Exterior Paint Recommendations

[gbooth]

Painted my 89 Pace used paint from Tractor supply came out Great

[boogie_man]

Painted my 89 Pace used paint from Tractor supply came out Great

That does look great !!!  Good job 

[JerryP]

Rustoleum Hammered finish.
I used a brush, and roller.

Body work, and prep is not so important.
I bought a sprayer recently just for the hammered finish paint on some products I make, but have not had a chance to use it.

[dezertgurl]

Both the Pace and the Chieftain look great!

Seems to me there's no one "correct" method and product. It all comes down to how much time and money you can afford to invest, and what look you're after. I've never been able to afford a professional repaint job so I've shot a few cars and trucks by the "Shade Tree Method" using basic automotive enamel from NAPA. Results were about what I expected: dust sticking to paint, orangepeel, skips and sags, but overall they looked better After than Before.  I also did one very rushed, low buck project with a generic Rustoleum-type paint which lasted a surprising 10 years before succumbing to lack of surface prep!  The one I was happiest with, oddly enough, was brick-red flat Rustoleum applied with a long-nap roller after a light scuff sanding. The roller left a nubbly texture so dings and dents didn't show as bad, and I applied wax after the paint cured. End result, a textured satin finish with pretty good staying power! 6 years old and still lookin' good!

Having seen that, I wouldn't hesitate to use a roller and a flat or satin paint on my Winnie. I'm seeing more and more custom cars and trucks with good quality flat-finish paint jobs. So why not RVs?  I know flat doesn't deflect UV damage as well as gloss paint but if I have to choose between messing up a gloss paint job and getting a decent result on a flat paint job I know which one I will go for!

[JerryP]

Got a chance to use the ceiling texture sprayer today with a couple quarts of brown hammered metal finish... good results.. no thinning of the paint required

[1990HR]

Before we started.





Took us all summer to remove the decals, sand, primer and paint. Also fix some exterior issues.



We used PPG epoxy primer and PPG acrylic enamel single stage paint. Total cost for primer and paint was around $2500-$3000 but there is 3 coats each of primer and paint. I sprayed it with a Devilbiss paint gun which was just under $250. The painting is easy, it's all the prep work getting there.

[Rickf1985]

EASY!!??? I painted one of these WAYYYYY back when I was an automotive painter and I did not find it easy. Just to get even coverage I had two helpers that did nothing but constantly run with two step ladders and a scaffold board so I could keep the paint flowing evenly top to bottom. I don't know what was worse, an RV or a 40 foot speed boat. Either way I can't picture doing it outside and by myself!

By the way, That is an excellent looking rig!

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

Sent: 4/17/2004

I would agree with Sea Hag's posting. If you want a cheaper costing paint, go to Menards and get Rust-o-leum gallon paint. Apply with a sponge roller with cornered edges. No lines will show. It comes in high gloss and goes on and covers nicely. This of course is the poor man's version of automotive paint.

I plan on doing the sponge roller techniques  on my rv . .eh at exactly do you mean a sponge roller with cornered edges ? I think the rollers I got have tapered edges ..is there different  types of foam rollers?

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

checking to see if anyone has ever used this stuff before ..I found this at home depot the other day and I was wondering if anyone has used it ..it says it eliminates brush and roller marks ..I plan on using the roller method for my rv ..I have the rustoleum professional ..I saw this stuff and wondered if it would help any ..id also like some helpful info for roller painting fiberglass ..i plan on scrubbing the fiberglass down really good with a 3m scotch brite pad ..they sand and clean the surface really well ..do yall think i need to prime it before i roller paint it or would the surface srubbing prep be good enough..i also have some rips in the fiberglass where they sideswiped something that i need to fix before i paint ..i have the taped now with the clear gorilla tape to keep water from getting in them .do yall think fiberglass would be the best fix for those ..and also back to the photo ..curious if anyone has used this stuff

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

Yall are not being very helpful on this post  Hm? ..i need input...knowledge ...data ... yall are always so helpful  ..i need to know which way to go i?? ....im  fixing to paint ....lol

[1990HR]

Yall are not being very helpful on this post  Hm? ..i need input...knowledge ...data ... yall are always so helpful  ..i need to know which way to go i?? ....im  fixing to paint ....lol

I'm sorry but applying paint with a roller is for house walls. I just can't imagine painting a car, boat, motorcycle or even a big wheel with a roller.
To answer your question on prep, all you have to do is make it dull and using a scotchbrite pad will work fine. Just make sure there is no shiny spots.
Use a primer before painting also. I used an epoxy primer because it has a good bond but you can't roll that on, it has to be sprayed. I don't know what type of good primer can be rolled on for a vehicle.
Good luck.

[Rickf1985]

There are paints that can be rolled on and look fantastic, Awlgrip is one of them. You are going to PAY for that performance. It is a marine paint and anything marine is expensive. It will last a long time since it is designed for the marine environment though. You are not generally going to get a smooth finish from household paints. The paint has to remain fluid long enough for it to flow out to a smooth finish and that is not going to happen with latex paints. And in the summer you are going to have a nice bug infested finish on the paint too.

