. this boat gets pushed off regularly, so i can use the trailer for other purposes.

 

[djvan]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

Brush it on, it's been my experience that it is much more durable that way.

DougV>

 

[Rusty Boater]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

Check with you local marina and ask them how much to either rent a slip for a weekend or week. Also you could see how much they would charge to put your boat on stands for a week or two; this would also let you wax the hull really well. I have done this before.

But everyone is right it will help you get done in a quater of the time.

 

[srothfuss]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

I brushed on 3 coats of semi-gloss black [Rust-o-leum] to my 1972 Chrysler trailer. I did it with boat still on trailer since I was using a brush. It took 2 days in-between all of the coats of paint.

This spring I'll apply a final top coat of semi-gloss black paint to seal the Rust-o-leum from any sun damage. I figure 12 months is long enough for cure time.

It is a 10-foot paint job because I didn't do any sanding between coats. But the trailer is a uniform color now and all of the rust has been removed

 

[C-VENN]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

I sprayed my trailer 2 years with 2 cans of semi-tan, then 2 cans of Clear Coat. Did it with the boat right on, masked nothing off. No problems at all. All I did when I was done was wiped the tires off with some thinner for the overspray. I was going to make it a project (sand,prime,mask,paint) then said don't make this harder then it needs to be. So for about $20 and 1 hour my trailer looks great, and if it last 2 more years. I will just do it again.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

Yes, I agree that the boat should be removed because those little rust spots really need to be hit with a wire wheel and disk sander to clean them up for painting.

I would skip the spray cans. Pick up a cheap airless sprayer and thin the rustolium with some turps and spray it on. Being thinned, it will seep into cracks and crevices much better than if brushed on. Believe me, this works fantastic. I painted wrought iron outdoor furniture this way and it lasted for years sitting outside in NJ rain and snow.

A few coats should do it, and if you use gloss it will come out nice because there is no overspray with an airless sprayer. And using turps as a thinner results in a slow dry time, so start/stop marks are at a minimum.

 

[djvan]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

If you have the means to spray it with a sprayer then do it. But I have found rattle can jobs to be inferior.

DougV>

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

I sprayed my boat with rattle cans of Rustoleum and it was a nightmare. Brushing it on would have looked nicer and used less paint. My overspray was terrible. This obviously wouldn't be as bad as on a trailer but I'd still brush it.

Also.....Rustoleum's "rusty metal primer" is friggin' AWESOME.

 

[65Mech]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

what about bedliner coating from wal-mart or something? its durable, cheap and if you get a chip its an easy fix. just my $.02

 

[IMPATIENT 1]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

forget about rustoleum, the cancer will survive and the paint will peel at some point. go to home depot and pick up some P.O.R. paint to match. the stuff is awesome, turns rust into etching primer and really kills rust, instead of covering it, looks great too. can be rolled on and it goes further that way, even rolled on, it looks like it came outta a nice spray gun. i dig the stuff.

 

[AZSenza]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

Rustoleum, if that what you want to use, Rolls on nice. Do at least two coats. It self levels as long as its thin enough (Turp or Mineral spirits) follow their directions and you'll be happy with it. use a foam roller, they come in different sizes (widths) and a small detail brush for hard to reach areas. Do make sure you have treated all the rust areas first, as stated before it will come back if you dont!

 

[Ridemywideglide]

Re: Thinking Of Shooting Trailer With Coat Of Rustoleum

A few coats should do it, and if you use gloss it will come out nice because there is no overspray with an airless sprayer. And using turps as a thinner results in a slow dry time, so start/stop marks are at a minimum.

While these are obsurdly incorrect statements, I do think an airless will result in slightly less overspray than a rattle can. And everyone using thinner/turpentine to "thin" the paint to make it lay out smooth are doing themselves a great injustice.
When you "thin" the paint, you do exactly that.. Thin paint doesn't cover well, doesn't stay well, and doesn't hold up well. Only thin the material enough to make it workable.
If you want to roll/brush it, use Penetrol (I really hope people are using the Enamel Rustoleum) as it conditions the paint instead of thinning it so it lays out smooth and keeps it's properties.
Start out with about a 10% addition of Penetrol, use up to 1 qt/gal in extreme cases. Add it for spraying and you'll have a glass finish with little effort.