Bare Steel Paint

[LTb1ow]

Looking for a robust, easy to apply, and decent looking paint for some steel.

Part will be be raw steel so can be prepped but it will be subject to some harsh living conditions so want to seal it well. Rust prevention is my goal.

[sweetbmxrider]

Can you elaborate?

[LTb1ow]

3/16 steel, comes raw, and I don't want rust.

What is best to coat and make it look nice? Part of me is thinking bedliner

[sweetbmxrider]

What is the environment and expected abuse? Bedliner is tough but crap clings to it and isn't flattering aesthetically if you want a nice finish. If its a bumper, xmember, skid plate etc yeah **** it, line that thing

[LTb1ow]

Bumper, so full abuse of nj roads etc

[MDSheds_SS]

Just a heads up if you use the bed liner stuff. It stinks pretty bad for a while. I coated the top deck of my trailer and I can still smell it. Holding up pretty well so far.

[Featherburner]

If you want to leave it bare metal... https://www.amazon.com/Sharkhide-Aluminum-and-Metal-Protectant/dp/B07J1FTW1X/ref=asc_df_B07J1FTW1X/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312148125047&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1537290168201885006&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9051918&hvtargid=pla-584050879851&psc=1

[sweetbmxrider]

Whatever you decide to use, prep is everything. At a minimum, self-etching primer before coating would be a good idea.

Just a heads up if you use the bed liner stuff. It stinks pretty bad for a while. I coated the top deck of my trailer and I can still smell it. Holding up pretty well so far.

What brand did you use? The interior floors of my jeep are coated and I can't recall it smelling for any long period of time. Maybe a week? It was sprayed on, hand application may take longer to cure? Dono

[The_Bishop]

If you can get it media blasted, that'll make the paint adhesion a ton better. Pinnacle would be sand blasted then powder coated, probably.

[wretched73]

Whatever you decide to use, prep is everything. At a minimum, self-etching primer before coating would be a good idea

Self etching primer has an acid in it. It may not react well under the bed liner. And there is no point in using it because you will be prepping the surface yourself.

The absolute best primer is a 2k epoxy primer. Eastwood carries it in a spray can.

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-2k-aerospraytm-epoxy-primer-gray-black.html

My first choice would be powder coat. If you do not want to spend the money on that, get the 2k epoxy.

[LTb1ow]

I worry with powder coating is the inevitable chips due to NJ roads, and then what do you do to fix?

Whereas a POR15/bedliner can be touched up easy.

[wretched73]

At your height, I don't think it will get hit with TOO much. You could just give it a nice rattle can paint job and re-paint every few years.

I don't think the bedliner will ever need a tough up. I'm just not a big fan of that look.

[WildBillyT]

I worry with powder coating is the inevitable chips due to NJ roads, and then what do you do to fix?

Whereas a POR15/bedliner can be touched up easy.

Sand it thouroughly with 80, wax and grease remover, POR15, topcoat of your choice.

[LTb1ow]

Sand it thouroughly with 80, wax and grease remover, POR15, topcoat of your choice.

This brings up another point.

Would it be worth buying the cheapo harbor freight sand blaster gun to prep?

[WildBillyT]

This brings up another point.

Would it be worth buying the cheapo harbor freight sand blaster gun to prep?

Eh, I don't really think so. Those little things don't really work well. I've got their "spot blaster" and it works poorly.

You might be able to use a regular electric hand sander if it's got a lot of flat spots.

[MDSheds_SS]

This brings up another point.

Would it be worth buying the cheapo harbor freight sand blaster gun to prep?

Quick strip sand blasting will do it for cheaper then a HF. He can power coat wrinkle black, charcoal or red (like my valve covers)

[LTb1ow]

Quick strip sand blasting will do it for cheaper then a HF. He can power coat wrinkle black, charcoal or red (like my valve covers)

Where are they located?

[WildBillyT]

Where are they located?

Cartaret I believe.

[DirtyBird]

Quick strip does good work

[MDSheds_SS]

Right of the NJTP exit 12 in Cartaret. Ask for Mike.

[LTb1ow]

ya contacted em and they said 100-150 for blasting. Certainly not bad price wise

[WildBillyT]

ya contacted em and they said 100-150 for blasting. Certainly not bad price wise

How much abuse do you think it's really going to see? Blasting would probably be the best option but it may just be overkill. I'd contend that painting it like a plain old car bumper would be pretty durable.

If you use it off road in thick brush or to push nonrunning projects around then that's a different story.

[sweetbmxrider]

We could get our hands on a DA and some 80 grit....

[LTb1ow]

How much abuse do you think it's really going to see? Blasting would probably be the best option but it may just be overkill. I'd contend that painting it like a plain old car bumper would be pretty durable.

If you use it off road in thick brush or to push nonrunning projects around then that's a different story.

I really just want the thing to be rust proof, anything past that is a bonus.

[LS1ow]

I painted my whole XJ with white hurculiner and it held up amazing. Saplings at 25-30mph yielded no issues

[LTb1ow]

Started looking at epoxy, and wondering what the quantity I should get?

[WildBillyT]

For this a quart of SPI epoxy and catalyst is probably good. That gives you 2 quarts sprayable. From what I recall it's also UV stable, but I'd topcoat it.

I don't think I'd try spraying it under, say, 55* or so though.

[The_Bishop]

I still say that I'd get it blasted first, no matter what finish you go with. Adhesion will be worlds better if the base coast is painted on a rougher surface, especially if you're not worried about it being shiny.