Stripped walls - "gold" panels

[O Shiny]

Good morning from Cali!

Thanks to all the help from the forums I am successfully stripping our interior walls. Yes, it's a messy big job but worth it!

Under the wallpaper there are some silver aluminum panels and some that have a bronze/gold look to them. I know I read somewhere on the forum what to do about this but now I can't find the info.

Is it possible to get this gold coating off the panels? It's not just glue residue. I'm thinking the airplane stripper might do it.

Replacement is an option, but it's a lot of aluminum on one side and I'd prefer to try to clean the panels if possible.

Thank you!

[InsideOut]

Sounds like anodizing...that's strange. I have read that oven cleaner strips anodizing...but I have no 1st hand experience, good luck!

I HAVE replaced panels...it's not tough, especially interior ones. In the long run it will be easier with better results. Are you planning on leaving them exposed raw aluminum...otherwise, painting or using Zolatone over the gold panels shouldn't be a problem. If leaving raw, I would definitely replace the panel...the number of hours it would take to strip & polish (not to mention the huge mess it would make!) would outweigh the cost of a new sheet of aluminum & time spent to rivet it in place in no time. Polishing is hard work - especially on interior panels where the mess needs to be kept under control.

Shari

[MYater]

I agree, it sounds like an anodized coating. Nothing wrong with it at all if you plan on re-covering the panels. If it is just one or two two panels they may have been replaced by a PO, and that is what they could get their hands on. Anodization is usually used as an anti corrosion treatment, and will not pose any kind of threat, as it is already applied. Do not try to sand it off however.

Hope that answered a couple of your questions.

[wahoonc]

Could be anodizing or could be wash coat. Many times aluminum (and other metal sheet goods) will have a coat on the "backside" to help protect it. I have seen some gold colored in the past.

Got a picture? Anodizing large sheets of stuff is unusual, it doesn't always work well.

Aaron

[O Shiny]

Thank you all! I will get some photos for reference. I think the best option will be replacement. We are leaving the walls 'bare' in the front 2/3 of the trailer. We're moving the bedroom to the back, where I think I will paint or use veneer for a more cozy feel. After considering it, most of the gold sheets will likely be covered by new cabinets/backsplash so it's really a non-issue. Where they might show I think new panels are the best bet, per your advice.

I'm sure they weren't replaced by a PO, I'm stripping that wonderful original vinyl wall covering.

Thanks!

[Foiled Again]

Wally had a gold anodized Airstream. It's sometimes available to see on the lot of the mother ship. Looks quite shopworn by now.

It IS possible to remove anodization - it's basically zinc alloy of some kind. I don't remember hearing about oven cleaner, but if you're planning to replace the inner skins, why not try it on a small area?

Paula

[Colin H]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Wally had a gold anodized Airstream. It's sometimes available to see on the lot of the mother ship. Looks quite shopworn by now.

It IS possible to remove anodization - it's basically zinc alloy of some kind. I don't remember hearing about oven cleaner, but if you're planning to replace the inner skins, why not try it on a small area?

Paula

It's in the front parking lot of the Service Department now, completely repainted with metallic gold auto paint. Other than the skin material, there is virtually nothing left from the original trailer. Kind of like Washington's axe......................changed the head four times & the handle six times, but it's still Washington's axe

[TGAMO]

Sounds like Alodine which is the chemical application of a protective chromate conversion coating on aluminum. It is used most commonly in aircraft. It provides good corrosion protection. It even protects when scratched.

Alodined 2024 aluminum withstands salt spray 150-600 hours before forming white corrosion. Untreated 2024 corrodes in less than 24 hours.

It provides an excellent electrically conductive surface.

This helps to provide good electrical bonding in an airframe.

Paint sticks to it extremely well. In some cases, it can substitute for primer.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by TGAMO

Sounds like Alodine which is the chemical application of a protective chromate conversion coating on aluminum. It is used most commonly in aircraft. It provides good corrosion protection. It even protects when scratched.

Alodined 2024 aluminum withstands salt spray 150-600 hours before forming white corrosion. Untreated 2024 corrodes in less than 24 hours.

It provides an excellent electrically conductive surface.

This helps to provide good electrical bonding in an airframe.

Paint sticks to it extremely well. In some cases, it can substitute for primer.

I'm keeping my brain cells alive on new stuff I learn on the forums. Thank you for helping. I'm always amazed at how diverse and informative the knowledge base of this forum is.

OTOH, some solutions are actually searching for a problem. I sometimes have a tendency to over think things. I remember the thread where there were numerous posts of clever ways to stop toilet paper from unrolling itself while the trailer was underway. There were several systems that protected the roll from cats proposed as good solutions.... then one member said, "why don't you just squash the roll between your hands so that the core is an elongated oval, and squash it back to close to round once you arrive? D'oh moments abound.

I've noticed that I've gotten a lot older in the 10 years or so I've been on this forum, but the good news is that I'm getting more SMILE lines than frown lines.... good friends, good entertainment, good trailer = good life.

Paula

[TGAMO]

That's what were here fer!

[O Shiny]

Hi again-Two cans of stripper down, one to go! Found more of the 'gold' aluminum but will either cover or replace it per your suggestions.

So here's a new question: I see references to 'polishing' the interior aluminum skin. I don't want a mirror fun house. I want that nice soft CCD look of the new International trailers, and some of my interior panels already look like that fresh from wallpaper removal. Do I need to seal them with something or just clean them and be done?

Thanks so much!

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by O Shiny

So here's a new question: I see references to 'polishing' the interior aluminum skin. I don't want a mirror fun house. I want that nice soft CCD look of the new International trailers, and some of my interior panels already look like that fresh from wallpaper removal. Do I need to seal them with something or just clean them and be done?

Polishing the interior will defiantely give you the "fun house mirror" look on the interior. The CCD trailers have a plasticoat/clearcoat finish on them- the panels are prefinished from the aluminum supplier. Stipped panels will not have that finish. The raw aluminum will oxide, mar and stain as well as leave black rub marks from abrasion just like the exterior of a stripped trailer. The panels will not stay looking as they do when freshly stripped for long.

Shari

[digidad]

(This is O Shiny's Hubby...)

If we wanted to replace the panels, what would we order, and from where would we order them? They seem thinner than the exterior skin, which I think is 0.040 on the '72, right?