# Getting trailer painted?



## Joe4d

sell it, take that money and your 6 k and buy an aluminum trailer. I wouldnt spend 6ooo to BUY a 15 year old stock trailer.


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## Cowgirls Boots

Again joe she asked about opinions on having her trailer painted not opinions about selling her trailer...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Joe4d

the op asked any thoughts, I gave her mine. My opinion is to sell it and buy aluminum.


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## Skipsfirstspike

Wow, that's a lot of money. I have to agree with Joe on this one. If you have $6000 to spare, I would see if you could get $5000 or so for your trailer, then you have $11000 for a nice aluminum.


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## AmazinCaucasian

It takes 39 cans of rattle can spray paint to cover a 36' soft top stock trailer.

It'll last about 5 years, which is as good as the cheap job most manufacturers put on em


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## Darrin

That kind of money would pay for a pretty decent paint job on your pickup and is not needed for a trailer, where you took it for a quote is picking your pocket. Take it to small, independent shop or a place like Maaco that advertises cheap paint jobs. Should be $400-$500 and will last a good 5+ year. Paying someone to put in bedliner should be around the same so ~$1000 to spruce up your trailer.

If you feel adventerous you can buy a compressor, paint gun and paint. You'll be in it ~$300. Read up on the net on how to prep and paint and do it in your driveway. Yeah you'll have some dust in the paint, runs and orange striping but hey it's a horse trailer. I doubt anyone is going to complain unless you hang out with a bunch of snobs.

As for areas you want bedliner, hit up your local auto parts store and buy the DIY stuff. Cost $90-$100 around here for enough to do a pickup bed. All told you should be able to do the complete job for $500 or less yourself. When done you'll have an air compressor that is handy for all sorts of projects and a paint gun. Even more, you'll have learned a whole bunch of stuff and have pride in doing it yourself.

As for spending $6k on your trailer, I wouldn't even consider it. You would be quite near being able to purchase a brand new steel trailer for that much.


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## DrumRunner

Good Lord, There is NO way I'd pay that much for my trailer to be repainted..I'm actually looking to do this in the near future and I've looked into it..If I buy the paint and help sand blast it it's going to cost me $150 in labor, and then whatever the paint costs me.. Would I pay $6000 for a trailer to be repainted? No way, I can put the $6000 with what I got from selling the trailer and buy a NICE aluminum trailer..They are MUCH lighter than steer and pull better..Just my two cents..


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## ls6firebird

ive painted a few flatbed trailers with john deere equipment paint. you can get a good enough paint gun from harbor freight. i used a $15 dollar harbor freight gun that i usually use as a primer gun. 

you can rattle can it, but you can get set up with a budget paint gun set up and end up not spending that much more, and could possibly be cheaper. plus the paint will be thicker than the spray paint.

like said above, you'll have a little dust and some runs in it, but it can be done without spending thousands.

heres a link to the john deere paint. this is also good paint for a beginner, because its pretty thick (not the rattle can) so it wont run near as easy as a lot of paint.
John Deere Paint


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## waresbear

Painted this trailer for less than $100, rustoleum paint & sprayer. Sanded it with a power tool attachment. $5000 is way too much to invest in a 15 yr old trailer.


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## ls6firebird

that turned out good!


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## mypets

We run an auto restoration shop. Unfortunately, 3000-3500 is actually what we would charge to paint a trailer like that. You have no idea of what paint and materials cost these days-EPA has their fingers in it and costs have skyrocketed. Is there a technical school or junior college near you that has autobody/painting classes? Why not contact them about allowing them to use your trailer as a teaching tool if you would pay for paint? The kids learn how to do it, you get a supervised paint job and everybody's happy.


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## Cowgirls Boots

Do NOT have maaco do your paint job. They painted my trailer and they painted over rust spots, there are drip marks everywhere. The lady we bought it from payed $1,000 for maaco to paint it and they did it like sh*t
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Darrin

Cowgirls Boots said:


> Do NOT have maaco do your paint job. They painted my trailer and they painted over rust spots, there are drip marks everywhere. The lady we bought it from payed $1,000 for maaco to paint it and they did it like sh*t
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Depends on the owner I guess, I've seen Maaco jobs that have lasted a good number of years. Yeah it's no where near a perfect job but the paint stays on and that's what I consider important.


