5 Essential RV Painting Supplies

An RV on the road.

RV painting is a big job and if you are not properly prepared for it, you might end up with a badly painted vehicle. To be able to paint your vehicle properly, you need to have the right kind of tools and supplies. Below are some of the painting supplies you need to get the job done.

1. Sander

You need to remove the existing paint off of your vehicle before you apply fresh paint. Remember that old paint tends to flake so if you paint over your old paint, you could end up with some huge bubbles on your paint. Besides, car paint does not adhere well on shiny surfaces so you need to thoroughly remove all gloss on the surface of your vehicle walls, hood, and roofing.

To remove the paint off of your vehicle, use an electric sander or sandpaper. To minimize the amount of dust and paint particles, use an electric metal sander with a built-in dust collector. When sanding your vehicle, pay close attention to defects such as small dings, signs of corrosion, and scratches. For mildly corroded and scratched areas, use an electric sander. Sand the area until you remove all signs of corrosion and scratches.

2. Painting Mask and Special Adhesive Tape

You need a painting mask to cover portions of your car including the lights, the wheels, the windows, and other areas of the car that you do not want to paint. If you want to put some designs on your car, cut your painting mask to suit your design. To attach the painting mask on your car, use special adhesive tape designed for car painting jobs. Make sure that the painting mask is properly attached to your car before you start the priming process.

3. Car Paint Primer and Sprayer

A car paint primer is directly applied to the body of your car to serve as paint foundation. To create a strong paint foundation, you should opt for a waterproof epoxy paint primer. This type of primer minimizes the effect of oxidation and prevents damage to the metal surfaces of your car.

You need to apply at least two coats of primer on your vehicle. When applying metal primer on your RV, you may use a sprayer. Using a sprayer is a lot easier than using a roller or brush and it is definitely less messy. After applying the primer, let it dry for at least four hours before you apply the guide coat for sanding. Sanding off excess primer and smoothing out uneven surfaces on your RV should be done only after the primer coating has completely dried up.

4. Car Spray Paint

There are plenty of car spray paints sold in the market today including acrylic, urethane, and clear coat paints. Most of these types of paints work well with most types of vehicles. However, if you want to use a paint that is the least harmful to the environment, try using water-based paints and those which do not have many chemical additives.

5. Sealer Primer

The sealer primer protects the undercoat and top coat of your paint. It also helps enhance color uniformity to make your RV look as good as new.