Posted 2013-09-20 3:37 PM (#154878) Subject: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 2614
Looking for Gard's latest trailer floor coating post,and,it must have dropped off of the forum in its' entirety (the process,start to finish.) I thought I had printed it out at one time,but,I can't find it now.Getting ready to do this weekend,and,just need some 'brush up' on the application technique of the bedliner to the floor.(I have the acid wash down pat.) can anybody help,or,is Gard around? Thanks!
Posted 2013-09-20 5:08 PM (#154881 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 178 Location: Richmond, Ky
Just so happens that I saved it, hope this is what ya need....thanks goes to Gard for ALL his info.
I am often being PM'd and asked about aluminum floor corrosion, how it should be treated and if its maintenance can be reduced. The first issue is some terms that I believe are confusing. Aluminum oxidation and corrosion.
Oxidation is the microscopically thin, naturally occurring surface coating that appears whenever bare aluminum is exposed to the air. This coating is what makes aluminum so resistant to environmental damages. Its oxide has a dull grayish silver colour, and it's this coating that acid washes and "brighteners" remove, to restore the new bare aluminum look. Unfortunately this process again starts as soon as the metal is once again exposed to the air. Only by a coating of waxes or surfactants, can air be kept from the surface, and preventing a reoccurrence of this dulling. The acids commonly used in the washing process, are mild, and clean the metal surfaces. They are usually not strong enough to treat and stop active corrosion.
Corrosion is seen in pitting, some black, some white and often an accumulation of fine powder around the affected area. This is as destructive to aluminum as rust is to ferrous materials. Often too, when a small area is detected, a larger problem is hidden. This has to be chemically or mechanically cleaned and repaired before any covering is placed over it. To not do so would be akin to painting over rotted wood.
The product I chose to coat my trailers' flooring is Duplicolor truck bed liner, commonly sold by auto parts stores and Walmart. If you check the home pages of Herculiner and Duplicolor, you will find both products are very similar in their chemical make up. Since I have not used Herculiner, I can only state that several people have done so, and are pleased with the results. I chose Duplicolor because of is availably at our local Walmart for less than half the advertised, mail order only availability of the Herculiner. My local sales tax is far less than the shipping charges.
To install these products,you have to first chemically stop the corrosion before you can apply any coating over the bare aluminum. This is done by acid etching. I use Muriatic acid that I purchase from Lowes. Sweep the floor and pressure wash if possible, you do not have to scrub any contaminates. Move the trailer to an outside area. Do not apply this acid inside any closed structure, barn or garage. Open all the trailer windows, close the pass thru door to your LQ. One or several box fans aimed appropriately are also good option.
Muriatic acid is mild and effectively stops active corrosion. If the corroded areas penetrate the thickness of the metal, they have to be mechanically cleaned out with drills or a rat tail file until the area shows only bright metal. Two part epoxies can be used as fillers (JB Weld or equivalent) and can fill smaller holes; larger repairs should be made using an aluminum welding apparatus. If the smaller holes are first reamed with a countersink, it will give more strength to the repair.
YOU MUST USE A CHEMICAL RESPIRATOR TO APPLY THIS ACID. It costs about $40 and incorporates a charcoal filter. A dust mask is worthless with the resulting fumes. Wear old shoes, long pants, gloves and safety glasses.
Pour a liberal coating of some acid on about a third or quarter of the floor area, and quickly spread it around with a short bristle brush and long handle. I use a roof coating brush. You will immediately see fumes rise from the floor; leave the trailer quickly. The acid will start showing bubbles after a minute or two. After about 10 - 15 minutes you will see an even foam of bubbles, with the most reaction being where the floor was the most corroded and dirty. Re-enter the trailer and agitate the wetted area with the broom and leave it for another 5 minutes. Rinse the floor with water and inspect the area, spot reapplying as necessary until the floor is an even color, and there is no black or brown spots in the corroded areas. The cracks and seams between the floor planks, should be especially treated with a fair amount of acid. Unseen corrosion can be trapped in these areas, and will ruin a new coating if not adequately treated.