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## Cowgirls Boots

No doubt that it should hold up. But paints chippin off over where they painted over the spots of rust and there's big drip marks on the back doors. But if I were the one who had it painted I would of just saved the $1,000++ and painted it myself. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Corporal

I just repainted metal trailer#2 in 2010--touched up parts I missed in 2011. I own a 4-horse, slant-load gooseneck. I spent $150.00 on Royal Blue Rustoleum--5 gallons worth. I wasn't fussy about taping off the metal, but EVERYONE remarks on how much better it looks. The original paint was Midnight Blue, but Rustoleum doesn't make that color. =(
See what you think:
March, 2007









January, 2012









March, 2012


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## gunslinger

I think there are a couple of good idea's presented. Like Joe said, if you going to spend that much money then I'd have to think about upgrading. Second option, see if the local high school or vocational school is interested in doing it. Third, paint it yourself. This is the option I'm considering for my trailer. I've painted the tractor and it looks pretty darn good. I think I can paint the trailer and make it look decent. Dang Warebear, you're quite talented. I'm impressed. You go girl!


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## waresbear

Nope, husband is the talented guy. I just sold it.


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## DressageDreamer

waresbear said:


> Painted this trailer for less than $100, rustoleum paint & sprayer. Sanded it with a power tool attachment. $5000 is way too much to invest in a 15 yr old trailer.


Did you rent a sprayer? What kind did you use? I need to paint my trailer this summer. Did you use 5 gallons or how much of the paint? Yours looks fantastic!!  I have a three horse slant load.


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## waresbear

My husband used an attachment sprayer with an aircompressor to begin with. The sprayer broke, so he just used a smaller electric sprayer he had. I found that sprayer worked pretty good as I painted about 5 miles of fence with it. He sanded it with a grinder attachment on the compressor and did the bodywork because there was a few rust spots. He did have a fine haired paint brush to fix any runs. He used two large cans of rustoleum paint & has some left which he painted the tractor with. First person who looked at this trailer bought it.


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## gunslinger

So Corporal is the talented one at painting?


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## Corporal

*ROFLMAO!!* *HARDLY!!!* I slopped paint EVERYWHERE, including my painting clothes--blue spots all over them.
Still...my family loves how my trailer doesn't look rusty anymore. I'm probably gonna replace this trailer in a few years, UNLESS my ship comes in and I build an indoor arena so I can store it indoors. Then, I'll look for a vocational school to paint the underside.


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## Palomine

Good ideas here. Sadly, the whole concept of doing any of this myself? Just not going to happen. I don't have the mechanical inclination or know how to do it at all.

But, wonder if the Amish could do it???? 

For those that do stuff like this? What about where rust needed to be sanded off? Is that something that was taken care of with the sandblasting thing? 

I know that if I try to sell trailer will only get maybe 3000 out of it, doubt would get 4500 that we put into it when bought it.

And don't think there is vo tech around here that does this either. The ones in AL only did things for state employees, not sure about MO?

I will call the sandblasting place tomorrow though, just to see? For costs and all?

And don't even think about spousal unit doing any of this...let's just put it this way. If I told him to walk to mailbox, he would get lost. Full of ideas, none of which come to fruition.

When he retires? I'll be in penitentiary. For murder 1.


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## Palomine

Will do some digging and report back.

Great advice. 

Also, if anyone has any time to search me out some links to trailers just to see what might be out there?


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## Palomine

Spoke to my friend Cari, who pointed out that mine has a small dressing room, not just tack compartment, as can walk around, and could put fold up bed in the floor space.


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## Skipsfirstspike

Try horseclicks.com or horsetrailerworld for starters. What style and price range?


