Maintenance & Restoration

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 07:08 PM

I have read that it is possible to paint the ensolite insulation in my Scamp camper. I have removed all of the cabinents in the interior and figure that now is a good time to paint the interior. What type of paint should I use? I was planning on a using an exterior latex paint that is mildew resistant like I used to paint the plywood flooring that sits under the seating.

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 07:58 PM

Hey, Andy. Me again. Mike Watters has helpful info on this. Try typing the word ensolite in the Search function to read/see what he and others have done. His choice was Rustoleum spray vinyl. I went to an auto paint store and bought a vinyl spray paint called SEM Color Coat. I think I ended up using about 8-10 cans but did not paint my door with it. Some folks have used other things. Check it out.

And am I correct in assuming that your next question will be about seams and seam tape? Again, Mike's your man. I am less happy with mine but decided to follow advice I received to "unify the ugly." You probably want to aim a little higher.

Hope you are having fun with this.

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 09:05 PM

Beverly,

I plan on caulking the seams and painting over the caulk. I removed the old seam tape. It was yellowed and not in the best of shape. I painted a small area of the ensolite with some latex paint using a brush. I liked the results. I am just concerned that the paint may crack or flake with the flexing of the insulation.

Here is some other backgroung info on the project. I bought this camper about 2 weeks ago. It is replacing a 1972 Shasta 14 ft camper that I purchased two years ago and reworked. I plan on towing it with my 1995 Ford Ranger pickup. The Shasta was a little heavy for it, but I bet the Scamp will be unnoticeable.

Thanks for your replies.

Andy

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 09:16 PM

I did a search on the Rust oleum vinyl pain products. I guess this is the stuff.

http://www.rustoleum.com/Product.asp?frm_p...44&SBL=1&dds=19

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 11:16 PM

Hi Andy :wave

This is what I'm going to do if this helps. I did think about doing the spray vinyl, but thought it could be quite costly, so I will be painting with latex.

My unit had mostly seam tape and some of that :censor awful plastic tub strip stuff with the caulk backing (please don't use that - it's awful and the caulk seems to become sticky/runny in hot weather :nono); both have been removed. I have cleaned all the ensolite with Simple Green and enough elbow grease to cause tennis elbow. A few questionable areas remain that will get a treatment with bleach to kill off any mildew. Then I will be filling all the seams with a siliconized latex caulk, then priming with Bulls Eye 1-2-3 primer. Then I will paint with acrylic latex. I will be painting all the ensolite, but leaving the fiberglass cabinets and the door as-is.

My "paint guy" (dealt with him for years) recommends latex as it is a flexible product.

Legacy Posts · 06-29-2003, 11:25 PM

Hi All
In my 17ft Boler i painted using melimaine paint.It worked good for me.
In my 13 ft Boler which i am about to do i might try something different.I also found in my little boler that the seam were caulked but done in a rough manner.I put my palm sander to it and that also worked ok.Made seams smooth.

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 05:24 AM

Hi
There is paint specially made for vinyl roofs, boat seats etc. If it could hold up on those two things it certainly should hold up inside a Boler.

Personally I would only paint inside as a very last resort. I've been inside too many Bolers with flaking paint.
Nancy

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 06:35 AM

Nancy, that's what sold me on the SEM Color Coat. The seller was telling me about golf cart seats he had painted 2 1/2 years ago that were still holding up in this Texas sun. Time will tell, I guess. And, right-o, it's not cheap - $7 and some change per can.

Chester, your comment about the palm sander intrigues me. Maybe there is hope for my seams. Mine were very wide in some places but, worse yet, had had everything that would stick to ANYthing applied to them in places. Then it all had baked on for years. I simply could not get the seam area clean without risking tearing the ensolite, which was in good shape. So I taped off an area an inch wide on both sides of the seam and caulked the whole 2+" with painter's caulk. Now I have what looks like wide "faux seam tape." The whole interior is painted "Santa Fe" - tan and looks OK by my standards, but maybe I could get an even better finish by making some touch-ups with the sander? I'd like to hear a little more about exactly what you did. Anytime you caulk that ensolite, it fills in some of the texture and looks different than the uncaulked when painted. Has anyone invented the ensolite-like texturer? [Is there an all-thumbs smiley? :huh]

:thumb
Heres your thumb.Its in the Smiley face group--Ches

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 07:20 AM

Maybe the paint is peeling for some people because of not using a good primer? I don't recall ever reading of people priming the ensolite, but it will help to seal the surface for paint.