Do another third and the last the same way, working towards the door as you go. When you're done flood the floor several times with water. Let it dry overnight and the next day you can apply your coating. On aluminum, by acid washing the area, you are providing a clean, ready surface to be coated. It is now etched and corrosion free. On steel, the Duplicolor manufacturer recommends that all the areas are sanded, abraded and cleaned before any application. Read all of the manufacturer's instructions for the proper procedures.
The Duplicolor manufacturer recommends two coats of coverage. On a three horse trailer with a rear tack, one gallon will give you a two coat coverage. I bought two gallons and put down three coats, and kept the rest for other projects. The large brush is used to apply the product around the edges of the floor. A paint roller, now equipped with the same handle used with your roofing brush, will make short work of applying the subsequent coats of new bed liner material.
Several seasons ago I treated the aluminum stall floor of our new to us, Sidekick trailer with this product. Two years ago I similarly coated the aluminum flooring of an Exiss used trailer we had just purchased. Neither trailer had been acid washed by their previous owners. Since then, at the end of each season, the only maintenance to the floors has been to roll the mats over and hose the floor down. The coating continues to look new, and with the mats on top, has no chaffing issues. I also coated the steel dump bed of our utility vehicle. This liner is constantly being subjected to all sorts of abrasion, urine, manure, stones, dirt and after three years, shows no wear or chipping.
Two gallons of "Duplicolor", one gallon of acid, a roller cover, and one cheap paint brush, costs about ~$100. Actual work time is two or three hours, the rest is waiting for things to dry. A four horse trailer floor could be easily coated with two gallons (three coats).
Posted 2013-09-20 6:19 PM (#154882 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 2614
Hey,thanks so much.I was needing a few brush-ups (no pun,but,a good one) on the Duplicolor coating.Appreciate you!! going for this weekend on my 2H.I've pulled my last mat out of that trailer by myself.
Posted 2013-09-20 10:09 PM (#154883 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Duplicolor now has a Kevlar reinforced coating called "Bed Armor" in addition to their regular bed coating line. It's a little more expensive, but is easy to apply and supposed to be even more durable.
Posted 2013-09-21 11:34 AM (#154886 - in reply to #154883) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 2614
I saw this at O'Reilly's,last PM.But,it was only a gallon and it came in that kit which was $100.I figured if I used more than one coat on the floor as you have,a gallon wouldn't do it.So I got 2 gallons of the Duplicolor.I know there is a rebate on the Bed Armor,but,that would still be around $200 for the 2 kits,and,they only had 1 in stock.So I just went for the old standby.Maybe I can put a coat of the Bed Armor over the Duplicolor at some point in the future.
Posted 2013-09-21 10:44 PM (#154888 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE:Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 30
I did my trailer floor with this method about a month and a half ago just after I bought it. Apparently my 2001 Kiefer had never had the mats pulled for a good cleaning before I got it. I think I acid washed the floor 4 times with the muriatic acid. Then a good chain saw round file to etch the pitted areas. 3 packs of JB weld (I was preparing to overkill if needed with it). Add in wire brushing a few of the rougher spots by hand and I was ready to coat! I was covering a 4 horse area with rear tack. I think a gallon would have worked fine. We ended up using 2 extra quarts and got three coats on the floor if I recall correctly? The hubby was eager to do the coating after I did the prep. I woke up one morning to a coated floor and instructions that it needed just one more coat :) I'm afraid I was extremely eager to put my mats back in and get to a horse show so I didn't get any pics of the finished product, but the Bed Armor worked great! Hubby ended up cleaning the bed area of his yamaha rhino and lining it after he saw how well it worked in the trailer.
Posted 2013-09-25 3:17 PM (#154956 - in reply to #154888) Subject: RE:Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 2614
I'm definitely going to take a picture,as it has taken me since last Sat to get the floor coated.(Things kept happening around here,like a locked stifle joint on my mare that was injured badly in Feb.) I wish now I had gotten the gallon Kevlar Bed Armor,it would have worked,a gallon would have let me coat the floor 3 times.But,I didn't.Gard's probably laughing.
The muriatic acid wasn't bad at all,even though I did buy a respirator like suggested.the fumes were harder on my eyes than anything.I used the low odor muriatic and it was fine.I did sand,by hand,what few areas of corrosion I found in the floor.