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## Cat

Corporal said:


> I just repainted metal trailer#2 in 2010--touched up parts I missed in 2011. I own a 4-horse, slant-load gooseneck. I spent $150.00 on Royal Blue Rustoleum--5 gallons worth. I wasn't fussy about taping off the metal, but EVERYONE remarks on how much better it looks. The original paint was Midnight Blue, but Rustoleum doesn't make that color. =(
> See what you think:
> March, 2007
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> January, 2012
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> March, 2012



Oh man - are you sure that is the royal blue? Any chance you mixed it up with the lighter safety blue? I'm going to be painting my trailer this spring and I was going to use the royal blue w/ grey trim - but from the top bar on the can it looked much darker than that - closer to the midnight blue of your original trailer. Guess I need to rethink my color scheme...:-(


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## Palomine

Will report back on what Potteroff's say, (sandblasting place) and have been semi digging around, but sure not finding much in 10,000 and under range, that isn't going to need work too.

Also, after perusing ads, I was glad to find mine didn't have just tack room but a dressing room that I could swing a cat in, if I were so inclined. And put bed over gooseneck too.


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## Palomine

mypets said:


> We run an auto restoration shop. Unfortunately, 3000-3500 is actually what we would charge to paint a trailer like that. You have no idea of what paint and materials cost these days-EPA has their fingers in it and costs have skyrocketed. Is there a technical school or junior college near you that has autobody/painting classes? Why not contact them about allowing them to use your trailer as a teaching tool if you would pay for paint? The kids learn how to do it, you get a supervised paint job and everybody's happy.


This would be good idea, but kind of leery of it, since former MIL had my youngest son's 68 Chevy truck done, well done at prison...but anyway, they painted over some rust on it. Surely vo tech wouldn't do that, but don't know if they do trailers?


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## Skipsfirstspike

Palomine, got any pics of your trailer?


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## Corporal

Yes, Cat, every can off the shelf was labeled, "Royal Blue." If you don't want to mix I suggest that you buy the smaller spray paint size of Rustoleum and find a better blue that is also in gallon or the 5-gallon size. It was hard ENOUGH for me to find 5 gallons of THIS color at the same store. I went to Rural King when they had the paint on sale for $30.00/gallon can. It has since gone UP in price.
BTW, I was just going for looks bc I did NOT sand the rust off, just covered it up. That's why I was laughing that MY job be considered the one to follow--STILL laughing about that comment!! LOL


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## Cat

Thanks for the info. I may go with hunter green on my trailer instead. Thankfully mines just a little 2-horse so I shouldn't need so much!


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## DressageDreamer

Thanks to Waresbear I am getting my trailer painted this spring or summer. My husband is already looking at the paint. We have a sprayer and sander, so this should be great. My trailer is in decent shape but has a little surface rust in some areas. I just want it to look nice when I go to shows. Also want it to last as long as possible


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## Palomine

Well, theoretically I can post pictures, but can't get it done?

Just went out and took some so will fight some more and try to load them.


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## Blaze Kirby

waresbear said:


> Painted this trailer for less than $100, rustoleum paint & sprayer. Sanded it with a power tool attachment. $5000 is way too much to invest in a 15 yr old trailer.


That red looks great! Which rustoleum color is that? Regal Red or Safety Red?


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## waresbear

Sorry, I do not recall, my husband bought it. There might be some left in his shop, I will check when I get home. Sorry at work at the moment.


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## Blaze Kirby

Please do, thanks! I'm trying to decide between Royal Blue and one of the reds. 

I have a red Dodge Ram and I'm up in the air whether or not a red trailer would be too much red, or if I should go with blue. I'm leaning toward red, but the wife likes blue!

The red in your photos looks great, but I can't tell if it's Regal Red or Safety Red.

Thanks for your help!


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## Saddlebag

Mine's getting a home version paint job with Tremclad, or Rustoleum as you US folks know it as. I think it's costing me about $100 as I'm using small rollers and I toss each as I finish each area. One thing with a stock trailer, you can quit painting for the day at almost any time, not so with a large smooth sided trailer.


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## sarahndipity

*trailer painting*

Waresbear,that is a pretty good painting job!May I ask if u 
primed it first and how did u spray paint on it pls?
thanks,Sarah


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## Blaze Kirby

The great thing with rustoleum is you can spray-paint it or use rollers and a brush. I plan on using rollers and a brush and thinning it.

As for my project, I'm using a steel rotary brush on a drill to knock off the visible rust and priming it with the rusoleum "rusty metal primer".

