Paint that looks like aluminum?

[tscarbroughdc]

I was talking to Frank Bear ordering some Teardrop Camper parts and he told me about some paint that looks exactly like aluminum that Sherwin Williams makes. He couldn't remember the name and I can't seem to find anything on the web.

Do any of you know what he is talking about?

Thanks

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I'm not sure about the one from Sherwin Williams.

But Rustoleum has one of their "High Performance Oil-based Enamels" that is called "Aluminum". DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH IT. It is NOT like their other extremely durable enamels. Its very thin, goes on pretty nice, and looks pretty good when dry. BUT it does not form a durable shell like the others. If you wipe it with your finger, you'll get an aluminum colored residue on your finger. Eventually that aluminum layer simply wears away and you're left with a dull gray color. Its very disappointing, especially considering how well their other colors stand up to abuse.

Just an FYI.

[kayakdlk]

I have never used it but do you mean something like this http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/ ... oduct-6770 Sherwin Williams Silver-Brite Aluminum Paint

[doug hodder]

What are you looking to paint? Just some parts or the entire trailer? For an entire trailer, I'd go with an acrylic urethane metallic silver but it's a spray type application. For a mill finish on some parts, Rustoleum has a decent rattle can spray in a light metallic. That's what I used on the new build as the existing window extrusions were really pitted and corroded. The rattle can "chrome" stuff won't hold up and will look flat really quickly and is a real bear to spray to get a good finish without a sag in it. Just my opinion FWIW. Doug

[working on it]

From the start of my build, I always planned to paint the top surfaces with a reflective aluminum paint, to diminish the sun's heating of the cabin. I was going to get a urethane coating called Aluthane,

aluthane data.pdf

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but the price was sorta high, and one trailer builder said he didn't like the results he had. The specs looked good, but I didn't want to chance a higher-priced coating with mixed results. I was also going to use a Valspar-made farm implement paint for tractors, sold at Tractor Supply Co., for the sides, and while shopping them, I spotted another Valspar-made paint...aluminum heavy duty (for silos, barns, etc.).

valspar alum hduty pt.pdf

(146.44 KiB) Downloaded 38 times

At 1/3 the price, I bought it, and eventually used it. I used a (very lint-ridden) roller, and wasn't pleased with the results. It didn't fade nor rub away in the year it sat in my garage, but I re-did the front and rear panels with a brush, with better results. I can't report on the effectiveness of the reflectivity, since it is always in the shade (in my garage at home, or under an Easy-Up at camp. But, even so, I'd use it again. Also, Tractor Supply now uses Majic-branded paints...I don't know if its the same formulation now.