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Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:26 am

PPG sealer primer wont work over rustoleum any better than PPG topcoat would

one could say this over and over again till it gets old: chemically incompatible!

some dont understand how rustoleum can be chemically incompatible- its just one layer on top of another right? well, not exactly. if you throw PPG reducer onto rustoleum, the layer of rustoleum will dissolve even if that layer is several years old and fully dried. because PPG products all contain reducer, the rustoleum chemicals will bleed into any PPG layer, and thats why it doesnt work!

PPG paint, by comparison, will not act this way. one day after applying PPG topcoat to a bare metal surface that has been primed, you cannot dissolve it with reducer!

Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:22 pm

dansvans wrote: PPG sealer primer wont work over rustoleum any better than PPG topcoat would

one could say this over and over again till it gets old: chemically incompatible!

some dont understand how rustoleum can be chemically incompatible- its just one layer on top of another right? well, not exactly. if you throw PPG reducer onto rustoleum, the layer of rustoleum will dissolve even if that layer is several years old and fully dried. because PPG products all contain reducer, the rustoleum chemicals will bleed into any PPG layer, and thats why it doesnt work!

PPG paint, by comparison, will not act this way. one day after applying PPG topcoat to a bare metal surface that has been primed, you cannot dissolve it with reducer!

This is because PPG is a 2 part paint where rustoleum is not. 2 part meaning paint and hardener. There is no hardener in rustoleum that is why you can take reducer and take it off a surface where as PPG you can't once it's hardened.

Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:37 pm

So what would very one suggest you use on a camper pop top? I've heard of top side boat paint being used. I need to redo my Pop top and luggage rack again and need some feedback on what to use. I want it to look good once it's done. I don't want to put all this money into my bus and have the top look like ass. :?

Geno :D

Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:33 pm

you can auto paint fiberglass the same as you can paint over plastics.
dune buggies can be painted with excellent results also.

Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:40 pm

A two part epoxy paint would be fairly durable. I dont know what they originaly had on the pop top portion, but that would probobly be best.
But a boat or car epoxy would probobly work. But as always OE or closer is best.
Anyone can apply anykind of paint with what ever they have (roler HVLP) you just have to put in the sanding and prep and finnish time and take responsibility for what you goof up.
The only thing that really save you time and money is experiance. If it was me on a daily driver that was in ok shape but not a cantidate for restore, Rustoleum the body and epoxy based anything to the pop top.
nicer than some not as nice as the others.

Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:31 pm

if you are set on low low dollar, i would use a industrial auto/tractor paint, 30 bucks agallon or so.
someone elses trash for 80 bucks or so. The trick is go to an auto body shop, ask them for all the waste blue paint, they mix it together, you get a one off color, you buy some thinner and hardener from them, and you have a higher quality paint than PPG, but you can't choose the actual shade. rember, these shops PAY to throw out ould paint
ppg omni can be had for 200, being the cheapest real auto paint

personally, i would not paint w/ rustoleum. The whole incompatible thing is a real discouraging factor. there are other paints just as cheap that are NOT oil based, like the tractor paint. Also ACE sells a rust-stop enamel, which is not much of a rust inhibitor, but it is still a decent enamel at a fair price that you can paint over, and you can get them to mix the lovely color you desire. just remeber it will fade in a few years. And another great feature of the ACE stuff, it comes in a rattle can too, so if you need to patch a chip later, pfsssst, all done with a perfect color match.

Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:49 pm

"if you are set on low low dollar, i would use a industrial auto/tractor paint, 30 bucks agallon or so. personally, i would not paint w/ rustoleum. The whole incompatible thing is a real discouraging factor. there are other paints just as cheap that are NOT oil based, like the tractor paint."

Hold up there on the tractor paints not being oil based... You'll find that most of the aftermarket tractor paints are oil based enamels. The low end enamels are not very UV stable and will fade or change color with exposure to sunlight. I painted my Allis Chalmers WD45 with the correct color AC orange, but with an inexpensive tractor enamel. After about 3 years in the sun it went from orange to pink. In my neighborhood a pink tractor will get you a whole rash of shit. Of course it now matches my flamingos...

Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:16 pm

I'm going to retract the statement I made way back in the beginning of this thread, "If you MUST use Rustoleum..... might as well just use spray cans..."
I now stand firmly against using Rustoleum on cars, regardless of how it is applied.

Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:05 pm

well looks like that link is dead, so here is the archive version:
http://web.archive.org/web/20070707173901/http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html
unfortunatly he only has an update 8 months later. But i was wrong in the number of coats, only 6 at two a day in warm weather. and there was definatly no clear coat in that pic, just a lot of buffing.
again, i am not endorsing rustoleum as a car paint due to incompatibiliy issues. I am just trying to point out the practicality of the alternatives.

Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:59 pm

I have painted a lot with rust o leum
I use a viscosity cup to thin with.
with regular top coat you can thin it with paint thinner or acetone
if using the professional rust o leum you need to use acetone only.
here is a ph for rust oleum they are real helpful 1 800 323 3584
norm

Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:10 am

Not to rehash but, can you apply cheap automotive paint with a roller? I would like to stay away from spraying if I can. The stuff I'm talking about is the stuff you can buy from checker or autozone.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 9:07 am

Check out the rolling on the tremclad thread... I personally would not. I am sure it 'could' be done.

Here is the link to more info
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=320572&highlight=tremclad

Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:59 am

JeffnDes1977 wrote: Not to rehash but, can you apply cheap automotive paint with a roller? I would like to stay away from spraying if I can. The stuff I'm talking about is the stuff you can buy from checker or autozone.

No, there used to be a roller additive for Imron years ago so if you had to add that to be able to roll it I doubt a low end paint would roll right out of the can. Some specialty aviation paints are formulated to roll as well but once again they are designed for that purpose, auto paint is generally set up to spray only.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:09 am

JeffnDes1977 wrote: Not to rehash but, can you apply cheap automotive paint with a roller? I would like to stay away from spraying if I can. The stuff I'm talking about is the stuff you can buy from checker or autozone.

The cheap stuff at your FLAPS is most likely laquer. Read carefully. Laquer will wrinkle up BAD if it's applied over enamel

fusername wrote: ...personally, i would not paint w/ rustoleum. The whole incompatible thing is a real discouraging factor. there are other paints just as cheap that are NOT oil based, like the tractor paint

Why are you concerned about cheap paint being oil based? That's what they painted 'em with 30+ years ago. Well, oil and lead. You're less likely to have compatibllity issues using oil based paint if you're painting over original paint. You only need worry if your vehicle has had a respray in the last 15 years. Peace!

Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:04 am

Got a neat pic of the bus catching the borning sun just yesterday. Got to thinkin, this thing still looks pretty good after three years on the road, considering that I rattle-canned it using $1.00 per can closeouts of DupliColor. Went with "Ultra Silver" on top, and "Ford Metallic Blue" on the bottom. About $30 total into final paint. This has no clear coat, just a good coat of wax every spring!

If it doesn't last forever, I can afford to do it again! :lol:

-Klauss

Thu Mar 25, 2010 10:24 am

That still looks good. I looked at some other photos in your gallery and it has held up well for 3 years.

I wonder how shiny you could get that by buffing it.

I did one car in rustoleum.. Now I sorta wished I just covered it. Now I want to spray it OG. The birth certificate says pearl white.. So as I am thinking pearl white. (am I caving in to peer pressure?).

I will soon be able to let you know if it comes off easy...

Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:11 pm

agreendaya wrote: Since whenever I ask in the body/paint forum, my posts get deleted, I thought I'd give you guys a try, since I know others have used this or a similar method.

Sorry for the question, but I'm new to these forums...

Why do the threads get deleted?

Mon May 24, 2010 4:39 pm

Raketemensch wrote: agreendaya wrote: Since whenever I ask in the body/paint forum, my posts get deleted, I thought I'd give you guys a try, since I know others have used this or a similar method.

Sorry for the question, but I'm new to these forums...

Why do the threads get deleted?

To keep the peace...

Tue May 25, 2010 4:27 am

Why are people getting so militant about this?

Good paint is best.

Rustoleum or similar to slow something rusting into the ground.

personally, I've been using epoxy enamel on cheap rattlecan enamel primer. But I'm not doing a proper paint job. My paint is in poor shape and has become porous. As a result the underlying metal is starting to oxidize. When a section becomes visible, I strip it to the bare metal, treat it, prime it and paint it.
I have to do a lot of bodywork and it needs a proper respray, but I don't want it to turn into rusted hulk in the meantime.

For people considering epoxy enamel. Don't use it if you want it to look good up close. I'm using it because it's airtight and watertight, which is far better than crazed and fossilized paint ten inches thick from a crappy respray done some time in the triassic period.

So automotive paint can be used on fiberglass pop tops? What kind of priming does it need?

Sun Mar 27, 2011 6:39 pm

renobdarb wrote: Patrick199 wrote: If you MUST use Rustoleum, and if you have little or no experience with a spray gun of any sort, then you might as well just use spray cans. It's the exact same stuff that they sell in quarts and gallons but it is already thinned.
The best way to get a nice finish from a rattle can is to heat up the contents before you spray it. Drop a couple cans in a bucket of HOT water for ten minutes and the paint will flow much better, lay down better, and dry faster.

Here's my bus after a Rustoleum rattle can paint job. You can see a little mistake on the windshield seal, just below the windshield wiper:

It takes a LOT of cans, but it's certainly cheap. If you go the rattle can route, definately go to WalMart and get one of the gun attachments for a rattle can. Makes it a lot easier on your fingers! And PLEASE recycle the cans! Our recycle center took them in their scrap metal bin.

I'm really happy with it. When I get chips I just clean and touch up the area.

I was wondering about a clear coat as well... anyone have any ideas?

how many spray cans did it take to cover the whole bus?