Rust

[bandaidqueen]

I pulled out the carpet and plastic liner from my van, and as expected there is a little bit of rust (surface only). I've been scraping away with a wire brush to expose all the rust, in the next few days I'll clean everything really well and treat it with Ospho (recommended somewhere in this forum so I bought a bottle). Now I am trying to find the best paint to prevent any future rust. Any recommendations? The rust isn't bad at all, but this will likely be my home for the next 5 or 6 years, so I want to do it right.

 

[maki2]

Follow all the instructions for the Ospho application then go to the hardware or auto parts store and purchase "rusty metal primer".  Put that on first and then you can top it with a finish coat of other types of Rustoleum. The separate rusty metal primer product is better at controlling rust than the combination rust controlling products that look like shiny colored finishes when you apply them. A little more work and money but better results.

 

[bullfrog]

Be sure to also look at seals and holes that may have let water in. Keeping things dry is the easiest way to prevent future rust.

 

[MotorVation]

I suggest wearing a respirator. I repaired some rust on my van a few months ago and used rust reformer with a couple coats of enamel on top and I gave myself chemical bronchitis. I was working on other parts of the steering in the area I repaired for about a week so I was breathing the fumes that long

 

[tx2sturgis]

Por 15....it aint cheap but it works.

https://www.por15.com/

 

[bandaidqueen]

I got help from my family - they are the best! We used an angle grinder to remove the worst of it, and wire brushes, then treated the whole floor with Ospho last night.... it even took the paint off in some places. I probably laid it down too thick. Wiped up the residue during my lunch break today, going to let it finish drying overnight. I bought some of that (very expensive!) Por15 and I'll paint it on probably tomorrow. Thanks for all the tips! Taking a short road trip on Wednesday to visit my sister a couple states over, we will install the insulation over the holiday weekend.

 

[WanderingRose]

I have had good luck using Rustoleum.

Once the air can’t get to the rust, it stops.

 

[Gr8ful]

I'd use Rustoleum Pro Bedliner kit. Here's a link for $49.99 https://www.ruralking.com/rustoleum-truck-bed-coating-kit-298475 shipped free. HomeDept is $154 per kit Internet #206652452 Model # 298475 . I'm having someone do the total underside of the ambo.

 

[txmnjim]

i always heard rust was a chemical process and once it started nothing short of cutting the metal
out and replacing it would fix it?

 

[bandaidqueen]

I work for a fire protection company, we install a lot of sprinkler systems. One of my co-workers just gave me 4 cans of Crown Cold Galvanize Coating 93% Zinc Rich Premium 7007. This is what they treat sprinkler pipe with to keep it from rusting. So I will give the floor a nice good coating of that first thing tomorrow morning. I don't think I'll even need to paint over it. With the Ospho treatment I've already done, plus the stuff my co-worker gave me to prevent future rust, I think I'm pretty good as far as rust goes! I bought some POR15 but I'm going to return it. It's too expensive and I think the stuff my co-worker gave me will work better.

 

[highdesertranger]

Zinc works good. follow the instructions to the letter. Zinc is highly toxic so a chemical mask is a must. not a dust mask a chemical mask, one made especially for Zinc. highdesertranger

 

[bandaidqueen]

Thanks HDR for the tip. I have some N95 painting respirators, according to 3M this should work, but I'm asking another co-worker what they use when they spray it, and if they have a couple extra.