Beverly - I will be starting caulking tonight. I was hoping to create a texture finish also, so if I'm sucessful I will post the technique (I have a few ideas, but have no clue if they will look any good).

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 07:49 AM

I painted mine with Interlux marine paint. I basically sprayed the entire interior of the trailer with it. Counters, cabinets, bunks, and insulation. I didn't prime any of it but I did clean the entire interior with "Silicon, Wax, and Tar remover" which you can get cheaply from any body shop supply store. Though I do recommend wearing a respirator when using the stuff.

Been a year now and a few camping trips later, and the Interlux is holding up well. I used 2 full quarts for the interior (sprayed with an HVLP gun hooked up to my compressor), and it took 2 coats for full coverage. (about 1.2 quarts for the first coat, and the rest of the second quart for the second coat).

pictures on my website: http://www.beer.org/boler/

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 10:05 AM

Beverly D

I just happened to have palm sander in my hand doing the out side.I went into boler for new piece of sand papper and looked at caulk in seams.It was very rough.Tried sander on it and found it worked pretty good.I only tried a small area but will continue when I do the inside.
Hope this helps.

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Orginally posted by Lainey

Maybe the paint is peeling for some people because of not using a good primer? I don't recall ever reading of people priming the ensolite, but it will help to seal the surface for paint.

Beverly - I will be starting caulking tonight. I was hoping to create a texture finish also, so if I'm sucessful I will post the technique (I have a few ideas, but have no clue if they will look any good).

Please keep us updated on your progress. I want my seam tape gone too, but had not thought of paint. the more I read the better it sounds. So I'd like to learn from your experience.

Legacy Posts · 06-30-2003, 11:19 PM

Jana - Tonight I took a 10% bleach solution to a few areas that were mildewy, but got carried away. The solution worked pretty good to remove the adhesive residue left behind from the seam tape too. I couldn't start caulking though, as I want the ensolite to be well dried before starting. I will start tomorrow morning and will let you know how the 'texturizing" goes.

Legacy Posts · 07-01-2003, 11:08 PM

I spent 12 hours doing the caulk today (less the occasional short break here and there). I have decided that being the ultimate perfectionist has it's downfalls.

I applied the caulk then added a top layer that I dabbed at with a finger to add a bit of texture while still easing all edges, peaks and valleys for a smoother finish. Some of the larger gaps received ensolite patches (left over from making the bigger roof vent hole). If I had that part to do over, I would just use a foam backer and then caulk the gaps, as I think the patched areas may not come out looking as factory as the rest.
How does it look? :yep :nope :huh Hard to tell exactly until the primer goes on (tomorrow night's job). IMO I still think this will be a better look than the 2 different kinds of seam tape that were on before - much less distracting, plus no tape left to fall off and need future attention.

Legacy Posts · 07-02-2003, 04:03 PM

Hi All
I just tried using liquid nails on my seams on my Boler in a hidden area.(Liquid nails is paintable)I then dabbed at it with a peice of sponge and it texturied real good.I am going to go this route when i am ready to do inside.:wave

Legacy Posts · 07-07-2003, 09:08 PM

The painting is done (1 coat primer, 2 coats paint).

I used General Paint Hi Performance 2000 Acrylic (for interior OR exterior use, tough, scrubbable, for institutional use)
Hmmmm :chin maybe I'll go to GP for sponsorship. ;)

I think it looks good. The seams are still noticable, but blend in well and don't really catch your attention. I'll try to post pictures later this week.

Legacy Posts · 07-07-2003, 10:13 PM

I just went for the standard - "lick-your-finger-and-smooth-it-out" approach... The seams are readily apparent, but more attractive than seam tape.

Now - if you really want to pull off the texturing...

Go to a hobby store and buy a jar of liquid latex rubber. Pick a nice out-of-the-way spot of ensolite (just in event of problems), spray it with non-stick spray and start painting on the liquid rubber. Keep on going layer-after-layer until you build up a fairly substantial coating. Finally, peel it off and glue it to a rounded piece of wood that you can roll over the caulking after applying it.

Now *** I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS ***, but it should work. Undoubtedly the pattern maker will need to be coated either with water or non-stick spray before use (TEST!!!), but should do a nice job of replicating the surface texture of ensolite and blend in the seams seamlessly. :)

mkw

Legacy Posts · 07-07-2003, 10:19 PM

Mike, how long do you think that method would take? ;)

(BTW I completely agree with you that the caulked and painted seams are much more attractive than the tape)