Maintenance & Restoration

Bob Miller · 03-25-2013, 06:45 PM

There are only three things to mention when home painting a FGRV:

1. Preparation: No matter what you put on, it won't look good unless you do good prep work. This is the area where most home paint jobs fail.

2. Material: There seems to be a direct relationship between price and quality in marine grade paints for fiberglass. Interlux Briteside costs more because is just plain a lot better product. Non-marine paints shouldn't even be considered.

3. Technique: "Roll and tip" lays paints down beautifully, no roller marks, no brush marks and it's easy for the Newbee to learn how to do.

Ron in BC · 03-25-2013, 08:14 PM

It seems like the primary goal is to make an unsightly exterior passably OK so that it doesn't attract unwanted attention. Then maybe later do a more professional make over.

If so, I wouldn't spend too much time on the initial paint. I'd give it a once over with rolled on Tremclad. Then I'd add a contrasting stripe or graphic. I've done that with a spray bomb. The end result would achieve the goal. Only a close up inspection would reveal that it's not a pro job. A contrasting stripe goes a long way to distracting the eye from blemishes.

Of course you'll bring it to the BC Glass Egg meet in June so the we can all admire it.

arlon · 03-26-2013, 07:20 AM

Built a boat and hand painted with a brush. I used an industrial enamel for the job. I did 2 coats with brush strokes in opposite directions. sanded with 400 wet/dry just to get the high spots off, repeated with two more coats. used 400, 800, 3200 the polished with glazing compound. You could easily see your reflection in it and there were no brush marks left. I let the paint cure (harden) for a month before the final sanding with the 3200 and glazing compound.

My casita is pretty faded from sitting in the West Texas sun for years with no maintenance. I've actually considered painting it too...

Donna D. · 03-26-2013, 07:44 AM

There will always be those that won't be happy without a totally professional job and then the opposite camp that says as long as it's clean and safe to go down the road, to heck with what others think.. I'm going camping and make memories (that's me)! Then those inbetweeners. Frankly, I like the looks of Brady's and Jenny's Boler with an exterior in Durabak (bottom pics): Picasa Web Albums - Brady and Jenny's... - BOLER#

Seems like a good compromise YMMV

Steve Hammel · 03-26-2013, 08:42 AM

I keep waffling back and forth on painting my 1984 Scamp 19. Besides the obvious work of pulling out the zillions of rivets, windows, hatches, etc. the fiberglass itself is very wavy as compared to say a Corvette or other fiberglass vehicle that you would want a nice custom paint job on. I don't know if it because of the extra weight of the overhead bunk but no one could hope to make this thing straight enough for my taste. Now I'm thinking of just going with the rivets, et all, and come up with a really aggressive industrial motif (yellow submarine isn't gonna happen lol). Any ideas or pics let me have them.

Donna D. · 03-26-2013, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Hammel

...Any ideas or pics let have them.

Fourteen pages worth of ideas here Steve. Pick one you like! http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...obs-25303.html

arlon · 03-26-2013, 09:41 AM

I'd also considered rolling a layer of white bed liner onto the Casita. From a distance it would just be a white Casita. Stuff has held up amazingly well in my truck bed, why not coat a trailer in Rhino liner?

carlkeigley · 03-26-2013, 09:59 AM

I think arlon hit it in post #23.
It's been a given that the first important step is proper prep.
Arlon shows that the last important step is proper finish.

A good paint job requires a lot of "elbow grease."

Kitsgal · 08-22-2013, 02:16 AM

Hello All,

I wanted to thank you, All for your input. It was truly inspirational. The BF and I painted the boler today with a marine enamel and it looks AMAZING!!!! LOL...we will see how it holds up under our rainy fall Vancouver weather but as of right now, we are thrilled. I really appreciated your thoughts. You all rock. xo PS: I will post a pic on my profile page.