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Apadgett's avatar
Apadgett
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014

How to paint an Aluminum Travel Trailer

Just bought a 20' 1985 Yellowstone travel trailer. We just finished redoing the entire inside from floor to ceiling. But this spring we want to tackle the exterior.I have searched and searched online for the best results without spending a ton of money, and can't find a straight answer any where. I don't need the unit to look brand new, but still want to be proud of what we have. Someone please point me in the right direction.
  • YC_1's avatar
    YC_1
    Nomad
    Dec 30, 2014
    Do you actually want to paint it? If it is smooth sided then you can use a power buffer and make it shine like new. Paint will require a lot of work but will last a long time. The secret is in prep of course. Trim pieces need to be removed and a lot of masking must be done. You can get details on painting aluminum with a search. Automotive paint such as PPG is easy to apply even for a first timer. Get the stuff you don't clear coat. Then you sand it with water on the sandpaper with ever higher grit paper. Once you get to about the 2000 grit you switch to 3M products to polish it more. Eventually you will get to a plastic coated mirror finish. It is a lot of work but the results are incredible.

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