Is it that time of the year again when you need a paint job done for your boat trailer? Well, if that is the case, you have landed at the right place.
I have designed a detailed guide based on experience and valid information. I have also compiled solutions to painting all sorts of boat trailers in this article that might help you with the painting process.
But first, let me clarify something. If you think that your boat trailer can work its way around without a proper paint job done, you might be brutally wrong. Why do I say so? Well, let us look at why a paint job is crucial for your trailer’s life.
Importance of Painting a Boat Trailer
Painting a boat trailer is vital. The primary purpose of paint is to prevent your trailer from corrosion. The weather in many regions around the US is hazardous for any directly exposed metal surface.
Furthermore, an exposed metallic exterior will corrode if we do nothing to protect it. That is where the paint comes in. Besides, it would not hurt anyone if the trailer looked as sharp and glossy as your boat.
Before getting into the whole painting process, you first need to figure out how much capital you’ll be needing to get started with it. We’ve done that job for you.
Refer to this guide: How much does it Cost to Paint Your Boat!
So, get your paintbrushes and paint cans ready, and let’s start painting!
Painting a Boat Trailer
Here I have made a detailed and descriptive step-by-step scheme to paint a boat trailer. You should keep in mind that these are the general steps you need to follow no matter what kind of a trailer you have.
Moreover, further in the text, you will have special tips for your galvanized and old trailers.
Nonetheless, here are the five steps you need to follow to get a perfect paint job done.
A Five-Step Procedure to Paint Your Boat Trailer
Location and Conditions
First and foremost, you need to get your trailer ready for painting. Find the best location to paint your trailer. The place needs to be lavishly ventilated. It helps dry the paint out sooner.
Moreover, you need to make sure that there is no dust around. Dust will stick to the new color paint and make matters worse.
The temperature and weather of the area are also vital. We need to make sure that the climate is neither too hot nor too cold. Sixty degrees is considered the optimum temperature.
You also need to make sure that you are not painting your boat trailer during the boating season. The perfect time to get a paint job is right before the start of the boating season.
Cleaning and Repairing
Secondly, you need to clear your trailer’s exterior. You can use a solvent to remove any kind of debris and particles which might be adhered to the surface.
Moreover, you can clean the surface using pressurized water or air. The pressure cleaning will make sure that no bits stick to the surface. Even if a tiny particle is left behind, it will cause the new paint to peel off.
Furthermore, you need to examine your trailer for any physical damage. Closely check for any cracks. Also, you need to check the joints and welds. These areas are most likely to suffer damage from wear and tear.
Trust me on this. Spend more time cleaning and repairing your trailer than you would in painting it. It might seem a little extra, but this one step will ensure that your paint job lasts for a longer time. No one likes it when the paint starts to peel off after a month.
After the touch-up is done, it is time to apply the primer.
Applying the Primer
A primer is a solvent that makes working with the surface of the metal more comfortable. The paint is not well suited to adhere to the metallic exterior. Applying a primer makes it easier for the paint to adhere to the surface.
Most importantly, you need to wear gloves and safety goggles from this step onwards. Both the primer and the paint contain volatile compounds. Safety should always be a priority.
After the primer has dried off, you can finally start painting your boat trailer.
Painting the Trailer
After wearing your gloves and goggles, you will need tape. Cover the areas that you do not want to paint with tape. You can also remove the bolts and paint them separately to get even better results.
Moreover, if your boat has screw holes, you should fill these screw holes beforehand.
Regardless, after taping, you can take your spray paint gun and start painting your rig. I recommend you to apply an even but thin coat to start. Moreover, using a straight line motion will ensure no areas or patches are left.
Make sure that the first layer has completely dried before applying another coat. You use as many coats until you get the desired intensity.
Let it Dry
Once you finish applying the paint, your paint job is almost complete. Nevertheless, you still need to make sure that the paint dries perfectly. Keep your trailer under a roof, allow fluent ventilation so that it can dry quickly.
And that is all about how to paint a boat trailer. Quite easy, isn’t it?
However, if you have galvanized or an old rusty trailer, then painting it can be a tad bit hectic. Nevertheless, you can follow these tips to easily paint a rusty or galvanized trailer as well.
Tips for painting Galvanized or Old Rusty Trailers
For a galvanized or rusty rig, you need to do some extra scraping. A galvanized trailer has a layer of oil applied to prevent corrosion. However, paint cannot adhere to oil.
Therefore, you need to use a scraper and actively remove all the fat.
A rusty, painted trailer uses the same scraper, but this time it needs more force. You need to remove all the rust and the old bits of paint from the rig.
Scrape and scrape until you have a smooth, lustrous metallic exterior. You can follow the same five steps above from now onwards to achieve the perfect new boat look.
Takeaway
In the end, I would love to give you some final advice. Firstly, you need to make sure that you choose suitable paint for the climate your boat is in.
You also need to check for the warranty of your trailer. If it needs a paint job too early, you can claim its warranty and get the company to fix it.
Furthermore, I will finally suggest you get a professional to do the paint job if you do not have the required equipment. Nevertheless, you get to save some bucks by taking the DIY approach, which, by the way, can be quite fun too.
