Repainting a trailer...

[TinTin10]

Alright wkers (insert humour here)

Anyone ever repainted a trailer box before?

Whats the best process for a proper-looking, shiny paint job?

I know I could take it to the spray shop but those guys would pull my pants down, then quote me an arm and a leg.

Trailer base is obv metal and im alright with that, but the box construction is plastic, and I really dont want to fk it up.

Gathered so fair its basically:

- Sand it down
- Clean and degrease
- Sand again with a finer grit
- Clean and degrease again.
- Prime it
- Clean and degrease again.
- 3 coats of plastic paint

Any advice, tips, recommendations?

[KevinCamaroSS]

Just use a wrap instead.

[TinTin10]

KevinCamaroSS said:

Just use a wrap instead.

Thats expensive aswell though, talking hundreds of pounds.

Painting will be £100 tops all in.

[cologne2792]

Don't use Hammerite because this once brilliant product is now useless. (Except Waxyoyl)
Check out the Buzzweld range of paints, treatments and cleaners as they see to be highly thought of.
Sandblast any rusty bits as it's by far the easiest way.

[Super Slo Mo]

I used rustoleum on mine, thinned with white spirit or thinners I think, and applied with a foam roller. Used a brush for the edging.
It dried smooth enough, as it was thinned it really needed two coats (which it got), but there aren't really any obvious brush marks on it.
Mine is a black 8'x4' box trailer, it was originally built by a truck coachbuilder in the 90's, and has been slightly upgraded by me.

[caelite]

cologne2792 said:

Don't use Hammerite because this once brilliant product is now useless. (Except Waxyoyl)
Check out the Buzzweld range of paints, treatments and cleaners as they see to be highly thought of.
Sandblast any rusty bits as it's by far the easiest way.

Really? I've been using Hammerite (and occasionally rustoleum) for years based purely on its reputation, come to think of it I don't think I've used another brand long enough to gain a meaningful comparison.

Thanks for the tip, got some touch ups to do on my bumpers ill give buzzweld a try.

[cologne2792]

caelite said:

cologne2792 said:

Don't use Hammerite because this once brilliant product is now useless. (Except Waxyoyl)
Check out the Buzzweld range of paints, treatments and cleaners as they see to be highly thought of.
Sandblast any rusty bits as it's by far the easiest way.

Really? I've been using Hammerite (and occasionally rustoleum) for years based purely on its reputation, come to think of it I don't think I've used another brand long enough to gain a meaningful comparison.

Thanks for the tip, got some touch ups to do on my bumpers ill give buzzweld a try.

I've been a painter for many years and used to use loads of Hammerite paint. I have an old toolbox I sprayed with Aerosol Hammerite about 20 years ago and it's still looking great. The COSHH regulations have meant that Domestic and Semi-Specialist paints have to be re-formulated (made worse) to save the Planet and the Hammerite now sadly resembles a slightly thicker, self priming gloss paint with little to no real rust proofing or rust resisting properties.

Things like Por-15 and some of the Buzzweld chassis paints are excellent in that they have genuine rust stabilising properties - in the case of the Buzzweld rust converting too. The fact that they also don't need the surface to be entirely dry is a huge advantage when applying after a surface wash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUDpVIqlPDw&t=...

[TooMany2cvs]

caelite said:

Really? I've been using Hammerite (and occasionally rustoleum) for years based purely on its reputation, come to think of it I don't think I've used another brand long enough to gain a meaningful comparison.

Hammerste's always lived down to its reputation, even back in the 80s, when I first gave up on it.

[caelite]

TooMany2cvs said:

caelite said:

Really? I've been using Hammerite (and occasionally rustoleum) for years based purely on its reputation, come to think of it I don't think I've used another brand long enough to gain a meaningful comparison.

Hammerste's always lived down to its reputation, even back in the 80s, when I first gave up on it.

Haha, I know plenty of folks with decades more experience than me who swear by it. I've just always used it out of habit, it is slightly pricier than the rest but in small quantities you don't really feel the price difference, what are you using now out of curiosity? I imagine you go through a lot based on your posting history on here .

[Order66]

If any of you lot debating hammerite chose to read the fking post, he's talking about the plastic shell part, not the metal base.

[TooMany2cvs]

caelite said:

what are you using now out of curiosity?

A fair few years ago, I spoke to a specialist paint supplier about the various zinc-rich "cold-galv" paints. Their recommendation was that they were great on blast-cleaned metal, but on "mechanically cleaned", they suggested Rustoleum 769. It's worked for me.

Order66 said:

If any of you lot debating hammerite chose to read the fking post, he's talking about the plastic shell part, not the metal base.

It'll peel off whatever you try to stick it to.

Plastic (GRP, I'd guess) versus metal is all about using the right primer. I've not done much with GRP - but I know that, for ABS, the primer really is important.

[caelite]

Order66 said:

If any of you lot debating hammerite chose to read the fking post, he's talking about the plastic shell part, not the metal base.

[TinTin10]

Got an all-surface primer from Johnstones. Says it does melamine, upvc and plastics as long as theyre abraded thoroughly, so il just rub the tits off it with sandpaper.

Its not got to be perfect, only got to last long enough til I find out if its worth getting it wrapped.

[Mikedknight]

Don't go too fine with the sandpaper 80 for any damage then 600 all over unless you are using silver paint when 1000 is better. Worth using a sanding block too