Interior Paint? Volatone or Vinyl?

[ctmeisel]

I just bought a 65 Globetrotter, and it was painted w/ off white and has a wallpaper boarder. I'm removing the wallpaper, and the paint is peeling off as well. I can't tell if the original was volatone or vinyl. How can you tell? Do I need to remove all of it before repainting?

[soldiermedic]

Your original skin had zolatone paint. Vinyl coverings came later on.

Steve

[Someday'59]

Originally Posted by ctmeisel

Do I need to remove all of it before repainting?

I would. (And did.)

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by soldiermedic

Your original skin had zolatone paint. Vinyl coverings came later on.

Actually Steve, 1965 was the first year vinyl wallcoverings were introduced - 1965 was a transition year. Most of the '65s I have seen have/had Zolatone on the curved end caps and either vinyl or Zolatone on the straight panels. So it is possible they have both in their '65 GlobeTrotter.

Originally Posted by ctmeisel

I can't tell if the original was volatone or vinyl. How can you tell?

Zolatone is a speckled paint, vinyl clad aluminum is like a vinyl wallcovering. Zolatone is removed with a paint stripper - it get soft & semi-liquifiesnlike paint and vinyl will peel off in sheets, it's more plastic-like.

Originally Posted by ctmeisel

Do I need to remove all of it before repainting?

Your new paint job will only be as good as the substrate you are painting.

If the vinyl has seams or bubbling or tears, a new coat of paint will not cover it. If the Zolatone is in good shape, you don't need to strip it down to bare aluminum, but you do need to make sure it is super-CLEAN before repainting. If either Zolatone or vinyl wallcovering has been painted over with latex paint, it should be removed first.

Shari

[soldiermedic]

Our 65 tradewind had aluminum walls and fiberglass endcaps. Although it had been painted, I was told that it was all zolatone before the guy painted it.

As for substrate, my trailer was painted last week at Area 63 Productions, and he used his previous sherwin william's industrial paint as the primer. He did however rough it up with a red scotch pad before applying though.

[ctmeisel]

When I removed the wallpaper and some of the paint, it doesn't look like zolatone underneath. It's not bumpy at all. It's actually pretty smooth. I do have vinyl wrapped around the cabinet doors... Does that indicate that the walls are vinyl as well?

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by ctmeisel

When I removed the wallpaper and some of the paint, it doesn't look like zolatone underneath. It's not bumpy at all. It's actually pretty smooth.

Zolatone is not necessarily "bumpy" - just "speckled" or multi-colored.

Originally Posted by ctmeisel

I do have vinyl wrapped around the cabinet doors... Does that indicate that the walls are vinyl as well?

No. The upper cabinet doors were all vinyl covered wood in 1965.

Shari

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

If either Zolatone or vinyl wallcovering has been painted over with latex paint, it should be removed first.

Shari

Pardon my butting in, but how do you remove the latex paint without damaging the vinyl underneath? I have a '71 that the PO painted over my vinyl. We are looking at a gut and redo in October, but would like to save the interior walls and repaint them.

Thanks,

Ken

[InsideOut]

When I was trying to remove latex paint from the Zolatone on our '56 Safari I tried all kinds of different products that were on the market. While I was unsuccessful in completely salvaging our original Zolatone, I did find a product that worked GREAT on the latex paint but was not strong enough to effect the Zolatone so I'm sure it wouldn't mess vinyl wallcovering.

Motsenbocker's Lift Off Latex Based Paint Remover

Of course, try it in a small area that isn't a big deal first - but it is what I would start with. Aircraft Stripper would DEFiNATELY be too strong - Citri-Strip would be my second choice as it's pretty mild too. The key is finding something strong enough to work on the latex - but mild enough to not soak through or soften the vinyl or attack the glue bond of the vinyl to the aluminum.

Shari

[ctmeisel]

Thanks Guys! By the way, is there anyone in the Denver/Castle Rock area that works on Airstreams? Or fixes them up? I think I'm gonna need some help.