Posted 2010-05-10 9:44 AM (#119963) Subject: Painting trailer door?
Veteran
Posts: 144 Location: Hickory Hills, IL
Well I was looking at my trailer a lot this weekend (working on it, wishing we were out with it and the horses!). I was wondering if anyone has painted their trailer door? My door LQ door is fiberglass and has turned yellow, vs. the white of the painted aluminum. I am wondering if it will look better or worse if I try to paint it. Would I have any luck matching the white of a trailer that is 10 years old?I am not sure how I would paint the stripes on the door to keep them the same as the rest of the trailer- I suppose there are three options:1) Paint the stripes again. Not sure I like this option as the rest of the trailer stripes are somewhat faded and the door stripe may stand out too much.2) Mask off the stripes when masking the trailer (only painting the door). Door will become white again, stripes will remain somewhat faded black.3) Mask off and paint the stripes on the whole trailer. If I do this I would paint them to match my new truck and not the factory black (new truck is deep blue). While this would be the best option for aesthetics, it is also much more work than just masking and painting the door.
Posted 2010-05-10 11:02 AM (#119973 - in reply to #119966) Subject: RE: Painting trailer door?
Veteran
Posts: 144 Location: Hickory Hills, IL
I will check again, but I believe they are painted on. If they are indeed vinyl, then removing them all and buying some new trailer decals (in blue) would be easier then trying to mask and repaint them all!Any help on the painting of the door? How do I color match the white, I know there are a ton of different "white" paints!Should I just buy some white different white paint and see what is the best match?
Posted 2010-05-10 11:19 AM (#119975 - in reply to #119963) Subject: RE: Painting trailer door?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Painting fiberglass is relatively straight forward. Matching the paint is very difficult; there must be a hundred colours of white. Use the wrong tint and the door will stand out like a large postage stamp.
How involved you want to get with the trailer's appearance, will determine your course of action. Once the door looks pristine, the surrounding areas will look shabby. It's just like any restoration. You can remove the stripes with a heat gun, and use the remaining discolourations as a pattern, to mask off the stripe areas for painting.
If you're going to do all that work, it isn't a giant step to repaint the whole side or even the whole trailer. If you plan on keeping it and treasure its appearance, this might be the time to consider such an option.
If you have an indoor storage area, you can consider this a DIY project. Spraying the paint on this type of surface isn't too technical, and the prep work for aluminum and fiberglass is a fraction that of steel. The material costs would be a few hundred dollars. The most expensive cost for any paint job, is the hours of work necessary for a proper preparation. If you do the grunt work, you will eliminate much of these costs.
Another alternative is if you have a local paint supplier for body shops. Most have the same capabilities as the big box stores, in matching paint colours for home decoration. The paint shops often have a portable computer and scanner, that can be taken to a vehicle in the front of their shop. The scanner converts the colours to a code, and they can then custom mix matching paints. This will allow you to come close with the colour of the door, but the sheen of the new paint, will differ greatly from the weathered OEM coating. It would then be necessary to clear coat the siding to match the new door and old siding. It's just as easy to paint the colour as a clear coating.
Posted 2010-05-10 11:56 AM (#119978 - in reply to #119963) Subject: RE: Painting trailer door?
Veteran
Posts: 144 Location: Hickory Hills, IL
Thanks Gard for the informative reply!I figured the door will stand out some, but hopefully not as much as the very noticeable yellow it is now. I will look at the stripes again, but I think I will see how close I can get to matching the trailer paint and doing just the door after I wash and wax the trailer. If it still doesn't look right I do not have the capacity to paint the entire trailer myself (no indoor place big enough) so that option isn't very doable unless I prep as much as I can and take a road trip to my dad's place in KY.For the stripes, I will wash and wax the trailer and see how it looks. If I am still not happy I may paint the whole thing...
Posted 2010-05-10 12:09 PM (#119980 - in reply to #119978) Subject: RE: Painting trailer door?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Originally written by statzk on 2010-05-10 12:56 PM
I will wash and wax the trailer and see how it looks. If I am still not happy I may paint the whole thing...
DO NOT wax the trailer until AFTER you decide whether or not a respray is necessary. One of the most difficult preparations for painting, is the removal of all the waxes and contaminates from the old paint. You don't want to add to your labour, and risk a poor adhesion of the new paint
Posted 2010-05-10 12:35 PM (#119981 - in reply to #119963) Subject: RE: Painting trailer door?
Veteran
Posts: 144 Location: Hickory Hills, IL
I did consider that, but if I do repaint the entire trailer it will have to wait until after the show/shooting season is over so I will wax it now for the summer. :-)If I decide to paint it will be a fall project, and some good quality time with my dad and son! My dad has a huge shop in KY but I will have to schedule with him around his other projects as he is retired and now has a fleet of antique tractors and cars in various stages of restoration.Planning on going down there this fall already, but hopefully to work on my 51 Ford F1 and not the trailer!
Painting trailer door?
