Trailer paint recommendation

[Gregster613]

I usually do 10 minutes unless it's really cold, then about 20. I use water uncomfortably warm to your hand.

Thank you for that advise!

 

[Paystar]

The best paint I have ever used is Vaspar Implement paint. Among other things, I painted the bucket on my skidsteer. Even gravel didn't take it off!

edited ; Sadly, Valspar no longer sells implement paint.

I too was going to say, implement paint.
I have used it for touchups on my Kubota's and Land Pride implements a d it's the only orange on them that has not faded.

 

[Onecountry]

I was going to say I warm the paint can up for 10 to 15 minutes before using. Ditto on keeping a rag handy to wipe the nozzle every few minutes.

 

[KennyG]

If you use Rustoleum be sure to use "professional". bigger can, fast dry. If you can access a paint shaker that's great because it may have been around a while ie. home desperate warehouse

I hate rattle cans. If I'm painting any significant amount I will get out one of the HVLP guns. If it's a touch up I will often just brush it. Rattle cans only for special cases when the paint I want isn't readily available in a pint, quart or gallon.

 

[garry1p]

I would use Rustoleum applying two coats, be sure and let the first coat dry thoroughly or the first coat will not dry.

 

[SiteEngineer]

You’re better off using a high-quality industrial metal primer followed by a two-part epoxy or polyurethane topcoat for your trailer. Make sure the surface is clean and rust-free before spraying for the best durability.

 

[JBF43]

Same problem I was describing above, it's a linear polyurethane with an isocyanate hardener. Isocyanates are nasty stuff, and a forced fresh air respirator is required when spraying them. Do not try to spray a 2-part paint with a regular cartridge respirator, not that folks haven't gotten away with it, but the consequences of a leaky mask can ruin your life.

But that's not necessarily a show-stopper, as there are some affordable (e.g. Allegro 9200-01 is under $1000) forced fresh air systems on the market. I can dig up info on the one I've been using the last 20 years, if anyone is interested. Bonus, your mask will never fog up with a fresh air system, they're actually much nicer to use in an enclosed space, than a regular cartridge respirator and goggles, except that you have to drag an extra hose around with you.

100% true here on the contents of Imron paint. I was warned about using this when I repainted my 1978 truck that had this paint on it. When I purchased the paint, the paint store told me not to paint it in even an open garage unless I had a fresh air respirator, or the results could very well be deadly. Without this respirator, don't paint anyplace more confined than an open driveway. The finish was beautiful, but even back then, the price of the paint was astronomical. I can just imagine what it is now.

 

[JBF43]

I too was going to say, implement paint.
I have used it for touchups on my Kubota's and Land Pride implements a d it's the only orange on them that has not faded.

Same here. I tried some Valspar several years ago in a rattle can that looked like a good Kubota match to touch up the scratched and faded orange areas on my L3130. Unfortunately, even with proper prep, the Valspar faded and came off even faster than the original Kubota orange from 2006. This summer, I got some Rust-O-Leum Farm & Implement in Kubota Orange and sprayed my almost pink areas. Thinned just slightly for spraying, and the tractor looked like it just came out of the body shop. I was going to add some hardener to make it set up faster, but unfortunately, the hardener hardened in the can. So I had to wait for the paint to harden on it's own. Once hardened, just to help prolong the paint's life, I threw a coat of car wax on it and ran a buffer over it just for fun.
It looked like a showpiece when finished. Rustoleum does make this paint in other colors too. I bought some in 'John Deere' green(?), maybe to use on my work truck.

 

[WinterDeere]

...the price of the paint was astronomical.

All LP's are expensive! Figure $300/gallon for base + $200 for the converter + $70 for reducer + $100 for surface cleaner... and all that's after you've already spent a nearly-similar amount on the primer coat. Again, I wouldn't bother for a trailer, the effort and time to prep and set up a proper spray environment alone isn't worth it, even putting the cost aside.

2-part epoxy paints are actually cheaper. The prices I gave above were for Awlgrip LP, but the 2-part epoxy paint from the same brand is more like $60 for base + $60 for converter... literally one-sixth the price of LP.

But I'm not convinced epoxy will out-weather regular Alkyd enamel. Yeah, it may be durable for getting banged or chipped, but how does it hold up to sun and salt? Probably not any better than Alkyd.

 

[KennyG]

I wonder what the value of the "rust converting" paints are over just treating with Ospho and priming. That's what I have done and it seems to work fine. A lot cheaper.