Cheap flat paint

[g0dz1ll4]

I'm considering painting my XJ in a coat of flat camel (desert, sand, biege, etc...) colored paint. I am fairly competent with painting and wanted to solicit the advice of anyone who's done this in the past.

I want something that is going to be fairly tough once applied - but when I called my local painter's supply store, they quoted me a price of $350 per gallon - The same I would pay to have Maaco paint my entire Jeep. Has anyone had luck with any type of cheaper flat paint? This seems really high, price wise, and I have a hard time believing that I can't do this for much less while still getting good results.

Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

[cherowagon]

rattle can.

[g0dz1ll4]

rattle can.

I've thought about that - but I'm wondering how well it will adhere to my existing paint. I don't mind touch ups once a year or so, but I want to make sure that I don't end up with paint coming off everytime I bump the thing.

[cherowagon]

clean GOOD and it will be fine

[88rockxj]

in my past experience with painting (rattle can and spray gun) the prep job is more important the brand of paint you buy , prep it good and a rattle can will be 99% as good as a spray gun if you know what youre doing. take a look at some of the artwork taggers pull off, im against vandalism but some of thier "work" is VERY good.

[xjj33p3r]

I'm using a rattle can on my jeep at the moment, and it really does depend on how well you sand and clean the paint before you apply whatever kind of paint you want. If you sand it well enough, it will come out looking great.

[panama red]

I used the rustolium ultra flat camo paint from home depot. Only took 5 cans and a roll of tape.

[Timber]

I used the rustolium ultra flat camo paint from home depot. Only took 5 cans and a roll of tape.
X2 on all of my add ons--bumper guard, rock rails, roof rack, hitch, and even the tow hooks. It's finally started coming off the tow hooks, though I didn't rough them up first.

[RCP Phx]

Just make sure you use a "de-waxer" before you start to sand!

[RichP]

Wash it with dishwasher liquid and hot water, that removes all the oil and wax, then do the sanding and prep-sol the whole thing. To get good camo the masking is the secret if you are going to use 3 color camo say black, green, tan paint the whole thing black or dark green first, base it with the color there is the most of, then tape it off into the pattern. There are a few sites out there with the layout of different vehicles. Do a search on camo, I've posted a few links to the TM's [Technical Manuals] that even have the schemes and layout guideines.

We use to touch up the m151's, blazers with issue US Govt rattle cans but the new paint that is used, radar absorbant anti IR, etc is nasty stuff and the only place that they do that is in sealed facilities now.

[CamoXJeep]

shoot me an email at GIranger@aol.com and I can email you a copy of the manual I used to paint mine with. Gives you exact details and even paint schemes. Kinda paint by number! I used the rattle can from walmart (camo kind) and still hanging on tight except a few spots but I didnt sand mine either, just washed it really good. Check it out at http://4staroffroad.com/Pictures/Livingston%2011.19.05/pages/DSCF1672_JPG.htm

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Livingston2005031.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Picture003.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Livingston%2011-19-05/Livingston11-19-05008.jpg
Hope this helps. Jeff

[CamoXJeep]

Lets see if these are big enough! There are two paint variations fig. 44 and fig. 44a I used 44a on mine. It has all views of the vehicle and instead of having 2 doors and one big window I have a 4door so I had to adjust a little for that but basically its just the same. I didnt use any paint lines either, just painted and used my imagination as I went and used the drawings to keep me close. Covered the glass and seals also. Hope these help.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/colordistribution.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/abreviations.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/44a-2.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/44-2.jpg
44a-1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/44-1.jpg

[CamoXJeep]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/44a-1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/CamoXJ/Projects/44-2.jpg

[Lonestar]

About $40 worth of krylon, with enough left over to do it again.
http://i2.tinypic.com/suufl0.jpg

[DenT]

check this out (http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2331682&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1)


One of my buddies showed me this... read the posts by "69chargeryeehaa" and check out his photo bucket pictures (http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/69martin/)... he paints entire cars in a day for 50 bucks

[klonestar]

Cool and thanks! Rustoleum to the rescue!

[BskisXJ]

check this out (http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=2331682&page=0&fpart=1&vc=1)


One of my buddies showed me this... read the posts by "69chargeryeehaa" and check out his photo bucket pictures (http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d13/69martin/)... he paints entire cars in a day for 50 bucks

I saw that write up, seems like a lot of sanding. But end results look great and for a very low budget.

[DenT]

yeah i might give it a go... supposedly self leveling so maby the sanding isnt terrible... but if it is im gonna wait till next semester when we have pledges again to do it:twak:

[nodoodahs]

This may not fit the "cheap flat" portion of the question, but you can get what is essentially automotive paint at a farm or tractor supply store - the same stuff you'd use to repaint your tractor! Better quality than the rattle can but lower price than automotive paint.

