Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

All,
I scoured the archives and was unable to find anything specifically for the CT's. A number of posts for teardrops but nothing that answers the question for CT's. I need to paint the roof of my CT. Mine is galvanized steel and transfers a lot of heat to the inside. I would like to know from you guys (and Gals) that have painted your roofs what brand of roof paint that you used and how well is it holding up. I have looked at Cool Seal, Black Jack Ultra-Roof 1000 (available locally) and a few other brand of mobile home/rv paint. I want the most reflectivity I can get for a reasonable price. Also my roof does not leak, so leak stopping is a secondary consideration. Also, does anyone know if there is any real difference between the paints for residental roofs and the paints for RV's?

Thanks
Mitch

It's funny you ask this question, I was wondering the same thing in the last week. (HERE) is an earlier discussion I found that covers both aluminum and steel. I was going to ask but am a master of learning the hard way so last night I purchased some galvanized steel primer and white paint similar to rustoleum.

I used this paint from Lowes ? Only get 1 gallon however ( will do two 2 coats 7 x 16) , the coverage from the can is more for composition shingles....

cost about $25 for you big spenders......But really cools the place down. water wash up too !! Was installed - painted over silver metal roof.
I have 3 gallons left over if you wanna come to my house in Silicon Valley



so far so good , I'll let you know more in 9 years and 10 months...

http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/

The paint is from Tractor Supply Company and its Valspar Tractor & Implement High Gloss Enamel, Oliver Green. I used it on the interior bedding platforms and its super tough – I’ve sprayed it with water, armor all, and even sanded it – tough stuff once it’s cured. I guess it has to be to used on farm equipment. It’s an oil based paint so it’s kinda a mess to deal with as far as clean up – but it’s defiantly a bulletproof finish (Please don’t test it by firing bullets into my camper!) It takes a while to cure – but it seems to level itself out – and I applied it with a foam roller!

I used several coats of Cool Seal on the gypsy trailer with a blue paint tint in it. So far it is working well.

My brother uses that Lowes white stuff on his 5th wheel camper. He wants to help me do the roof of my van. Nature says 'do it later'. too hot

John the Vanner - now with bolted together 41 X 48 HF trailer.

Funny I was just going to post in my build thread about this.. I bought some at home Depot. It was henry brand I think the number was somthing like 275. It says right on the can that its for metal roofs and reduces cooling cost by 30%.. One gallon did two coats on my 7x24. I can speak for the duribility since I just did it a few days ago. I will tell you this though. I put a coat on that morning and left one small corner unpainted.. That after noon the difference was Amazing.. In 98F temps the part that was unpainted was to hot to touch. The painted area was just a little warm. Mine you the sun was out and it was 98. Pretty cool

I need to do the roof on my CTC as well. It has "shingles" Painted on by the previous owner.. but I'd like to know if you can have the Kool Seal tinted some brown color instead of the white or galvanized look I hear about.

@ Steve_Cox, does yours have that blue tint look that you said you used?

I wonder how long it will really last on the camper whether it's Cool Seal or that elastomeric silicone??

Wolfscout wrote:I need to do the roof on my CTC as well. It has "shingles" Painted on

That is by far the coolest looking trailer. A true cabin on wheels...

Thanks. I wish I could keep the previous owner's shingle look If I redo the roof.

Wolfscout wrote:.. but I'd like to know if you can have the Kool Seal tinted some brown color instead of the white or galvanized look I hear about.

White reflects solar heat. If you are buying the paint for that feature, then changing the color is probably not a good idea.....

I've been patronizing a RV Shop in a little Town north of Denver. Between them, the 2 Owners have >75 years in the Business.

I took their advice and waited for their next order of Heng's to come in. They also sell Kool Seal, but like Heng's better. I used the white Alkyd Fibered version to seal my TT edge seams. It viscous stuff; about like Toothpaste with obvious lil Fibers embedded. I applied it using a Putty Knife. It can be put on with a Brush or Roller [to be thrown out afterwards]. Given how thick it is, and flexible/conformal, my sense it that I'll get the 7 or 8 years out of it they said was typical.

The only trick I would have done differently would have been to use blue Painter's Tape around all the edges. Then, you could peel off the Tape and have a nice straight edge. As it was, all my work was on the Roof and invisible.

Heng's Roof Coatings

I think people are talking about two different things on here.. Are you looking for paint to just reflect the heat or are you trying to seal all the seams and joints?

The stuff I was talking about is just roof paint.. Its made just for reflecting heat. It does this because its white. If you tint it then it wouldn't work as well. If your looking to seal your roof cause of leaks then you want a kool seal kind of sealer.Kool seal or Heng's is a very thick goo thats just used on the joints. It would be a PITA to cover the entire roof with it. It also would be a pain in a few years when it needs redone..

Wolfscout wrote:Thanks. I wish I could keep the previous owner's shingle look If I redo the roof.

This might work on your terrific log trailer, it's too cool.

I painted the roof on my 6x12 with white paint. I did do what Engineer Guy mentioned and used the 2" blue tape to mask an edge along the rounded edge of the trailer...used a string line for alignment. From normal eye height you can't see the white paint, only from above. It gets perhaps 85-90% of the surface covered, nearly all of the horizontal metal. The white paint did a great job in reducing the heat gain. You can really feel the difference between the painted and unpainted. Why not paint the whole thing? Stealth for my purposes, you could keep the visible shingles.

I talked with my local Sherwin-William paint store regarding paint types. I did purchase a gallon of their oil-based primer for galvanized metal. Then top coated with a high grade acrylic emulsion.... a direct to metal paint known as DTM. They like the idea of a paint that would flex well. I cleaned the roof well with a household detergent, let it dry and them primed. Top coat followed next day. I did use some of the DTM on the underside of the roof and it actually seemed to bond well, probably could have eliminated the primer. On a second trailer that I painted at the same time, in a similar fashion, I did have adhesion issues on the manufacturer's "high tech sealant" used to cover the seams and joints at the nose cap. I probably should have abraded this area with a ScotchBrite pad. The Snap On truck in the background is my storage unit neighbor.

@Trackstriper, I like that idea.
I'm doing it for cooler inside. I need all the advantage I can get as heat is a trigger for my PTSD/Anxiety Attacks. The ac I have is good; but direct sun well... all the help I can get is useful.
The wife wanted me to jump on this trailer becasue of the previous owner's cool paint job.
It helps to keep the wife happy. Smart too.