Can I use this paint?

[Eric_theferret]

Hello! After talking with the guys at Home Depot and matching my color up perfectly, I bought a gallon of this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-PRE...0001/308703419

After reading up on this thread, it seems like everyone is using rust oleum. Will this paint still work alright?

The bus is sanded already. I may do an oil based primer and then spray my BEHR paint on after its been thinned down. Thanks!

[fo4imtippin]

I am a huge fan of Behr's paints. I use their alkayd enamals for interior or exterior of my house. I would use the paint you have on metal, but I wouldnt use it on my bus. I would use oil based only. Having used both, oil based adheres and protects so much better!

[cadillackid]

im not a water based fan for exterior.. oil is a PITA to work with but in my opinion after it has time to cure its a good solid durable finish.. i wouldnt paint in winter unless you are in an area that stays above 50 24 hours a day.. im guessing SoCal does..

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by Eric_theferret

Hello! After talking with the guys at Home Depot and matching my color up perfectly, I bought a gallon of this
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-PRE...0001/308703419

After reading up on this thread, it seems like everyone is using rust oleum. Will this paint still work alright?

The bus is sanded already. I may do an oil based primer and then spray my BEHR paint on after its been thinned down. Thanks!

Pros: Looks like this paint will hold well to an exterior metal surface. Best practice is a good primer underneath.

Cons: It will not be as durable as an enamel paint, and if you use a strong pigment it will chalk and fade more quickly than enamel.

For the money, I would use enamel.

Note that all paint requires SIGNIFICANTLY more time to cure in the winter/cold/damper times. 6-8 weeks or more before you can work near it without damaging it. Consider applying primer only, then paint it when the weather is warm and dry.

[TheHubbardBus]

Are you applying directly to metal, or is the majority / all of your prepped surface still the factory paint / primer?

In the former case, be aware that many direct-to-metal paint & primers have caveats in regards to galvanized steel, either being completely unacceptable for it, or requiring specific prep steps not required of any other metals. Read the instructions thoroughly. If your paint has an associated product data sheet, read it as well from beginning to end.

If you have a mix of old paint/primer and bare metal, a bare-metal compatible primer, suggested for use with your topcoat of choice, is generally a good way to go (again, paying attention to its compatability with galvanized steel if that describes your substrate). Probably a good idea to do a small test patch of the primer to make sure it's compatible with your old paint before you go hog wild.

FYI - If your factory paint is in good shape, prepping all the way down to bare metal is not only alot of work, but likely unwise. Nothing you do is going to match the bare-metal adhesion of the factory stuff. You'll have a much better chance of getting your paint to stick to (prepped) factory paint than getting your paint to stick to bare metal.

[Iceni John]

Last year I bought six gallons of Rustoleum for my bus that I'll be repainting sometime this spring, after the nights get warmer and the air gets dryer. I would not recommend any water-based house paint. There's good reason that DIY-on-the-cheap vehicle paint jobs use oil-based enamels like Rustoleum. However, I was told by several paint stores' staff here that CA has effectively banned all such paints effective Jan.1 this year due to CARB requirements. So saying, one can still buy them: where there's a will there's usually a way...

Where are you in SoCal?

John

[sportyrick]

Used the DTM on inside and still looks good after 16 years. Had trouble with roller marks on inside roof and on fourth try found a texture roller looked the best. Enamel on outside has stuck well except where we got tired of sanding till fingers bled so a little pealing in those spots mainly along rub rails. We got our enamel at an auto parts store in a plain base and they tinted it to our specifications. prep is everything, every damned square inch.

[Eric_theferret]

Thanks for all the replies!

I ended up taking my paint back and getting some automotive paint from a local shop. I dished out $500 bucks for primer, paint, hardener, etc but I feel confident in the product. I’ll let you guys know how it goes!

Spraying on Sunday since the weather looks nice. Wish me luck!

