Paint bottom of tub or not???

pbytrailz · #1 04-11-2006, 06:55 PM

First off I Hate rust. I just got a tub and it is rust free except for some minor surface rust. The question this time is whether it is worth it to undercoat or paint the bottom of the tub?

Should I spend the time to sand the surface rust on the bottom of the tub best I can and blast it with paint or will this trap what surface rust is there and make it rust more?

Paint or no paint? Which will prolong the life of the tub?

thanks

Mike

Jim_Lou · #2 04-11-2006, 07:17 PM

Paint will prolong the life. Do it. Do the best job of prep you can, including removing all rust.

In the old days undercoat was a tar-like substance. After a few years it would begin to crack and peel off. I always thought that it made matters worse by allowing water in through tiny flaws, and then trapping it. Newer materials are much better, but you have to make sure you use a good one.

RRich · #3 04-11-2006, 07:26 PM

He He -- Not being intimately familiar with rust as a desert dweller --

The stuff that's supposedly stops rust - turns it black and hard - does it actually work?

Would that be good to use on the bottom?

#4 04-11-2006, 07:54 PM

Do a search....we discussed this topic about 9 months ago.....

A little advice....if the tub is still off the frame...sand blast it....get it as clean as you can.....they put on Huruliner.....any any place it does not reach.....rattle can

Junk Yard Genius · #5 04-11-2006, 11:06 PM

Don't use conventional undercoating if you have ANY rust.

Sand blasting is best, but just scrubbing with TSP, roughing it up with sand paper, and wiping it down with Xylene (a reasonably priced paint thinner for urethane).
Goes on right over rust, and stops the rust cold according to the advertisements I've seen and the first hand reports I've heard...

I've been using a Dupli-Color version of Durabak/Herculiner that doesn't have the grit in it. It does 'Texture' as it dries.

Having pretty good luck with it so far, and the price is about $45 a gallon compared to $80 to $140 buck a gallon for the other stuff.

The Dupli-Color stuff is just like any of the other urethane 'bed liners', you can roll it on with a brush, spray it on with a cheap undercoating gun, and this stuff even comes in spray cans for about $8 each to touch up scratches and stuff...

Dupli-Color version only comes in black though.
---------------------------

The only draw back I've found so far is the urethane doesn't like high temps, like cat converters and mufflers, or exhaust manifolds, ect.

LEVE · #6 04-11-2006, 11:36 PM

Motor oil and linseed oil... slather it on...

Jim_Lou · #7 04-12-2006, 08:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Motor oil and linseed oil... slather it on...

[/ QUOTE ]

A guy who ran a service station when I was a kid had a beautiful '55 Ford. A couple times during the winter he would put it up on the rack and spray the bottom with drain oil. Then he'd park it in the gravel side lot for a few hours while it dripped. Never had any rust, but added to the oily mess in the side lot.

pbytrailz · #8 04-12-2006, 11:35 AM

thanks for the help. I am going to see what it would cost to sandblast it. My biggest problem is I want it back on ASAP and cant decide whether it is worth it to take the time to do it the right way or do it good enough.

LEVE · #9 04-12-2006, 11:39 AM

[ QUOTE ]
thanks for the help. I am going to see what it would cost to sandblast it. My biggest problem is I want it back on ASAP and cant decide whether it is worth it to take the time to do it the right way or do it good enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

Humm... Pay me now... or pay me later. Do it right now and it will cost a little in time but much less in the long run in repairs.