# Painting a boat trailer



## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

I have a new galvanized Continental trailer, and everything on my boat is powder coated or carbon fiber. I was planning on doing the wheels with the typical steel wool scrub, soapy water rinse, acetone, and rustoleum engine paint. Can I do the same with the trailer? I don’t want to powder coat, I’m just looking for a little weekend project and those blacked out trailers look pretty slick.


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## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I know the blacked out Ramlin trailers are baked on but honestly if I had a regular galvanized trailer I'd get rustoleum and paint the whole thing. Worst case scenario i looks cool and holds the rust off longer.


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## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

mtoddsolomon said:


> I know the blacked out Ramlin trailers are baked on but honestly if I had a regular galvanized trailer I'd get rustoleum and paint the whole thing. Worst case scenario i looks cool and holds the rust off longer.


Primer or no?


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## browndogrods (Oct 21, 2010)

I used KBS coatings on my 2009 gav ramlin trailer in 2014 and it still looks new and has held up well. It was a pain... strip down the trailer, clean, prime, and paint. I did a roll on primer and sprayed the final overcoat in black.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

No one uses steel wool anymore. This is a much better product and it's very handy for all kinds of things https://www.amazon.com/3m-7447-07447-Box-Scotch-Brite/dp/B01N1V2F22


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Why engine paint? 

My vote is for sub $4/can Rustoleum Appliance Epoxy in black


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## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

That appliance paint is pretty good stuff.


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## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

so should I just scuff the trailer with a scotch brite pad, wash with soapy water and spray away?


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## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

If you use the Rustoleum Appliance, be careful of overspray...that stuff hangs heavy in the air & sticks like glue to anything around it.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

If you are dunking it in saltwater I would leave it galvanized.


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> If you are dunking it in saltwater I would leave it galvanized.


^^^ Agreed! Paint can hide rust. Better to catch the rust early and take carw of it rather than letting it hide under the paint.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Rust (oxidation) requires oxygen, a layer of paint will starve the availability of oxygen, provided that the metal has been properly prepped and does not have pockets of rust already...


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## CPurvis (Apr 6, 2016)

yobata said:


> Rust (oxidation) requires oxygen, a layer of paint will starve the availability of oxygen, provided that the metal has been properly prepped and does not have pockets of rust already...


Properly prepped is the key!!! My thoughts are if t ou are not willing to take the trailer completely apart and prep it than don't bother.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

yobata said:


> Rust (oxidation) requires oxygen, a layer of paint will starve the availability of oxygen, provided that the metal has been properly prepped and does not have pockets of rust already...


Not arguing BUT do you know why there are just about no saltwater trailers that are painted and so many freshwater trailers that are? Unless the trailer is perfectly coated there will be saltwater intrusion issues and in a few short months this guy will have bubbling paint with rust under it. Even if it is perfectly prepped and painted all it takes is one piece of gravel hitting it at 70mph and there is a new place for saltwater to start the cancer. Aluminum trailers are anodized black for a reason! Even galvanized trailers end up rusting to hell in no time even with pressure washing. Short of slathering grease on a galvanized trailer rust is inevitable.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

CPurvis said:


> Properly prepped is the key!!! My thoughts are if t ou are not willing to take the trailer completely apart and prep it than don't bother.


Great advice


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Well, I had a bass boat with a ugly trailer. I took the boat off,( suggest you do that), and laid it on tires in my yard. I took a power sander to the frame painted in with grey rustoleum primer then black paint
I put the boat in salt water and it looked pretty good when I sold it


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

RunningOnEmpty said:


> No one uses steel wool anymore. This is a much better product and it's very handy for all kinds of things https://www.amazon.com/3m-7447-07447-Box-Scotch-Brite/dp/B01N1V2F22


Crack heads do.


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## prinjm6 (May 13, 2015)

Sandblast, ospho, primer and paint. I had Bill Adkins in Jax paint my Galv Ramlin little over 2yrs ago and it came out great, new owner of the boat has no issues with trailer.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Crack heads do.


It might work for smoking tide as well?


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Crack heads do.


What do they do with the steel wool??


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

yobata said:


> What do they do with the steel wool??


You never watched cops they use it in the crack pipes as a filter.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

Backcountry 16 said:


> You never watched cops they use it in the crack pipes as a filter.


Haha no, I've never seen that before


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## sickz284u (Mar 8, 2012)

I had my ramlin done a few months back. It came out great. I really like the look as well over standard galvanized.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

All I can say is good luck


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