Sealing and Painting Questions????

[stu_stumble]

Hello all. I am almost to the stage of finishing the outside of my trailer and I have some questions for you pros.

This will be my first build.

I am basically just building a copycat of the Runaway campers. If your not familiar with them, they basically look like the picture of the little camper on all those little blue signs that show you in towns where to go to camp. I like the design and simplicity of build. It basically is just 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together. I know that it doesn't have a galley but I'm ok with that as I'm just building a little 4x8 model and I want all the interior space I can get. So, anyhow, I just had some questions for you all. I really appreciate any help.

1. Can I just use "The MIX" to cover the entire outside of the trailer and then paint? - I was thinking of saturating in "The Mix", then using Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer (multiple coats) and then multiple coats of a premium latex house paint. - I live in Nebraska and our weather is crazy here. Trailer will live outside but will always have a cover on it.

2. Can I just use "The Mix" or is CPES better?

3. Do I need to seal edges with fiberglass and epoxy before painting or will just saturating with "The Mix" or CPES be sufficant?

4. Does anyone have pictures of their camper that they used paint on as the final finish?

Thanks for any help.

[John61CT]

I'm looking at a moisture-cured polyurethane aluminum filled paint called Aluthane.

From a private-label coatings chemist, Paul Oman, MS, MBA -- NACE (National Assoc. of Corrosion Engineers), SSPC (Soc. of Protective Coatings) aka "Professor Epoxy"

real character but super customer-service oriented, 603-435-7199

his company called Epoxy Products.

A excellent primer, very adhesive to almost any surface, will completely encapsulate the wood like an epoxy primer

and can also be a very tough top-coat if you like the color, over a rough surface comes up shiny.

Used on industrial vehicles and restorers, water tanks, train cars, engines, bridges, boats etc. Specifically also wooden decks and floors, pilings & piers, underwater no problem.

https://www.epoxyproducts.com/dataaluthane.pdf

https://www.epoxyproducts.com/aluthane.html

[stu_stumble]

Thank for the link. I'll have to check into that stuff. I really appreciate it.

[pcovell74]

I'm looking at a moisture-cured polyurethane aluminum filled paint called Aluthane.

From a private-label coatings chemist, Paul Oman, MS, MBA -- NACE (National Assoc. of Corrosion Engineers), SSPC (Soc. of Protective Coatings) aka "Professor Epoxy"

real character but super customer-service oriented, 603-435-7199

his company called Epoxy Products.

A excellent primer, very adhesive to almost any surface, will completely encapsulate the wood like an epoxy primer

and can also be a very tough top-coat if you like the color, over a rough surface comes up shiny.

Used on industrial vehicles and restorers, water tanks, train cars, engines, bridges, boats etc. Specifically also wooden decks and floors, pilings & piers, underwater no problem.

https://www.epoxyproducts.com/dataaluthane.pdf

https://www.epoxyproducts.com/aluthane.html

Ouch! $100 a gallon, a little pricy for me.

Have you used it yet on a teardrop? If so, do you have pictures.

[John61CT]

No, and I would of course test first. If I do anything I will post here.

[tony.latham]

On this fresh build, I fiberglassed to seal the wood. Perhaps it's overkill but's a close to waterproof as you can get. With my aluminum-clad 'drops, I've sealed the wood with epoxy and no glass.

...multiple coats of a premium latex house paint. - I live in Nebraska and our weather is crazy here.

That got my attention. I had a house that I painted with premium latex about every five years**. Use a good oil-based enamel. Take a look at the marine paints.

That's my two-bits.

Tony

** and I didn't tow the house at 65 in a driving rains storm. And it had asphalt shingles to kee most of the weather off it.

[working on it]

...
1. Can I just use "The MIX" to cover the entire outside of the trailer and then paint? ....

I'm looking at a moisture-cured polyurethane aluminum filled paint called Aluthane....

... Use a good oil-based enamel....

* I looked at using Aluthane, in an older thread, started 1/27/12 http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=48466, but after some discussion, and not wanting to experiment using $100 per gallon Aluthane, I switched to using oil-based enamels over the "mix" and pure polyurethane base coats.

* Starting with 25% poly to 75% paint thinner, then progressing to pure polyurethane, the "mix" formed such a good base for my Tractor Supply-sourced tractor enamel (MF grey), and silo paints (aluminum), that I have been happy with the results for 7 years since I painted the trailer. I did all the poly/mix base coat work in 110 degree temperatures/direct sunlight in one afternoon, and followed that a week later, with the topcoats (2-3 coats, as soon as they flashed-over), under similar circumstances (the poly base coats dried in a 80-100 degree sealed shed for a week, to fully cure, first).

* Other than touching up a couple of abraded spots (from incidental contact in a crowded garage), and re-doing the hatch & front slope with more aluminum a year later (didn't like the brush marks/loose fibers, from the lousy brush I had used), the poly & paint has withstood years of use with better results than I had expected. I fully anticipated having to re-coat the exterior by now (with Durabak or Monstaliner), but I think the Tractor Supply paints will outlast me, instead.

* I did a rushed imitation of the poly/paint method I used for the trailer, when I made plywood bed covers for my pickup, earlier this year http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71791. I used cheaper, lower quality wood, only used half the coats of "mix", polyurethane, and aluminum paint (Rustoleum this time), but the results were pretty good, anyhow. At least over this hot summer, so far. But, in my opinion, using oil-based enamels over the "mix" and pure polyurethane base coats, is an excellent way to make plywood withstand the weather, at least in my neck of the woods.

* Note, about exposure to the elements: the trailer is in a covered garage bay 90%+ of the time, though the temperatures still range from 10F -110+F in there; the plywood bed covers are exposed to everything, being outside, in direct sun and rain, with exposure to wind-blown detritus (includes hail, oak tree debris-pollen, leaves. acorns, twigs, branches, sap).

[EZ]

I have used a mixture of epoxy/acetone for my camper and a small plywood boat build, about 50-50. Then painted with latex primer and latex house paint. The boat, built from $8 luaun is still looking good 17 years later after living outside (Minnesota) and getting a new coat of paint every 5 years years or so. The camper was sold. I will again follow the boatbuilders' recommendations for painting with latex paint on my current build. You can learn a lot about finishing wood with epoxy and latex paint from searching the web on homebuilt boats.

I tried to find out on this forum about using latex paint over The Mix but no one seems to recommend that. I can see why since paint thinner is pretroleum based. I will continue to use an epoxy/acetone mix. It works well and cures overnight.

This is not the most clear picture. I wasn't trying that hard for an amazing finish on my first camper. This time I will use a better color.......

[tony.latham]

I don't think applying latex over the mix is any different than using latex over oil-based paint. Not recommended.



T

[Tomterrific]

Every time I have used latex paint over wood that is exposed to rain, the wood rotted under the paint. The latex seems to become a loose sheet that holds water in the wood. I believe anything can be used if the camper lives in a garage but outside? My deck uses penetrating oil stain, my neighbor and friend used latex paint. Theirs rotted, mine is still going strong after 28 years of Ohio weather.

Tt