I'll post some photos when it's done!

waresbear, any word on the paint color you used?

Thanks!


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## Josh

Angle grinder with a wire brush to remove the paint. Go to tractor supply and get some tractor enamel. It dries thick enough you can roll it on. I thought the guy who told me to roll it on was crazy but it looks great!


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## waresbear

Sorry folks, there was no paint can left in the shop. I asked hubby, he said he thought it was fire engine red? Anyways, it was rustoleum. Yes, he primed it first, as he bondo-ed a few rust spots. He said with the sprayer, it was handy to have a fine haired paint brush for runs.


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## Palomine

Well, it is a moot point. Dropped the trailer off last Monday. Going to put LineX on the inside walls, and doors, from hip down, and under the bridle racks, and behind saddle racks. Thought about white? But said that turned slightly, so just going with black. 

LED lights, and LineX up fender wells, and across front of trailer where spare is.

Looked at decal packages from Sundowner. Logo of mine is blues/grays/white/black, they only use the red/orange now. And the Swoosh is different slightly, but have 7 color combos to choose from, so don't know whether to go with original color, or something different.

I did look to see about other trailers, after you guys brought up the cost of redoing mine, but I could not find anything I liked, for under 10,000, and most of them were couple thousand higher. 

Quite a few of the ones under 10 were needing work, or were heavier than I wanted to pull, or just flat didn't strike my fancy. Of course, of the one or two that I did like? Well, 1/2 the country away, so in the end, went with what I know, and what I have.

Also, I did find quite a few 98-08 Sundowners, aluminum, which were in the period of time that there were problems with the coating/steel? And definitely shyed away from those.

So, will put pictures up when it is done. I'm also ordering new door stops, handle covers, and getting new carpet laid down too.


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## waresbear

You will pretty much have new "reconditioned" trailer. I would love to see pictures when it's done


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## Walkamile

So glad this thread was posted! I'm also getting ready to paint my trailer, and just got an estimate last night. :shock: I don't even know if my trailer is valued at what the paint job would cost!

So , after reading this thread to my husband, we will be painting it ourselves, unless the auto shop at the high school can do it for cost. Hubby works for a school system, so he's inquiring about it today. If they can't, well, I'll post my before and after pictures. Maybe a few "inbetween", as I'm sure it's going to be _interesting_ (code for me somehow being covered in whatever is being used during our project). :wink:


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## Fancy That

I have a 94 Turnbow stock slant combo with dressing room (GN). I love this trailer and yes it's steel.

So it has some superficial rust and I've been meaning to tend to that for two years. But de-rusting it, via sandblasting, that part sounds hard. In other words, the "body work". Can an average joe do that?

My husband already has a sprayer and is REAL handy. We could paint it, no problem - but I worry about the "sandblasting" and "bodywork" to remove rust. How hard is that?


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## Cat

Well do you have a sandblaster? If not you are probably going to be using sandpaper to sand it down. Yes, the average joe can do it. Might not look as perfect as an actual sandblasting job and takes quite a bit of elbow grease, but it can be done. I'll be doing mine probably this weekend. 400 automotive sandpaper - get the wet/dry stuff and use it wet (a mister on the end of a hose works well) for a smoother finish.


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## Darrin

Sandblasting is just the fastest and easiest way to do it for us lazy people. A lot of elbow grease works also.


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## Fancy That

Thanks, gang. So here is what we'd do:

Wash thoroughly
Sandblast the rusty spots
Prime the rusty spots that we just sandblasted (is that what "bodywork" means?)
Then paint!!! (we have the sprayer)

Sound about right? My husband would love the excuse to get a sandblaster.


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## Darrin

That's about right. If you have rust that's gone all the way through you should patch it up. This can be done by welding a patch over it or the more correct way is cut out the bad spots and weld in new. 

Now your hubby has an excuse to buy a plasma cutter and MIG welder if he doesn't have them already!


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## Cacowgirl

Ha Ha-Men & their tools!


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## Darrin

LOL, well you don't see us shoe shopping all the time so we need something else to buy.


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## waresbear

Hah! Mig welders & cutting torches cost way more than shoes, I know this for a fact, the old man has both, and don't get me started on those air presser tools!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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