Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Paint for trailer recommendation?

Gotta redo the wood floor on my 15ft trailer. It’s a I beam and c channel trailer so nothing fancy.

While I’m at it it needs a good Coat or two of paint

It’s not to rusty yet but it’s starting to lose some paint so nows the time

Por15 ( would require a top coat as not uvresistant)
Rust bullet
Rustoleum tractor and implement


Doesn’t have to be cheap but not looking for the most expensive or difficult to use either

The van sickle enamel avaliable at farm stores dies slow, but is as hard as a hammer when it does dry.....and its cheap and can be buffed.

I've used the Rustoleum Farm & Implement since it came out.

Not thrilled with it. Maybe it's just the heat, sun and humidity down here, but it oxidizes quickly, fades, and flakes.

I mostly use black. So recently the past few months anyway, I've switched to Rustoleum Engine Enamel, in black. I have much better luck with it.

https://industrial.sherwin-williams.com/na/us/en/general-industrial.html
Been using Sherwin Williams coatings for awhile now and it's the best.

Good to know, got a gooseneck I need to paint

Tractor Supply alkyd enamel, with the isocyanate hardener added if it can still be found. Wear a full coverage disposable paper "shoot suit" and a charcoal filter respirator while spraying hardened enamel, as the cyanide compounds can be absorbed through the skin. The hardener makes that cheap enamel tough as woodpecker lips, and glossy.

I did a 10 foot utility trailer with herculiner bed liner on the frame and rails. It has been great. Very durable and not slick when you stand on the rails.

Of course, like everything, good prep work makes a difference.

Yep. That alkyd enamel isn’t that great UNLESS you spend the extra $20-$30 for hardener. Easily double-triple the lifespan, and looks glossier, too.

Isocyanate hardener...

Got a source?

I looked and struck out.

Thanks.

Here's one of 200-something listings on Amazon. 8 ounces of hardener will treat at least half a gallon of paint. I used to use a pint per gallon of unreduced paint back when I managed a body shop. It's listed for acrylic enamel, but it also works on the older style alkyd enamel. Once it's mixed, leftover paint must be used- - - -not stored, so only treat the amount you intend to spray

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/majic-catalyst-hardener-clear-half-1-2-pint

I have used Ospho surface treatment followed by appliance epoxy paint in rust prone areas to good result..

Appliance epoxy paint is glossy as heck, and will look good (and is tough) for a short while. The problem is, it’s NOT UV resistant, and will break down quickly in sunlight. Interior-great. Exterior-not great.

https://www.rustoleum.com/en/product-catalog/consumer-brands/specialty/appliance-epoxy-spray

Was planning on brushing or rolling as I have never sprayed paint through any type of air gun or hvlp

But wth. I’m sure I can watch YouTube and grab a gun at harbor freight. Would a smallish air compressor work?

Use a siphon-type spray gun (the cheap ones) not the HVLP (high volume-low pressure) type that uses up a lot of air. Once you have the paint and hardener mixed properly, dilute the paint about 30% with some kind of thinner, either Naptha or Mineral Spirits if you're using the Harbor Freight tractor enamel. It will dry to the touch in about 2 to 3 hours. Try to paint in a dust-free environment to keep the paint from looking like it has a fur coat after it dries. I've had pretty good luck making a field-expedient spray booth out of PVC pipe and heavy plastic drop cloths to keep the wind and dust at bay. Lightly spraying the area down with a water hose before painting also helps in the dust control dapartment.

I've got all sorts of spray guns and air compressors and used to paint cars part-time. BUT, I roll and brush my trailers.

Brushing is totally fine with me but if needed to spray I’m not afraid to try. It’s a dammn trailer. So who cares if it’s perfect

I’ll just brush and roll if easier

This is going to be done outside on a gravel pad under a metal carport. No way I can make this dust free

I use lots of the Sherwin Williams DTM (direct to metal) enamel on equipment at work. It seems to stand up better than alkyd enamel from the same company. It also goes on thicker and covers with less coats. I do not add a hardener to either type, that may make all the difference IDK.

I've done lots of trailers with plain old Rustoleum over Red Metal Primer and they have lasted me a very long time. I store them outside without a cover and it still seems to hold up. As said, prep is everything no matter what paint you use. If you get a good prep you will get a good finish. I usually use a good brush so I can get in all the tight spots where a sprayer tends to leave bare... if it is thinned properly it will flow and lay down pretty flat but 30% might be bit much thinning if you are going to brush it on.

And don't discount spraying down the area with a spray nozzle on a hose just before painting to keep the dust down. I've painted vehicles outside and the paint came out great without a tent or any other protection- just a good use of a garden hose to keep the dust down before painting and hopefully a fairly still day...

Agree that the DTM is good paint.

Used black emron last time still holding up great.

only metal ive painted was an offshore drilling rig.

2 part International or Carboline brand paint.

used a siphone (wash down) gun.



where i work now they use a PPG brand paint. not sure if its 1 part or 2 part.

I just used van sickle for the first time last week. I painted a utility trailer with, gloss black. Looks good, time will tell, but I'm betting it wears well!

We paint the inside of chiller parts with Carboline 2 part coal tar epoxy. Holy mess. We slop it on with brushes and Lord help you if you get it on you, you’re wearing it off.

GREAT initial prep for sure.

Personally I buy Rust-olium "Bed liner" paint from Walmart at $52 a gallon. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-Rust-Oleum-Automotive-Truck-Bed-Coating-1-Gal/302235825

Add 2-4 quarts of Rust-olium flat black https://www.zoro.com/rust-oleum-1-qt-black-oil-enamel-7776502/i/G9973765/

Some Japan dryer and call it done...

HL has me intrigued with Isocyanate hardener.

Imron is bad ass stuff... just $$$

ALWAYS Zinc chromate raw aluminum... I have messed that up BAD before

Not white, maybe the color of rust?

We use international epoxy paint to paint the spill gates at the dam. That stuff is incredible. I have no idea what cost and availability is though. For ease of touch up, I do exactly as hot rod said. Pay attention to the quantities as they can affect gloss a bit.....if trying to match colors.

one word...

Tyvek suits......

Why not go to the local auto parts store and use what they sell and recommend? Or stop by an auto body shop and see what they use?

Charcoal respirators aren't good enough with Isocyanates. You need supplied air, the tangle of hoses is a PIA. A chink copy of a Sata gravity feed gun is a good place to start.

Regular Rustoleum enamel thinned with Acetone sprays just like the $400/gal PPG Delfleet ESSS I am painting a set of Clamar floats with if the humidity drops some the next couple days.

Several years ago I painted an old aluminum camp trailer with Rustoleum just like that. It worked fine. The only problem is that when you buy Rustoleum in quarts, the color selection is very limited, nothing like what you get in spray cans.

Post some pics... sounds like a cool project.

I "rubberized" a 1997 Dodge 3500 with 3M 5200... then oversprayed her with 5-6 cans of flat black $0.97 Walmart spray paint.

$5k Cummins... Mechanically BRILLIANT! Cosmetically FUBAR.

Mountain Truck... PURE WORK.

Tough stuff (i.e. "throw rocks at it"... tough stuff)

5 years now... wearing like iron.



Rubberized 1997 Dodge 3500