Should have done it when I first read about it.If I'd known it was this easy,I probably would have.Next big project is to get the roof of our 3H Exiss LQ coated with KoolSeal.
Posted 2013-09-25 9:55 PM (#154965 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 22
Location: Bellevue, NE
Would the acid wash be necessary on a brand new trailer that has only been peed in once and was subsequently washed out (mats removed, allowed to dry, etc.)?
Posted 2013-09-28 7:38 AM (#155019 - in reply to #154956) Subject: RE:Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 2614
"The muriatic acid wasn't bad at all,even though I did buy a respirator like suggested.the fumes were harder on my eyes than anything"
I wanted to make it clear,that I DID have eye goggles on.everything that was suggested in the instructions,I followed,but the goggles aren't airtight around one's face like the respirator is,so,I could tell about the fumes.Be sure to wear goggles,respirator,chemical gloves,long pants and boots.
Posted 2013-09-28 8:06 AM (#155020 - in reply to #154965) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
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Posts: 720
Originally written by billnchristi on 2013-09-25 9:55 PM
Would the acid wash be necessary on a brand new trailer that has only been peed in once and was subsequently washed out (mats removed, allowed to dry, etc.)?
Yes- part of its purpose is to etch the aluminum in addition to removing surface contaminants.
Posted 2013-09-29 9:49 AM (#155037 - in reply to #154878) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
A brand new trailer from a dealer will have a floor contaminated by many people walking in and out of the trailer. One trip across a black top surface, can provide enough oils to prevent a good bonding for an applied material to aluminum.
The acid is an excellent cleaning medium, etches the surface and stops any current corrosion and oxidation. After the acid has been flushed and the flooring is dry to walk on, I place an old door mat near the back of the trailer. Using an old pair of moccasins that easily slip on and off, I leave them on the mat and enter the trailer in my stocking feet to apply the bed liner material. If I were to wade inside the trailer with my street shoe wear, I would negated the acid cleaning I had just accomplished.
Another thing I don't do is work inside the trailer whilst the fumes are pervasive. By pouring enough acid to cover aprox one third of a three stall trailer, I have about a minute or so the vigorously scrub the flooring until the acid reaction starts producing the fumes. At that point I leave the trailer and wait about fifteen minutes to let the acid work and the fumes to dissipate. Scrubbing the same flooring again, the colouration will determine if a second acid spot cleaning is necessary. If not, then I work a second third part of the flooring and again wait out the chemical reaction, moving to the last section etc. etc..
The acid treatment has bothered many potential DIY's from attempting this procedure. It's not as bad a some have made it out to be. The most time consumed is waiting for things to happen and dry. The actual liner material is no more involved than applying paint and has little to no fumes at all.
Posted 2013-09-30 11:17 PM (#155075 - in reply to #155073) Subject: RE: Needing to talk to: GARD
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
There are thousands of formulations for the rubbers and plastics used in various construction materials. Not being a chemist, I cannot say which of those, if any, are adversely affected by Muriatic acid. I can only state that of the seven trailers I have coated, and the numerous efforts of many of our forum's membership, none of us has had any difficulty that was noted, as a result of the acid contacting the rubber wall coverings.
I have washed masonry products with the acid and at times with my bare hands. I have resused rubber gloves repeatedly, and never had them fail due to a caustic reaction. I have cleaned aluminum wheels with the acid, and inadvertently splashed it onto the tires with no ill affects. Bases solely on my experiences, I would say that the acid has had no affect on the rubber products that I have encountered.
It would be an easy matter to first test the product on an exposed bottom edge of the wall covering. If any reaction is noted, it can be almost immediately stopped by flushing with water.
Needing to talk to: GARD
Looking for Gard's latest trailer floor coating post,and,it must have dropped off of the forum in its' entirety (the process,start to finish.) I thought I had printed it out at one time,but,I can't find it now.Getting ready to do this weekend,and,just need some 'brush up' on the application technique of the bedliner to the floor.(I have the acid wash down pat.) can anybody help,or,is Gard around? Thanks!
