Painting...here we go!

[opus]

Been reading and reading about it. Someone give me the short version of it.

Rustoleum is going to be the paint.

Roll it on or brush it?
Any particular roller?
5 gals take care of the whole bus? [40']
Thin the paint at what ratio and with what?

I think thats it for now.

[lornaschinske]

http://rolledon.forummotion.com/
http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master ... paint.html

We have discovered that we will have to order the dk green hammered Rustoleum from Sherwin-Williams (by the quart since it doesn't come in any larger) because no one seems to carry it in stock. Rub rails and various other trim pieces will be painted in hammered copper. The hammered copper we will buy from Home Depot. Or reasoning for the hammered is because the sides of the bus were damaged a little so it has a lot of dings and dimples on it. Also I think a rolled on hammered finish would look better than a rolled on gloss finish (rub rails will be brushed). I have rolled on 1 coat unthinned ACE Rust Stop on our windows & blanks (to cover the aluminum primer and to make the dust easier to brush off) with a foam roller. It left a textured finish (like a smooth orange peel). But it was not a finish paint and I was in a hurry. In the past I have brush painted with the hammered and that is why we will be using it... plus it is a very hard paint.

[Seeria]

I tested various rollers and brushes. Have to say for the most smooth finish a high density foam roller did the best AS long as you don't go over the same spot more than twice (two strokes) before dipping it back into the paint. *shrug* You'll get a hammered, spotted look if you do more before dipping.

Thin it. So they say. I did tests with 2.1 and 1.1 and no thinner. Frankly, I like the non-thinned the best but the auto painting non-pro guides I've found say it has to be thinned. On flat surfaces--non-thinned is fantastic with a fine hair brush used. Deep, even, just gorgeous. But get a little thing like a rivet and it's a clump and runny mess.

However, rivets will be your bane, roller or not. I started brushing riveted areas with a light coat first then hours later did a little roller touch up. alksdjflkajdf things. Rivets make for runs and hard to get even places.

If I had to do it again (and I do) I'd buy or rent a sprayer. I've lots of wet sanding to do ALL over the place. The worst is the back where I was testing out the non-high density rollers. That just looks hidious beyond belief.

Luck!

[opus]

I was going to use the roof for testing. Spraying isnt an option, no time nor inclination to mask a bus. Done that before! I'm not going to thin, and I will pre-brush my rivits I think.

I wonder how the foam rollers that are black, just like the foam brushes, work? Maybe I will just use a mini roller in the open sides and then a fine hair brush most of the sides.