When to Paint?

[DaCaNoWiSe]

Hi All

I have read a ton about what to use for exterior paint and how to apply, but I cannot find (please forgive if this has been discussed and I missed it) advice on WHEN the best time to paint the exterior.

We have cleared the inside of the bus and are about to move to phase 2.

SO, do we paint the exterior while we can still take the windows out, tape everything, and not have to worry about getting paint on the windows (if we decide to spray and not roll)? But risk damaging the paint while we work and move things in and out and just do a touch up at the end?

Or do we wait and paint at the end just to be sure?

Or does it not matter at all?

:Thanx:

If anyone wants to throw dollars at the little "Thank You" pole dancer above I can send you our paypal acct info

 

[Danjo-SKO]

I’ve been debating the same. At first I thought it was the first thing that I should do so that it’s legal to drive. Then I realized I need to do stuff to the outside like add access doors and such so I thought I’d paint after I mounted the under body storage and propane door. But I’ve been driving it around, taking my dad to the doctor (wheelchair bus) moving stuff out of storage with it and stuff like that. I’m starting to think that the cops don’t care. So now I’m thinking of painting last. I’m interested in other’s responses.

Others may correct me, but it’s not necessary to remove the windows to paint. Masking tape and .5 mil masking plastic.

 

[TheHubbardBus]

I know this isn't exactly what you're asking, but it is relevant to the 'when to paint' question...

Paint when the temperature and humidity are within the recommended ranges of the paint you choose, and at a time in the year when the weather is as stable and predictable as possible, so those conditions are likely to remain until the paint cures.

For example, we're putting our interior floor paint on hold until the end of summer. Extreme temps, high-humidity, and frequent/random storms common to the monsoon season are a bad mix for paint.

 

[TJones-SKO]

I am thinking about painting the interior and exterior at the same time with the windows out. This way I can get under the window frames and don't have to worry about overspray on the windows. I'll paint the exterior last as overspray that gets on the interior won't hurt any thing.

Ted

 

[Rivetboy]

Take the windows out to paint??? Dammit Jim Im doing it wrong!

 

[Rivetboy]

Take the windows out to paint??? Dammit Jim Im doing it wrong!

I did pop the front sheetmetal and the bumper off though.

 

[Rivetboy]

I did pop the front sheetmetal and the bumper off though.

I forgot to mention we completely blue painters taped both sides from the windows down and painted the tape white. This is for the same reason as you, we still have things that need to be cut in plus window and rub rail removal in measured steps in the future.

 

[Danjo-SKO]

Take the windows out to paint??? Dammit Jim Im doing it wrong!

Well, I’d like to pull the gasketed windows in the cab area of my shorty. I’m still thinking about it. Glass guys aren’t too expensive, right?

 

[gs1949]

I don't think I have to paint my bus. I've never heard anything about Oregon having a law like that, as a matter of fact I've always heard they didn't. If they have one it's definitely not enforced. However, I'm doing this on a tight budget as cash flow permits, and so I have 2 to-do-lists: one essential, the things I need; and the other non-essential, the things I want.

Driving something that is not yellow with black spots is quite high on my non-essential list, like no lower than no. 2, just behind solar panels. But the essential list is long at this point, and I'm not driving the bus yet. I plan to get some type of elastomeric coating on the roof before Oregon's rainy season hits again. That's on the essential list, and so I might decide to put a couple of coats of Rust-Oleum on the roof first, after a good pressure washing or two along with a light touch on the roof seams with my angle grinder. But painting the lower part of the bus will have to wait awhile.

And here in Oregon an important consideration about when to paint is when you have a good chance of having 2 days in a row without rain. Unless you have a roof or a big tarp with something strong enough to hold it up in the wind.

 

[Rivetboy]

Well, I’d like to pull the gasketed windows in the cab area of my shorty. I’m still thinking about it. Glass guys aren’t too expensive, right?

