Paint Your Wagon - with a roller!

[CovKid]

It really depends on how good a job you do in the first place but if you're looking for a smoother finish you'll generally need to flat back. Its sometimes possible to get a couple of coats on within a day or so of each other (while paint is still marginally soft) but ambient temperature plus your ability with the roller will be the deciding factor in terms of if, and how much you'll need to flat. Just don't pile it on or you'll pay for it dearly.

I do emphasise this a lot but get some practice in on some scrap formica, an old washing machine, or something smooth so you get a proper feel for how to roller and do it without lines or spending too long on one area. Practice really does help as everyone in this thread will vouch for. Get that right and you'll give yourself much less flatting to do.

[Dazco]

Painted my dashboard last week. Followed all the tips and instruction and got a fantastic finnish with just one coat. Just waiting to tackle the van body now when it stops raining

[tobbibaum]

Hi all,

is it possible to thin the paint with Acetone?

[CovKid]

Why would you want to do that?

[tobbibaum]

Just because I have one liter acetone left and in a US-Tutorial they told to use acetone as thinner for Combicolor.
I just want to be sure!

There are a few other questions I would like to ask.

After sanding, the old paint-dust remains on the surface, how do I get rid of it?

When I read the whole (or most) of the thread someone said that he would recommend to stir paint and thinner the evening before. How do I store it? Is it enough to put it into a big measuring cup and close it with foil?

Thanks for your support guys!

[CovKid]

Ask Rustoleum. If it could be used, it would evaporate much faster than white spirit and might be a way to speed up drying if spraying. With rollering the paint needs enough time to level out. Can't advise here at all. Ask Rustoleum. In the US they refer to mineral thinners which is white spirit in the UK.

Just because I have one liter acetone left and in a US-Tutorial they told to use acetone as thinner for Combicolor.
I just want to be sure!

Wash it. You do have the DVD right??

After sanding, the old paint-dust remains on the surface, how do I get rid of it?

Any airtight tupperware-style container - £1 shops are full of them...

When I read the whole (or most) of the thread someone said that he would recommend to stir paint and thinner the evening before. How do I store it? Is it enough to put it into a big measuring cup and close it with foil?

Do get the video, most of these kind of questions are covered Tobbibaum. Its not in German but you can see someone painting a T25 which helps. Get the paint via Rustoleum Direct (you need to call them to get an 80/90 roller discount) - http://www.rustoleumdirect.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for the UK, Painshop.ie in Ireland, although in the rest of Europe you may need to shop around locally. Rustoleum now show a teaser for the DVD on their site at: http://www.rustoleum.co.uk/products/metal-paint" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tobbibaum]

I will!
Thank you

[Trunkster]

Going to give my camper a polish at the weekend if it stays dry. I bought myself the orbital polisher from Halfords, the same as you use on your DVD. I have bought the polishing bonnets also.A pack plus a spare for each application! Do you apply the cutting compounds with the lambs wool and polish with the flannel or other way around? Looking on you tube they apply the compounds dry! I thought you had to keep it wet? How do they get a good result by using sponge heads??

[Bert1985]

Can someone please help me convince my husband that we should be doing this - money is tight and it is an ideal solution to get our van looking pretty(?) He is so sceptical - he wants to spray it himself - however he has no compressor and nowhere to do it!!!! the weeks are ticking by and it would be ideal as he could do it in stages around work!!! He is worried about getting aa good coverage in nooks and crannies - Arghhhhh pulling my hair out

[CovKid]

I'll wager if you go to Vanfest you'll find loads of rollered vans. I keep bumping into them at various VW events and I'm usually greeted with "So YOU'RE Covkid! Hey, come and look at my van". Well look at it this way, even if you made a right dogs dinner of rollering it, it'll keep the corrosion at bay and keep it looking pretty until he buys a compressor....

Order the DVD and make him watch it!!!

[nevill3]

Can someone please help me convince my husband that we should be doing this - money is tight and it is an ideal solution to get our van looking pretty(?) He is so sceptical - he wants to spray it himself - however he has no compressor and nowhere to do it!!!! the weeks are ticking by and it would be ideal as he could do it in stages around work!!! He is worried about getting aa good coverage in nooks and crannies - Arghhhhh pulling my hair out

I tidied my van up last year just as a stopgap until I can afford a full stripdown, panel replacing respray and the difference it makes is unbelievable.Add an extra £20 for some matt black paint for the bumpers, grills and back vents made a slightly rough looking van look pristine, even if it only lasts a year or two it was well worth it so go on do the quick fix you will be pleasantly surprised at what a difference it makes and save up for a spray job later (But you probably won't bother once you have done it yourself and then some numpty comes along and pushes a shopping trolley along your lovely paint job the week after you have done it!! With the rollering method, no problem just do that bit again sorted!

[meggles]

All of the vans I've rollered have had a bit of a flat and polish to finish off. They have looked great even without the final polish. We are talking about quite old vans here. What Covkid has done is show us how to get a job which is in varying degrees of good. The more work you put in, the better the result. With just the minimum you will improve your van ayaway. Going the whole hog you will get a great result. I don't see there is any question about this. Either pay a lot for a pro spray job or pay a little and get your hands dirty.

[Bert1985]

So this morning I have woken to the words I have been waiting for for months............. WE WILL RUSTOLEUM THE VAN!!!! Finally - I have put my point across, it is a 26 year old van it will never look perfect!!! And with 3 children we don't want to worry if they lean their bikes on it or a stray football knocks it - I want to relax and enjoy the van!!! Will order DVD and paint next week - meanwhile Martin is outside putting black rustoleum in the footwells as a practice!!!! Thank you all I have got my way yet again HA HA HA

[meggles]

Thank you all I have got my way yet again HA HA HA

You bad, bad girl!!

[Bert1985]

Thank you all I have got my way yet again HA HA HA

You bad, bad girl!!