Vintage caravan

[Bayliss]

Maybe slightly off the main core of topics here? but you can and I do live in it at weekends. My 1930 Eccles caravan requires an cosmetic exterior spruce up, I have selected the paint which is the oil based tekaloid coach enamal. The material I am painting is the old oil based hardboard or masonite I think its called. Has anybody here tried using an paint roller to apply tekaloid? what type of roller and were the results good? I do have an quality brush to use but thinking how much time I would save with an roller perhaps.
Anyone else here into vintage caravans? (mobile home)

 

[robgil]

i have used tekaloid to coach paint. try here for info. http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk/
one thing i will say is use an undercoat , keep it out of direct sunlight and get plenty of practice first. you could ask avenue coatings if they do it in a spray can , that would be so much easier.



http://www.avenue-group.co.uk/coating1.htm

 

[Bayliss]

Thanks for tips and link which is very useful.

 

[Flyfisher]

And on a reasonably related topic, happy birthday VW camper van . . .
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8704175.stm

 

[robgil]

personally i would never use enamel again , just been out tinkering with the old bucket (my landrover) and after only 4 or 5 years the tekaloid is cracked with the sun , its dull because it cannot be polished and peeling off here and there. the main problem is that when i get round to a re paint i can not put anything over enamel except enamel unless i use a sealing coat first , i suppose a rub down and re-paint isnt a huge job but beware of this. you can wax it or use a clear coat but once its gone shabby its very hard to pick it back up again.
also , bird poo eats through it like nobody's business.

 

[Andrew Bodenham]

I've used rollers for painting narrowboats and dinghies (though not with Tekaloid), and had success with short pile sleeves. The dense foam sleeves, though sold for gloss paint, were not so good. Another alternative is the short pile paint pads, giving a better finish than a roller but not so quick on large areas. Perhaps the ideal would be to cover the area quickly with a roller and then tip off in one direction with a fine bristled brush. I find that synthetic brushes (even the relatively cheap ones) are far superior to natural bristle brushes for producing a blemish-free finish.

 

[philpjuk100]

I used black tekaloid on a motorcycle frame and mudguards many years ago,I took great care rubbing down,using a tak rag and a good brush,burnishing and waxing,it looked great when finished but soon deteriorated.It seemed to be attacked by heat,petrol and oil and soon became dull.I now use aerosol cans from Halfords or Wilcos,it is cheap and means I don`t need to clean out the spray gun.In the 50s folks used to paint cars with valspar and with care it gave a great finish.I once worked with a chap who painted his wife`s Citroen 2CV with hammerite in his lunch hour in a fetching shade of pale blue which attracted flys which stuck to it(he told me she was very pleased with it!)phil.

 

[robgil]

another tip is to buy more than you think you will need , you will probably need it but no two tins of tekaloid are the same shade unless mixed at the same time.
so , if you run out your caravan will end up two or more different shades of the same colour , just like my land rover did.

 

[Bayliss]

Little update for those maybe interested. I have now finished the cosmetic makeover having used coach enamal from Craftmaster Paints. Very pleased with results save an couple of small runs I have to sort out. Yesterday I applied an good wax polish offering further protection to the paint. Hopefully should be good for 7/10 years. I shall try and put up an couple of pics.

 

[robgil]

its not a bit early for wax is it? i know that tekaloid recommend 3 months i think it is before waxing just to ensure the paint has cured properly.

 

[Bayliss]

:shock: oppps! to late its on. Still the board is unvarnished on the reverse so guess thats an saving grace that will allow breathing, although the paint was quite hard when I waxed it owing to the heat we have all enjoyed lately.

 

[robgil]

might not make a difference.
top tip , fairy liquid is a brilliant wax remover , i use it on my car before i wax it.
so , if you wash your car and use fairy you have probably stripped all the wax off it.

 

[AMc]

might not make a difference.
top tip , fairy liquid is a brilliant wax remover , i use it on my car before i wax it.
so , if you wash your car and use fairy you have probably stripped all the wax off it.

I was warned against using washing up liquid to clean cars and bikes as it contains salts that damage the paint and remove the shine - permanently. It could be guff to sell car and bike shampoo, but given how often (not) I clean either I use car shampoo - it costs me about £5 a decade .

 

[Bayliss]

My Late Father-in-Law swore by using Fairy Liquid for washing his car, despite my constant warnings against such use. He managed to strip the paint from his car after prolonged use of the stuff :lol:
Paint on the caravan seems to be fine, so far.