Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

Okay, I am fixing up my old trailer and doing it on the cheap side. I have been sanding and priming with rustoleum and it is begining to look better. I'm not sure if I should go with rustoleum or van sickel tractor paint. I do not need marine paint or epoxy paint, because like I said, cheap. I want a paint that won't chip easily. I was thinking about using permatex undercoat on the axle because I have some and think it will work best there. I really like Krylon paint because it dries so fast but sometimes I can't get it to gloss because of that. I usually like to use same brand paint and primer becuase once my color coat wrinkled when mixing brands. Any thoughts or experiences with these brands would be appreciated as usual. Thanks, ron

After thinking a little more about it, the rustoleum has a larger easier to use button than the tractor paint and my old fingers and hands like that better. again input from others would be great!

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

You might be more effective painting it with a can of rustoleum and a foam roller instead of a spray.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

I have used both Krylon and Rustoleum. They both have worked fine for me but I can get a better shine with the Rustoleum.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

Like tpenfield said a foam roller with a can of Rustoleum paint would possibly work the best, but if you have trouble with your hands go with the spray.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

Okay, so I think what I understand is that the roller will put more paint on and leave a nice finish. and the rustoleum will look good with a roller app.?

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

I used this http://www.ebay.com/itm/QUART-Black-Enamel-Rustoleum-7779-504-/350253921684 and a foam roller. Took 2 quarts and came out great. Very nice shine.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

I've done 2 trailers in the past few years. One was and older trailer made from C channel and the other was box tube. On the C channel I used a brush and on the box tube I used a 4" sponge roller. I would give the edge to the roller for a finished look. Both were done with the same Rustolium paint.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

The key to a trailer, imho, is prep work. As long as you make sure you've knocked down all the bad, odds are whatever you use will look pretty good. Plus....it's a trailer. If it's not rusting as you watch, is functional, safe and fits the boat, anything else is a bonus.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

If you owned an air compressor and a detail spray gun would you still use the foam roller?

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

I do own a compressor and a detail spray gun. but the clean up time and the mess I make are more work than just throwing away the old roller. Guess I am getting lazy, or maybe just wanting to be done with the paint so I can recover the bunks. The object of this project was to just put some new carpet on them. The fun I'm having with this has turned into work, b##ch and moan.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

Every project I have started since I turned 60 has been one with a capital B.

For sure this thread answered a nagging question of how I am going to paint the bottom of the trailer rails. Laying on the ground and spraying paint over my head was not something I even wanted to consider.

Re: Painting old boat trailer with rattle can paint?

emoney said:

The key to a trailer, imho, is prep work. As long as you make sure you've knocked down all the bad, odds are whatever you use will look pretty good.

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AMEN on the importance of the prep work .... for me maintenance on a painted trailer was a never ending process .... for that reason I switched to much less attractive galvanized trailers .... hopefully, yours will last many years and serve you well

Jim