Help a Newby virgin body painter

[Snoozer]

Hey all,
I've perused through the Body Shop threads and got some good ideas... but still need some information from the experienced.

Currently, my truck has decent, solid white paint job right now. But rust is really starting to show up in some areas... and its chipping and cracking in spots... leading me to beleive that the body wasn't prepped correctly to begin with.

I am contemplating stripping the paint myself and attempting to paint it using either good 'ol rattle-can or the increasingly-popular Rustoleum. I like the looks of FLAT colors,...but since they have no clear coat, can they be cleaned up after playing in the mud?

1. How do the flat colors hold up to snow, mud, rain, sand, etc.?
2. What kind (if any) sealer should I use to protect from rust?
3. What type of paint can you recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Snoozer]

Ttt

 

[ryoken]

personally, I think your better off with an epoxy or urethane primer in black.. imo it gives a much better satin look, cleans easier and is a basis for a paint job should you choose down the road...

but then again, I dont roll and tip my vehicles either...

 

[Snoozer]

How easy to clean are we talking?

Does stuff like mud stain it since there's no clearcoat?

 

[ryoken]

scrub brush and soap...

any flat product will have stuff stick easier to it... but heck, it's primer, a fine scuff pad and soap will take anything out...

unless you wanna get fancy and get into flattening agents like I'm doing on my frame..

a good urethane primer is a little pricier than Rustoleum... $100 a gallon, as opposed to like 60, 70...

but many are content with slapping some Rusto on there, it is a truck afterall....

 

[Snoozer]

Well, I need to do something eventually. The paint on my truck that isn't chipped and cracked is nice and glossy (no chaulking). But I know rust all to well. It won't be another year, or maybe two if I'm lucky, and I'll really have my hands full to get rid of the rust.

I think it'd be smarter to do any paint "experimenting" now before things get out of hand.

So, do you know of any other products that have more of a color selection than Rustoleum? I'm trying to get a specific color.

 

[cdoggwsu]

I've been considering having a body shop buddy of mine spray a few coats of this stuff (non-textured Durabak) on mine. I would imagine it would hold up and be as easy to clean as anything.

 

[cdoggwsu]

More pics of exterior use here. It sounds pretty cool, but I'm no expert. Too good to be true?

 

[Snoozer]

Hmmm.
I think I'll have to let that idea fester in my head for a while... see if it grows on me or not.

Used to... I wanted a shiny, glossy, perfect paint job that I'd protect with body armor. Recently, my tastes have evolved to wanting my paint to look uniform, but its sole purpose only to protect against rust (hence the interest in Rustoleum). And I really like the looks of satin-finish paint on trucks.

I haven't graduated to having something like Durabak yet. But I've seen a few trucks on this site have something similar and it looks nice. Just not sure if its for me.

 

[Snoozer]

Oh...

and thanks for the reply!