Paint Your Wagon - with a roller!

[CovKid]

If he got it completely flat to start with and got the mix right with a light flat between coats, tis possible to do it with just two coats (three ideal). Mine came out very good this year (year three) but I spent even longer with wet sander this time. Said this many times, I'd never spray again.

After three years even a spray job won't look like it did the day it was done and much harder to patch then. Like he did, I just mask off a panel at a time if need be. Start on a sunday morning on a sunny day and its dry by the afternoon, all ready to go. A final polish is all it needs if its been applied right.

[rattybird]

what happens to the bobbles ? do you flat it back with 600 ?

[rattybird]

here is the first coat it needs flatting back though

[CovKid]

Don't have the paint too thick and don't put too much on and you won't need so much flatting back. Also, remember its not a race. Take your time.

[eatcustard]

Looking Good
Will pop over to help you

[martin t25]

ime starting rubbing old paint off today can i use some sort of paint stripper to speedup the process?

[chuckle-bus-tom]

ime starting rubbing old paint off today can i use some sort of paint stripper to speedup the process?

I wouldn't trouble yourself with chemically stripping the paint off Martin. The old paint is good for the metal work, so all your looking for is a even surface to paint over with light sanding to rough it up and give the rustoleum something to bond to. Even if your painting a dark van a lighter colour I highly recommend allowing for an extra coat of rustoleum.

Like decorating a house: 70% preparation, 25% painting, 5% tidyup.

[chuckle-bus-tom]

Looks great Rattybird!

[chuckle-bus-tom]

what happens to the bobbles ? do you flat it back with 600 ?

P. S. Remember the trick with doing a final roller over a minute or so after the paints on (maybe less if the sun is warm!) with just the weight of the roller in the tip of your fingers. The bubbles should dissapear. Anyleft will flat out very easily with 600, but don't be disheartend if you go back down through the rustoleum in a few places on the first flatback.

[CovKid]

I definately recommend a flat sander (used wet - soapy mix) to get even surface. If you've skipped the prep it will always show. Bubbles won't be any prob providing you don't simply dip it in paint and go. Spend time soaking roller and squeezing out bubbles, soaking,squeezing etc. Time spent on that saves hassle on van.

To be fair, Rattybird had a real challenge on her hands from the word go due to previous paint, so I'd say it looks pretty good all things considered. I'd leave it 4 weeks, wet sand then go again. You should see finish evening up and your technique improving. Just remember, in this heat your working time won't be more than 2 mins or so. This might help you a bit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3UCEbGZmz0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Cruz]

Off to Rome on Wednesday for a mini-break as soon as I return the hard work starts on prepping the van for it's 2nd coat (as I was too lazy to do it last September). Hopefully by the end of the month I should have finished it and the summer will harden it up nicely ready for coat 3 in september when the sun has lost it's ooomph.

[rattybird]

Looking Good
Will pop over to help you

have you got a mop i can borrow please ? ps i hae lost your home number lol

[martin t25]

2 days rubbing and preping only done half the van my arms are killing me

[rattybird]

2 days rubbing and preping only done half the van my arms are killing me

is the flatting down ? you find the second coat goes on so much better than the first painted the first coat on the roof today looks good and deffinatly will need a second coat ! , will flat it back again tommorow then the final coat

[eatcustard]

is the flatting down ? you find the second coat goes on so much better than the first painted the first coat on the roof today looks good and deffinatly will need a second coat ! , will flat it back again tommorow then the final coat

Give it time to dry you need 7 days, otherwise it will look carp



and I dont have a Mop