If they do not leak or the seals are not deteriorated, why not tape them? R and R fixed windows is a pain even when someone else does it. Plus, labor and the risk of breakage and buying a new seal adds to the loss of funds spent elsewhere..

 

[Rivetboy]

Well, I’d like to pull the gasketed windows in the cab area of my shorty. I’m still thinking about it. Glass guys aren’t too expensive, right?

If they do not leak or the seals are not deteriorated, why not tape them? R and R fixed windows is a pain even when someone else does it. Plus, labor and the risk of breakage and buying a new seal adds to the loss of funds spent elsewhere..

 

[TJones-SKO]

If they do not leak or the seals are not deteriorated, why not tape them? R and R fixed windows is a pain even when someone else does it. Plus, labor and the risk of breakage and buying a new seal adds to the loss of funds spent elsewhere..

There is no need to pull windows to paint. I was planning on pulling mine to check for rust behind the frames and to reseal them.

Ted

 

[Sleddgracer]

There is no need to pull windows to paint. I was planning on pulling mine to check for rust behind the frames and to reseal them.

Ted

if I get a school bus, it has to be painted before driven where I live - plus I don't like the idea of a big yellow bus added to the mess of projects on the go that are part of doing what we do - I planned on prepping, priming, and first coating the bus before I did much of anything to the bus - having it look something like it will look when finished may add incentive to get everything done sooner, and a colour schemed bus won't look so red neck to visiting clients - any modifications done to the exterior later, marks, scuffs etc, can be touched up before putting on the final finish coat

 

[DaCaNoWiSe]

I’ve been debating the same. At first I thought it was the first thing that I should do so that it’s legal to drive. Then I realized I need to do stuff to the outside like add access doors and such so I thought I’d paint after I mounted the under body storage and propane door. But I’ve been driving it around, taking my dad to the doctor (wheelchair bus) moving stuff out of storage with it and stuff like that. I’m starting to think that the cops don’t care. So now I’m thinking of painting last. I’m interested in other’s responses.

Others may correct me, but it’s not necessary to remove the windows to paint. Masking tape and .5 mil masking plastic.

We are also adding under-boxes and any painting would be, of course, after this. The reason we considered painting with the windows removed is so we can simultaneously tint do gasket repair. And paint the window frames themselves.

We aren't currently driving our bus anywhere so color isn't an issue. Besides this, the previous owner had painted over the yellow with green. Poorly.

As for the laws, We're sure they vary slightly, state to state, but the common theme with all is that the ""School" labeling is removed or covered, and no Stop Arm. We are all good there.

 

[DaCaNoWiSe]

RivetBoy: Great paint job! Looks great. Wanna paint ours too? ;-)

 

[DaCaNoWiSe]

... and so I have 2 to-do-lists: one essential, the things I need; and the other non-essential, the things I want.

... I plan to get some type of elastomeric coating on the roof before Oregon's rainy season hits again. That's on the essential list, and so I might decide to put a couple of coats of Rust-Oleum on the roof first, after a good pressure washing or two along with a light touch on the roof seams with my angle grinder. But painting the lower part of the bus will have to wait awhile...

Oh, yeah, we learned that 2 list lesson as well.

We have already repainted our roof. We used Hy-Tech Thermal Solutions Aqua-Prime and then Bus-Kote after we pressure washed, scraped, sanded, re-pressure washed, sealed.

After all coats were on and dry, we did a touch test of the roof. After sun beat the roof all day in 95 degree heat, the metal was still cool to the touch.

 

[gs1949]

Sounds good, thanks for sharing that info.

 

[o1marc]

When painting the roof in an elastomeric paint, what method delivers the smoothest result?

 

[Sleddgracer]

When painting the roof in an elastomeric paint, what method delivers the smoothest result?

smoothest is spray - quickest too

 

[o1marc]

smoothest is spray - quickest too

It's not too thick for a sprayer?