[ju$tice720]

when I'm painting what ever.. I always stop by the local paint shops and supply stores.. ask them for messed up paint.. the paint they mixed for someone else.. that didnt' pay for it.. came out wrong.. it's usually a much better paint and will get the job done.. but nonads has a good point.. tractor supply might have what your looking for.. if not then rattle can it.. make sure to use some dish soap to wash the entire surface to get rid of any waxes or oils.. then scuff it and spray it.. just wetsand the surface quickly.. it will stick way better. I've rattle can'd a few things to say the least.. make sure you clean off the surface first with a degreaser like dishsoap at a min.. etc..

[MyJeepXJ]

WalMart...

Krylon... Flat camo pain in a rattle can...

I did my entire S-10 Blazer in OD Green, except for trim, bumper and grill, I did in flat black.

You will need to repaint every 2 years or so, but its an easy and fun job, and not very expensive!!

Heres some pictures, the paint was about 3 years old, and I just sold the truck... HTH!
http://www.supermotors.org/vehicles/registry/detail.php?id=8583

[90KrawlerXJ]

CamoX has the correct proportions for the MERDEC scheme. I used Aervoe desert colors for mine (Earth Brown, Sand, and a little Earth Yellow). I will caution that these colors look a little pastel when applied, but they fade slightly to a more mellow color. Aervoe (www.aervoe.com) is what the military uses for its vehicles and you can buy the paint by the gallon or my favorite, the rattle can. The prep work is crucial, give the paint a rough surface ie 220 grit. I used countless tack cloths before and during painting to ensure a dust free surface. I freehand drew the pattern on my XJ with chalk. If you want an unfinished look, cut out some round and odd shapes of cardboard to shield and somewhat mask lines between colors. I used electrical tape to get a very crisp line between each color, but it meant about 5 hrs of masking between colors. Electrical tape works well because it can be curved in a very tight pattern and is cheap; however, it must be removed as soon as the paint is dry or it will leave residue that sucks to clean. If you go this route, it will leave a ridge between colors, but you can carefully knock it down with Scotchbright

[mike86xj]

here is one more tip for those of you who are doing a flat paint over bodywork.
you want to make sure that you use something to seal the bodywork/bare metal area's.
either a primer/sealer or acrylic enamel paint, basically if it has a shine to it it's good.
regular acrylic primer does not seal very well neither does base coat paint, the clear coat provides the protection
I don't know about the krylon stuff, but whatever you use just ask if it seals the surface or not.

Later Mike

[PosiDave]

I herculined my old xj with spray in bedliner. I cleaned it with dishsoap and than hand sanded it real fast to get rid of some of the paint fade. I would say if you wanna spend the extra 40 bucks use that under the flat paint. It has bene on for like 2 years but has been sititng for the past 7 months with a blown t-case. it doesnt scratch off as easy as the flat paint.

[XJCasper]

My matching Paint of choice for my 1996 XJ is a Gray Hamorite Rustolium.

[Volusiaguy]

Posidave and Casper...any pics of the grey rustoleum and the spray-on bedliner xj's?

Thanks

[dbswede]

cant be done for 50 bucks like the photo bucket...orange and red cost 150-200 bucks plus clear coat.

[8Mud]

This may not fit the "cheap flat" portion of the question, but you can get what is essentially automotive paint at a farm or tractor supply store - the same stuff you'd use to repaint your tractor! Better quality than the rattle can but lower price than automotive paint.
I found almost the same thing at/near the boat repair yards (nearby large river). The same two part (actually 3 part paint, hardener and thinner) Acrylic, used for automotive, but not quite so shinny, more like a satin finish. But it is non porous and doesn't hold stains like a true flat paint does. No clear coat required, unless you want a real shine.
I researched the stuff, It's basically Dupont (under several different labels) and is actually the same mix labeled truck paint.
I found it for about half the price of typical automotive paint. They ordered in 55 gallon drums instead of cans and could mix any color you wanted. I brought my own containers and saved a few more bucks.
I like spraying the old style Acrylic, you can put it on thick.
I've put Acrylic on with a small foam roller, with surprisingly good results. The neighbors bitch when i spray, so I save the compressor for special jobs.

[Waterhammer]

I painted a CJ frame with a two part polyurethane I used to use on boat hulls. I thought the stuff was great. 5 years sitting in the elements while I work on it, no fade, chips, anything. I never knew why more offroaders didn't use it. Really hard stuff. I have a cheap spray gun I bought at sears to I apply it with. The only thing to be careful about with those two part paints is that it's crucial to have good ventilation and use a respirator. A byproduct of combining the two parts is creating other compounds, isocyanide being one. That would suck to get in your lungs...