[bus-bro]

I know you gave up on the acrylic paint, but I just want to say that I have had 10+ years on an industrial acrylic paint job and have not had a paint failure with it. She's a yard monument, so down the road I have no idea.

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by Eric_theferret

Thanks for all the replies!

I ended up taking my paint back and getting some automotive paint from a local shop. I dished out $500 bucks for primer, paint, hardener, etc but I feel confident in the product. I’ll let you guys know how it goes!

Spraying on Sunday since the weather looks nice. Wish me luck!

Good luck on the weather! The rest is all you

[ChrisLifts]

To everyone who is saying paint takes forever to cure in the winter, I'm skeptical. I applied 2 coats of Corroseal to the floor and 2 coats of Valspar Armor Anti Rust Oil Based Enamel afterwards here in Indiana. Mid to late December a few weeks ago temps dipped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and some days in the 20s. Each coat cured within 48 hours. Walked on it and it was dry as a desert. I've dropped tools, drug sheet metal and other items across it, it even rained a few days ago with the windows out and ponded inside right on top of the paint. It was like magic how the water basically floated on top of the paint. Probably because it's oil based. Took a leaf blower in there and blew all of the water out of the back door with ease. 6-8 weeks for cure time in the winter seems insane. This is just my experience from 2-3 weeks ago though.

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by Eric_theferret

Thanks for all the replies!

I ended up taking my paint back and getting some automotive paint from a local shop. I dished out $500 bucks for primer, paint, hardener, etc but I feel confident in the product. I’ll let you guys know how it goes!

Spraying on Sunday since the weather looks nice. Wish me luck!

Hooray! Correct Answer!

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by ChrisLifts

To everyone who is saying paint takes forever to cure in the winter, I'm skeptical. I applied 2 coats of Corroseal to the floor and 2 coats of Valspar Armor Anti Rust Oil Based Enamel afterwards here in Indiana. Mid to late December a few weeks ago temps dipped below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and some days in the 20s. Each coat cured within 48 hours. Walked on it and it was dry as a desert. I've dropped tools, drug sheet metal and other items across it, it even rained a few days ago with the windows out and ponded inside right on top of the paint. It was like magic how the water basically floated on top of the paint. Probably because it's oil based. Took a leaf blower in there and blew all of the water out of the back door with ease. 6-8 weeks for cure time in the winter seems insane. This is just my experience from 2-3 weeks ago though.

Good discussion. I was primarily referring in my comments to Acrylic paint, or any paint you can clean up with water, and of course, like you, I'm speaking from direct experience.

The chemistry of curing is inhibited by cold. To your point, spray enamel, for instance, seems pretty cured in a few days regardless of temperature, as long as it's applied while it's warm. Still, if you ding it with a screwdriver you may find it is not as tough a surface as it will be in a month. Maybe tough enough, but still, not cured.

My comments might also be tempered by the fact that many of the new members here are inexperienced in anything having to do with construction and they come for advice they can readily apply with some margin for error.

[ChrisLifts]

Originally Posted by Rucker

Good discussion. I was primarily referring in my comments to Acrylic paint, or any paint you can clean up with water, and of course, like you, I'm speaking from direct experience.

The chemistry of curing is inhibited by cold. To your point, spray enamel, for instance, seems pretty cured in a few days regardless of temperature, as long as it's applied while it's warm. Still, if you ding it with a screwdriver you may find it is not as tough a surface as it will be in a month. Maybe tough enough, but still, not cured.

My comments might also be tempered by the fact that many of the new members here are inexperienced in anything having to do with construction and they come for advice they can readily apply with some margin for error.

Hey I could be completely ignorant to the definition of cured! Mine is dry to the touch is what I was meaning to say. I have no knowledge on actual durability/ strength of the coat but it very well could be much stronger in a month. I was worried the paint wouldn't dry to the touch and I'd be sitting here for at least a week waiting because of how cold it got but thankfully, at least in my case, I was able to get back up in the bus and work after just a couple of days!