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robwok · 12-11-2014, 12:03 PM

Don't know if anyone has done this yet, I may be the first.

I have completely intact zolatone in my 64. However, it sucks the life out of everything. It's a dull tan/putty color. Everything else is original, and even though the counters and tub and the like are original putty, I plan on leaving them that color, but the zolatone is discolored, rubbed off, or had rivets replaced in many areas.

I wanted to redo the zolatone, but didn't want to remove all my original cabinets and everything else. I also didn't want to mask them all for spraying, as sometimes the spray can get past your masking off. Lo an behold, zolatone makes a new product called Flex. You put the base coat on, and you can roll on the top coat. In corners and hard to reach places, you can dab with a foam brush. The top coat has all the fleck and colors, and my guess is that it will be much more uniform than someone trying to spray it on without years of experience.

Anyway, I believe that's the way we'll go, and I'll take lots of pics and video tape the process.

Rob

wkerfoot · 12-11-2014, 12:26 PM

Rob,

How about a link to the product?

Bill

robwok · 12-11-2014, 12:30 PM

http://zolatone.com/documents/Flex_ProductDataSheet.pdf

color cards: http://www.zonenz.net.nz/downloads/Colour%20Card.pdf

FLEX - ROLL ON
Flex rolls on like ordinary paint, but it’s far from ordinary. Flex creates a unique and natural blend of colours with unbeatable hide to conceal the imperfections in wall and feature spaces to keep them looking better for longer, with much less maintenance than ordinary paints and coatings.

Ken J · 12-12-2014, 01:17 PM

I would be very interested to see how this works out - from what I can tell finish looks very bumpy and not multi colored

Ken J

NavyCorpsman · 12-13-2014, 06:18 PM

Very Cool......

reinergirl · 12-13-2014, 07:05 PM

Rob, be sure to order some samples first. I did and it really does not look like zolatone to me. I ordered mostly cream/ tan variations. The speckle is definitely not as obvious. At arms length, it looks like normal paint, but bumpy.

There is another product called multispec from Sherwin Williams. They have better colors and although they recommend spraying, they say you can also roller it. I have not gotten samples of it yet.

robwok · 12-14-2014, 05:54 AM

I did get several samples, and we're pretty happy with the way they look compared to the original zolatone.

SuzyHomemakr · 12-18-2014, 09:29 AM

I've used the roll-on Flex Zolatone in my Airstream, and really like it! The flecks are somewhat subtle, I used FLX-0017. It's a sandy color, with brownish flecks. Wiped everything down with citrus cleaner first. Then 2 coats of Kilz II, the base and then 2 coats of top coat. The base is very high quality, texture that hides many boo-boos. They send some rollers, which work well, as long as you don't go too fast. Then you spray paint all over yourself. A chip brush is good for edging, using a stabbing technique to build the top coat up. You still want to tape off anything next to your paint.

I wound up ordering way too much, the paint goes a lot further than the manufacturer says it will. Each batch is custom mixed, so I would be careful about ordering multiple batches, they might not truly match.

So glad I didn't spray!

redthies · 03-02-2021, 09:35 AM

Call me Dr Frankenstein! I’m resurrecting this thread...

Has anyone else used the Flex version of Zolotone lately? How does it compare to the original now that it’s 7 years on? Have they made improvements to the product so it more closely resembles the original?

I’ve got a 61 and 63 on the go that would love the original finish, but I’m not interested in the spray on product.

InsideOut · 03-02-2021, 10:04 AM

There are two "basic" types of Zolatone...the consumer products & the Series 20 AIM product. The Series 20 AIM is the Automotive, Industrial, Marine product. The two products are very different - the consumer products are water based (can be rolled or sprayed) and the Series 20 is not (it must be sprayed). They look similar, but the AIM is much more durable and has slightly more sheen.

We opted for the Series 20 as it is most similar to the original Zolatone used in our 1956 Safari. We didn't need to mask much, just the floor & windows as our trailer was undergoing a full restoration and there was no cabinetry in it at the time. 12+ years later, (wow!

) it stills looks as good as new...

Spraying the Zolatone was not hard...it was actually one of the easier learning curves we experienced during our restoration.

Shari

Bubba L · 03-02-2021, 10:22 AM

We used the roll on Flex on our 66 back in 2014. We used the spray on the 55 a couple of years ago. They both have held up great. With the spray you get a more pronounced different colored tiny paintball bursts of color if sprayed correctly. With the Flex, not so much. That is the only difference I’ve noticed.

redthies · 03-02-2021, 10:49 AM

Thanks Shari. What did you use for asprayer, and under what conditions? We have both trailers gutted, so that part is easy. The hard part is (in my area) finding a sprayer with the correct size tip. The biggest I’ve found is a 1.8 which is not suitable according to Zolotone. I’m also forced to spray outdoors in a damp (Seattle) type climate. The instructions on the AIM 20 say humidity is a big deal. What type of sprayer did you use?

Thanks!

redthies · 03-02-2021, 10:50 AM

Bubba, what type of sprayer did you use?

Bubba L · 03-02-2021, 12:27 PM

We had a friend of ours spray the Zolatone. He had a HPLV spray gun. He had to order the fluid tip/needle which was recommended as .080 to .090 so the tip wouldn’t break up the little paint flecks before they hit the surface. Like Shari said, not difficult. I think it’s imperative to use the recommended pressure and tip to achieve the Zolatone look.

InsideOut · 03-02-2021, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redthies

Thanks Shari. What did you use for asprayer, and under what conditions? We have both trailers gutted, so that part is easy. The hard part is (in my area) finding a sprayer with the correct size tip. The biggest I’ve found is a 1.8 which is not suitable according to Zolotone. I’m also forced to spray outdoors in a damp (Seattle) type climate. The instructions on the AIM 20 say humidity is a big deal. What type of sprayer did you use?

Thanks!

If you check out Post #285 in my restoration thread, it lists everything we used. We were able to find the recommended tips at Harbor Freight & on eBay. We don't have the humidity issues you have in Seattle, but it was "humid" for here - there was snow on the ground. Check out the posts prior to #285 (starting @ #267 - although the links are dead) for the documentation of our effort.

Shari