What to do with my $100 trailer???

[The Money Pit]

I picked up an old home made trailer and the paint is very bad. I'm talking rust coming through all over. I began to grind and sand off the old paint & rust but I'm not quite sure what to do with it once I get it striped? Should I prime it, then use a rust resistant paint? What else could I do with it? It's in good working condition but wanted to make it, should I say, not so ugly? Maybe even make it look like a $500 trailer?

 

[1320stang]

Try brushing on some tractor paint from Tractor Supply Company.

 

[DynoDave]

If you plan on keeping it for a while, I'd strip it, prime it with a self-etching primer, and have some spray truck bed liner applied to it.

 

[gotmud13613]

As said before if you plan on keeping it Sand, Prime, Paint.

If not a wire brush on an angle grinder to remove most of the loose stuff, then brush with either tractor or Rustoleum. I have used to Rustoleum before on a cheapo trailer with good results and it still looks decent today about 2 yrs ago it was done.

 

[timgr]

Instead of sanding down to bare steel, you could instead remove all the loose rust and coat with one of the 'rust encapsulating' paints, such as the one that Eastwood sells. I've used it and it holds up well. Don't bother with the 'rusty metal primer' sold in the big box stores though ... not effective.

Some sources are Rust Bullet, Eastwood Rust Encapsulator, POR-15, and others. POR-15 is the best known, but I prefer the Eastwood stuff since it does not need a top coat.

 

[KCHOTBOAT]

Check with local powder coaters in your area. I would have saved money on my boat trailer if I would have had it blasted and powdered instead of me sanding and painting it.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Sandblast, prime, then paint with a heavy oilbased enamel.

 

[Yotaforce]

Gloss Black Rustoleum, brush on thick coat, look good for a looooooong time!

 

[The Money Pit]

Still not sure what I'm going to do. I thought about powder coating but wondered if it was going to be really expensive. I was looking at the coupling and found that the piece of steel it's welded and bolted to is bent. I towed it from a buddy's house at speeds of 65 mph +, with no issues that I could tell seeing as it was dark. Should I get it fixed or will it be ok?

 

[6768rogues]

I had an old rusty 12 foot trailer that my son wanted. I sandblasted the whole thing (400 lbs of sand). Then I brushed on a heavy coat of red zinc oxide primer from Tractor Supply followed by a brushed on coat of their red paint. 2 years later it still looks freshly painted.

 

[TorqueWrench]

Check with local powder coaters in your area. I would have saved money on my boat trailer if I would have had it blasted and powdered instead of me sanding and painting it.

Hey KC...do you know the guys at kccoatings? I was asking you about coating one of my boat trailers last spring I think. I was quoted a really good price and will be doing that when and if I ever finish the cutting and welding.

Moneypit...I recommend powdercoat, tough as superman's stones and the color choices are endless...

 

[Kevin54]

Sand, prime and paint. They do it to cars all the time that sit outside.

Kevin