[Froggy1936]

Look in the projects section There are a few paint jobs , Incl my rattle can job , Materials were less than $500.00 Frank

[Oz]

True, you won't get a perfectly smooth finish using a roller.  However, I did mine with a roller, and although the finish wasn't perfectly smooth, it looked fantastic and it was a lot less expensive than using spray-on automotive or marine paint.  Especially marine paint!  Roll on paint can be used for whatever you want to use it for, not just wood, paneling, or other "traditional" materials.  Thinking outside the box provides a whole new world of possibilities to those willing to do so!

The choice is dependent on what your desired results are versus what extent and expense you are willing to go to accomplish it.

Automotive paint would be the best, but expensive, of course, and you need the spray equipment for it.  Marine paint, IMO, is extremely expensive and won't last longer than automotive paint.  Roll on paints are least expensive and durable, but you will need to take a little time and carefully use thinner to achieve the best smooth finish you can attain without runs.  I haven't used that product you asked about but it, as well as other products, are made for just this purpose.  The key is getting the mix right.  When you do, you should have a very acceptable finish.

Roll on final results.  2nd photo is close up where you can see the imperfectly smooth finish (to some extent). It would have turned out even better by slightly thinning the paint.

It's always a good idea to use primer before painting.


Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I also painted my boats with roll-on.

And thinking more on this, you may be able to use roll-on paints with one of those airless spray guns which is what they were designed for.  I haven't ever used one, so maybe members who have could give advice on that.


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[Rickf1985]

I have used the airless paint guns but I don't know if I would try to paint a RV with one. They put out a LOT of paint and they do it very FAST!!!! I used it mainly for painting lines on roads but when equipment needed painting that was what I used. The difference being is that it was all one color, totally, one color. The finish was not bad but there were runs. I guess with the proper tips and practice it would work, house painters use them all the time inside and out.
Painting is an art, and there are many different types of painting. I used to do custom painting on cars back in the 70's. Those jobs cost a couple thousand dollars back then, the same job today would be 15,000 dollars. And yet I can't paint a wall and make it look good to save my butt! N:( i??

[tmsnyder]

I've painted steel cabinets with Rustoleum and a foam roller, that stuff  takes so long to set up that it smooths out pretty nice and looks decent in the end.   But I wouldn't put that on an RV, I'd use automotive paint.  And if I didn't own the equipment I'd borrow a spray gun and compressor and blow it on way before trying to roll on that much paint.  There's so much more work that goes into prep that it's not even worth it to try to cut corners on laying on the paint.  It's like 90% prep work, 10% actual painting, for me anyway. 

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

My hubby actually  painted an older model Shasta travel trailer with rustoleum  paint . .he sprayed it on and had to thin the paint ..it actually  worked very well ..I could spray this one but I want to keep my original  decal on the winnabago  warrior and it is pretty  big ..I just think the roller method would work good ..just not sure about it sticking to the fiberglass . .but I do plan on doing alot of scrubadubdubbing....I have a broke piece from around the bumberthat I may try it on the back side ..I haven't made up my mind to try it yet completely ..there is a guy on u tube that painted his trailer fiberglass  doors with the rustoleum  paint  and he said it held up well he used the roller method ..I got the rustoleum  professional ..the back of my trailer is aluminum  metal and the sides and front are fiberglass

[Rickf1985]

You know you can still get those decals new from Winnebago.

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I didn't know I can get the decals from winnabago  , ,you can get the mountain  scene that is on the side of my rv and the pink and purple stripe ? I will have to check that out ..do I just call winnebago  and ask them ? That would be cool

[Rickf1985]

Ask and ye shall receive.

http://www.winnebagoparts.com/order-contact/catalog-documentation/

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

Thanks again and again rick I will call them and check it out

[Winnebago Warrior 94]

I'm painting my aluminum horse trailer with the rustoleum professional gloss white,paint and the sponge roller method mixed with the 100 percent minerals spirits and I cant brag on the finish enough ..like wow ..no roller marks on looks brand new ..I even checked out a,section on my Winnebago and it been on there for 4 weeks ..I've scratch tested it and so far so good ..hanging in there like a champ ..didnt even scratch off ..and looks like a smooth flawless finish ..my problem is finding a day to get,it,done,on ..cold weather and rain and etc won't let me finish ..lol I will keep y'all posted ..my horse trailer is a very smooth finish that would defiantly show up roller marks ..I'm really impressed ..my husband is fixing up a 1990 bronco and he,wants me,do do the rustoleum roller method on it ..he's hard to please ..ill keep y'all posted on progress..wouldn't believe it if I hadn't tried it

[TerryH]

Different topic, but I used Tremco rust paint with a 3" roller on my shower stall with the same results. Two years later and you can't tell it has been painted.