Looking for paint suggestions

[kyletheyeti]

Hi,

My bus needs a paint job. I want something that will last and be durable. I would like to see what my options are regardless of cost. I plan on using an auto body sealant to plug holes. I have raised the roof, so I have some sheet metal on the sides with rv windows. The sheet metal is sprayed with rustoleum primer. The thicker bus body is painted years ago with tractor paint. Any suggestions on a product to use? sanding? priming? spray? roll?

my mechanic suggested I use Miller brand equipment enamel with no primer. Any thoughts?

Thank you in advance for your advice!

[bapos]

I am planning on using tractor paint from Tractor supply is what I am going to use.

[wauto]

Last weekend we had quality family time. We washed the bus using scotch brite pads and Tide detergant. After it dried we taped and painted the roof, using farm store implement paint. Thinned it with naptha and shot it with an old hvlp paint gun. It turned out way nicer than anticipated.

[proconsul100]

i used Rustoleum professional oil based enamel on mine.

[Das Mel]

Originally Posted by wauto

Last weekend we had quality family time. We washed the bus using scotch brite pads and Tide detergant. After it dried we taped and painted the roof, using farm store implement paint. Thinned it with naptha and shot it with an old hvlp paint gun. It turned out way nicer than anticipated.

Sooooooo what colour ya painting your big beastie?

I wanna knoooooooooooow!

(and post pics or it didn't happen )

[kyletheyeti]

oil based enamel sounds like the ticket for the price. how'd yours turn out?

Were you able to make a custom tint? I want to do an olive-ish green with black bumpers, racks, and wheels.

"post pics or it didn't happen"..... I like that. I am ashamed to say I haven't posted any pics on this site yet. I swear I'm going to as soon as I have a minute (or a number of hours) to do it. until then, here's a pic to prove: A. That I have a bus
B. That I need a paint job

[wauto]

I'd post pictures if I knew how. Any pointers ? The color is Van Sickles gloss international white, which is actually an antique white or beige.

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by wauto

I'd post pictures if I knew how. Any pointers ? The color is Van Sickles gloss international white, which is actually an antique white or beige.

you have to use a photobucket account and paste the image links into your message

[turf]

there is a tab below the "submit" button named "upload attachment"

click that and choose a file from your computer. not a bad idea to resize and strip metatags for the internet.

after you upload it, there is a button to place it in the thread.

i use that without making a photobucket account. it takes pics from my drive and post's them in the thread.

[wauto]

Awesome Thanks for the tutorial

[kyletheyeti]

Originally Posted by proconsul100

i used Rustoleum professional oil based enamel on mine.

How'd that oil based enamel turn out? I'd like to know because I was that's what I was recommended. we're you able to customize a tint? I also heard that oil based paint will "yellow" over time. any yellowing on yours?

[lornaschinske]

We used ACE Hardware's Rust Stop. It is a tintable oil based paint. We had our tinted turquoise. Rolled on with a 4 inch foam paint roller. I did not sand between coats. It turned out like a smooth orange or rough egg. Rub rails, flasher shields and bumpers were painted in Rustoleum Hammered paint with a brush. I have touched up body paint with foam roller, bumpers and rub rails touched up with brush. Touch ups virtually undetectable.

If I had it to do over, I would prime and use Behr Marquee latex paint. The stuff resists sun fade, sheds the dirt and dust. What little does stick will rinse off in rain or blow off with wind. When we repaint in a few years, we may prime and use the Marquee.

BTW, I'm moving into the Paint Dept at work. It's enlightening.

[wmkbailey]

Lorna,

That is good to hear, I used Behr Marquee outdoor Acrylic Enamel. I was told Enamel means it has a gloss, I used semi gloss. None of the paints use Latex any more, it just means water based. Everyone said to stay away from water based, but my original paint was good and thick, it should not rust through to the steel.

[kyletheyeti]

thanks for the info! I bet rolling helps hide touch ups because of the texture. I do have access to a spray gun but may not want to use it just for that reason. May I ask how much you spent on your paint? Isn't Behr marquee a wood paint? or doesn't that matter? (I don't know anything about paint) Thanks again.

[lornaschinske]

Marquee can be used to paint most anything. Some things you may want to prime first (like bare aluminum). Go to behr.com to learn more. They have the tech sheets there. You would not believe the dirt our bus has accumulated from sitting in one spot in daily dust storms. Unfortunately our bus will not get repainted until we move to TX and get a place of our own and can do stuff like that.

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by kyletheyeti

How'd that oil based enamel turn out? I'd like to know because I was that's what I was recommended. we're you able to customize a tint? I also heard that oil based paint will "yellow" over time. any yellowing on yours?

no yellowing, but it is had to tell as i used darker colors, my lighter color is almond which is yellowish already. it holds up pretty well.

[bansil]

most of our bus was painted a year ago(windows and down) and except for the dirt and crap growing on it due to all the rain we have had
I actually wet a rag and rubbed a circle to clean it(need to give her a bath in the next month) and it looks as good as it did when I first applied it

and it matches visually to the roof I just painted last weekend