Rusty trailer

What's the best way to stop rust on a painted trailer and what would be the best paint to put on it?

Re: Rusty trailer

Rust Oleum has always worked great for me. Sand down the rusty area and apply Rust Oleum primer quickly after you have bared the metal. Follow up with finish cote.

Re: Rusty trailer

Hey GD,<br /><br />Hammerite Hammerite Hammerite<br /><br />Comes in spray cans and quarts sold in many auto parts stores. Try a search engine on the web, type hammerite paint.<br /><br />At my old house there were cast iron bars on the garage window. They were custom made to size probably 75 years ago and I think they were painted once when they were installed. Well they were rusty as all heck, there wasn't a spot that wasn’t rusted. So I looked around for something easy that would stop the rust and make them look better. After all it wasn't a piece of furniture.<br /><br />I found this Hammerite at the auto parts store (I've seen it other places since). It wasn't as cheap as Krylon I think it was about 8 or 9 bucks a spray can and 15 or so a quart. (This was 15 years ago) The can claimed just knock any chipped paint, brush off the dirt and loose rust and apply one finish coat of paint. Let dry and your done. Primer and paint all at once and it had a fairly glossy finish for easy cleaning.<br /><br />It claimed it had a chemical reaction with the rust, stopping it and essentially turning it into a sort of primer and the paint had a suspended acrylic component in it that once applied would bind to one another creating a shell over the painted surface.<br /><br />My thoughts; too good to be true, it can't possibly be this easy and this good. Well I followed the instructions; 2 minutes prep time sprayed the paint on (don't miss even a small spot that’s were rust will start)<br /><br />When I moved from that house 10 years later the bars looked nearly as good as good as when I painted them just a little duller but who could complain about that.<br /><br />It worked just as claimed what a novelty in this day and age. It comes in I think 4 or 5 colors, black, white. red. green and orange. I've always kept a quart can of black around the house since. It’s still available and has not gone up in price that much; I think 16 to 19 a quart.<br /><br />In my work I purchase thousands of dollars of paint every year, PPG's Emron, Matthews Acrylic Polyurethane (MAP), Bracco Treatment and other acrylic enamels and polyurethane’s and they all run, once you have the paint, catalyst and reducers about 125.00 a gallon. So Hammerite isn't so bad. I consider Hammerite as good for what it's designed for as any commercial PPG paint and what they are designed for!<br /><br />Good luck

Re: Rusty trailer

CD<br />Depends on how good a job you want and how much you want to spend.<br /><br />If the trailer is badly rusted, take it in and get it sand-blasted for $100.00. Two part primer first, then the color you want. No paint will stand up to rock chips and gravel roads. Take it in to a Armothane (box liner spray)dealer and get the box liner spray put on the areas that are exposed to the damage.<br />Everything else is just cosmetic and won't give a permanent fix. But, maybe thats all you're after....<br /><br />good luck!<br />

Re: Rusty trailer

Thanks for the good information, guys. I think I will try the Hammerite product. Thanks Capt Ultra. It is distributed in North America by Masterchem, Inc. in Missouri. These are the same people who sell KILZ primers. I believe the product you are referring to is called Rust Cap. Now I have to call them and find a dealer.<br />CD