Paint.......yes another thread.....

[Flysoncloud]

I have used the search function for painting the inside of our cloud and all I can come up with is answers on painting plastic (pvc,vinyl) what ever we wanna call it today. I have read everything that had the word paint and zolatone in the title. I cant seem to find a thread on someone painting metal. Our cloud is gutted so I have all the metal on the floor in my garage. I am cleaning off all the old junk from years of PO's. Wall paper is the first level, white latex is the second and under that I have a brown paint which I guess is factory. Under the brown is a lime green which I guess is the factory primmer.

So to my question................and we dont like the look of zolatone multi color stuff and I cant seem to find a solid color zolatone. What works best for painting the metal? I live in St. Louis so the humitidy can and would be a issue. Can I just take it to a auto body shop and have it sprayed? Is there something at HD that I can use that wont look like a 12 year old did the painting?

[soldiermedic]

Eric at TX Vintage Trailers Sprays epoxy based paint on some of his walls.

Steve

[NJtoNC]

i put an aluminum-specific epoxy primer, then epoxy, on bare alum. we arent even finished the reno and its already chipped. apparently its a fragile paint. i wish i had done zolotone, or something more hardy. i too am interested in alternatives to both epoxy and zolotone.

[r carl]

They paint airplanes with Dupont VariPrime self etch primer and use Dupont Imron paint, it holds up great for years.

[cdmagda]

Hello...bare aluminum should be primed with a etching primer, then primed with a good bonding primer (it can be a two part product also), followed with a two part epoxy paint... or just use Zolatone. I am going with Zolatone myself. The interior is all bare aluminum, so I will use an etching primer, Zolatones primer, and Zolatone as the finish (Medusa Grey with bright yellow added). I did have to buy a conventional sprayer ($200.00) on E-bay for the application of the Zolatone, but figure I will sell it when I'm done with it. I believe I will include adding catalyst to the Zolatone (optional) for increased durability, since this trailer is going to be used as a concession. This will be good for forty plus years, well after I have to worry about it again. My progress can be viewed at: Member's Photos - Photo Gallery

[Bob Thompson]

See here: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f474...tml#post642110

After the epoxy primer is on, you should be able to paint it with just about anything you want to paint it with.

[ddstech]

what if you have zolatone in good condition, but it has stains from, well, lets just leave it at stains. Its not flaking or peeling or bubbling, just needs a fresh topcoat. Its regular paint ok to spray? Will it adhear to the zolatone well?

[SpaceEgg]

Could you powder coat it? Like you would an appliance? Usually the places that powder coat have huge walk-in ovens (big enough to fit 20-ft rods) that cooks the paint onto the metal, and they sometimes cut deals for individuals with small projects (like a bike, a stove top, a couple pieces of interior Airstream aluminum) because they can just slip the extra pieces into a cook job that's already scheduled. If you're searching for options, it may be worth looking into.

[Short563]

Originally Posted by cdmagda

Hello...bare aluminum should be primed with a etching primer, then primed with a good bonding primer (it can be a two part product also), followed with a two part epoxy paint... or just use Zolatone. I am going with Zolatone myself. The interior is all bare aluminum, so I will use an etching primer, Zolatones primer, and Zolatone as the finish (Medusa Grey with bright yellow added). I did have to buy a conventional sprayer ($200.00) on E-bay for the application of the Zolatone, but figure I will sell it when I'm done with it. I believe I will include adding catalyst to the Zolatone (optional) for increased durability, since this trailer is going to be used as a concession. This will be good for forty plus years, well after I have to worry about it again. My progress can be viewed at: Member's Photos - Photo Gallery

Do you know what kind of breathing gear is required to working around around that paint spray?

[cdmagda]

Zolatone is a water base paint, that doesn't mean that a "good" charcoal type respirator with new filer cartridges isn't needed. A full face, fresh air type, wouldn't hurt either. Always protect yourself!

[submariner]

Originally Posted by ddstech

what if you have zolatone in good condition, but it has stains from, well, lets just leave it at stains. Its not flaking or peeling or bubbling, just needs a fresh topcoat. Its regular paint ok to spray? Will it adhear to the zolatone well?

i am in the same situation.. need to cover the old zolatone... any advice on what can be used.. besides zolatone?

[cdmagda]

You don't need to take it off, just sand it lightly and clean after with a degreaser/cleanser, then rinse well. You can forgo the etching primer, as you have no bare aluminum exposed. I would use a good bonding primer on top of the Zolatone myself, then a tough, high quality exterior grade paint, like deck paint. Check this guys angle on doing this: 1956 Flying Cloud - Zolatone

[cdmagda]

The etching primer is the trick to this problem, then a good grade of bonding primer on top of that, finish off with any top of the line exterior finish. Exterior paints have more binders in them, latex or oil based, much more durable.