New to the Skoolie World

[Rivetboy]

Looks like you good strip that bus with a cheap pressure washer.

[iHunt]

I am starting to lean towards continuing with latex just to get up and going, with the plan to do a re-paint in the future when i have the capability to sand blast (or other means of removing paint) and spray.

We will see how the rest of the rain treats it this weekend. Looks like I may be working on taking the seats out instead.

[o1marc]

Is no one using a self etching primer before painting with latex house paint? It's not a surprise to me that it doesn't hold up

[cowlitzcoach]

I too would echo making sure everything mechanical and electrical is working correctly before spending a lot of time converting.

After you have spent untold hours and $$$$ converting the last thing you want to discover is your engine or transmission is toast.

As far as insulation is concerned, you would be a lot warmer in a tent on the ground than in a bus with the same propane heater going. A school bus has very little insulation in the walls and ceiling. And unless it came from the factory with the desert A/C or artic insulation package there is not insulation in the floor.

The floor can be insulated a little bit by using carpeting over the factory floor. It should be sufficient if there is plywood under the linoleum.

As for the roof and walls, taking off all of the interior panels would allow a couple of inches of insulation that would be a lot more insulation than you have right now. You would also open up the ceiling and discover if you have any roof leaks or not.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by iHunt

I am starting to lean towards continuing with latex just to get up and going, with the plan to do a re-paint in the future when i have the capability to sand blast (or other means of removing paint) and spray.

We will see how the rest of the rain treats it this weekend. Looks like I may be working on taking the seats out instead.

You won't need to sand-blast latex paint off. Quite honestly, a decent pressure-washer would probably remove most of it.

Quit before falling further behind. Strip the latex with any paint-stripper, clean it well and re-paint with an oil-based enamel. You can get decent results with a good roller, and certainly better than the latex.

I'm sorry that guy led you down this path. You are not the first.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Twigg

You won't need to sand-blast latex paint off. Quite honestly, a decent pressure-washer would probably remove most of it.

Quit before falling further behind. Strip the latex with any paint-stripper, clean it well and re-paint with an oil-based enamel. You can get decent results with a good roller, and certainly better than the latex.

I'm sorry that guy led you down this path. You are not the first.

Couldn't agree more.
I'd rather have a yellow bus than a latex bubble bus.

[Mgulley82]

Oil based enamel is the cheapest option for a paint job

You can actually roll it on if you thin it first

Takes several coats this way but you can build it up enough to wet sand/buff it to a really awesome shine

[EastCoastCB]

Even one un-thinned coat right out of the can is better than latex lol.

[iHunt]

I just checked out the paint again over lunch, it looks like a majority of the paint is just fine after our monsoon yesterday, just the little bit that I painted right before the rain got messed up. I know it won't be the best paint and will likely need to get replaced in the future, I may stick with it since 80% of the bus is already painted and appears to be holding.