Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Coming up on the next critical phase of my weekender, i.e. painting the exterior. I've seen the gamut of paint systems on the Forum and lots of horror stories associated with some of them, so I want to do it right the first time. My exterior is 1/4" plywood on top and ends with 3/4" plywood on the sides. I'm sealing with CPES, filling with Fill-it epoxy filler, and running a fiberglass tape mat in epoxy along all joints. Any suggestions/hints/comments will be greatly appreciated.

I am in the same boat as you and have CPES and fiberglassed the edges. I need to smooth out the fiberglass and then paint. Zach uses Rustoleum paint for his trailer and Some have used Valspar. I am leaning toward teh Rustoleum.

"Its Rustoleum High Performance Protective Enamel. You can get it any home improvement place. I've used 1-1/2 quarts of the blue, about 1/2 quart of white, and a quart of the silver. All of this was put on a base coat of Kilz Premium Primer."

http://www.ruralking.com/i-h-red-equip-enamel-spray-paint.html

I have had excellent results with good ol tractor enamel ! No color fade no adhesion problems its available in quarts gallons and matching aerosol for those hard to get places.

I am using Interlux Brightsides one-part polyurethane on my tear. We have been using this paint for years on our fiberglass boats with fabulous results. Since my tear is going to be completely skinned with fiberglass, I figured why not use what I know works.

I'm using Valspar Tractor and Farm Implement paint, oil based primer and the enamel paint is International Harvester Red and will do a trim color in gloss black. Starleen2 used it on the"Green Lantern" build that he sold to Miriam. It dry very hard and is a tough finish. I'm posting pics tonight of it with first coat of color on it. You can get it at any TSC store.

Cliff

I used Rustoleum on my weekender, but mine is also skined with glass cloth and epoxy. You can't beat the price and ease of use plus later if you go back and give it a little ruff up with the sander you can recoat it again anytime.Larry

Larry,
Which line of Rustoleum did you use? I was looking at their marine topside paint systems while browsing my local Lowes. The cans said you need to spar varnish, then primer, then paint, and it was about $12/qt for each can covering 100-150sqft, so expensive and only in a few colors, but if it can survive on a boat...

Hey Kharn, I used the Rust-oleum "High performance protective enamel" right off the shelf. No Marine anything as that name usually adds $10 to anything you buy. I glassed and expoxied the shell then sanded to ruff it up and primed with Rust-oleums' "Clean White metal primer", its right on the shelf next to the top coat. I painted mine with Almond #V7570 because I didn't want a bright white. Easy to repair when you get a hicky just a little sand paper and paint. Just remember when you put the primer on to sand it first to get the blush off from the epoxy. Larry

PS the spar varnish that they are talking about is to seal the wood before you paint it. I didn't need that because I glassed the outside. I would use the Clean white metal primer though before top coating it. Larry

Novice Question.

Ok I took my trailer out on her first trip and will hopefully get her home next weekend. (TV issue)

I need to do some paint touch ups and adding some details. my trailer is dirty so what do you use to clean your trailer. insides are telling me not to do it like a car. but more relaxed and gentle or am i wrong?