Primer over paint?

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Coffee Freak

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
109
Location
Lexington NC
I love the look of a primered rat (ruddy brown). I've heard, though that primer will "hold" moisture if kept at this stage. Since the vehicle I'm about to "rat" is currently painted, is it possible to lightly scuff the paint (enough to allow the primer to bite, but not down to bare metal), and then spray primer on top of the paint?

Anyone with experience in this?
 
I love red oxide primer & have had my '57 Ranchero spray canned in it for at least 10 years. I use it constantly to move stuff around & would get really mad at myself if I scratched the paint so I leave it in primer. I sprayed over the paint & never had any trouble. I think sanding down to bare metal would only give you more problems with rusting but that's just my preference & opinion!

BoB
 

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Yes, primer is basically not waterproof or weatherproof, so sanding the existing base paint and putting primer over the top would be one way to protect your steel plus have the primered look.

My wife painted all our gates and railings and guttering with red oxide epoxy primer, and I told her it will not last long in the scorching sun, but she wouldn't listen....now it is blistering and coming off. Still solid underneath, as it was put over proper paint though.
 
yep,, give it a scuff up with some 400 grit paper ( or finer). nothing to radical -- try and avoid going through the top coat ,, make sure you get into the corners /harder to reach places -- if you fold some sandpaper 3 or 4 times gives enough strength to do the job in harder to reach areas --

really just take the shine off your top coat

try not to sand large areas with your fingertips as this will leave finger trails in the top coat use the base of your thumb / palm or even a chunk of polystyrene to wrap your paper around ...


luck and expect to see before and after shots[P
 
i sanded my 31 down to the metal and primed it with a spray can , and left if for a year or so in the shed and just the dew or moisture in the air started it to rust back threw the primer. it was the gray primer ..my 49 is already rusted , so Im not sure what im going to do with that yet . (leave it rusty or flat black paint it ) I havent made up my mind ...
 
They have treatments you need to do if you are going to bare metal that stop any rust process before you prime. I know you can also use a primer/sealer to prevent the moisture corrosion pass through that primer will allow. Going over a color top coat with primer should keep things from rusting as you're sealed to begin with.
 
Your shouldn't have a problem with 2K primer.......completely different than the old lacquer red oxide.

Lungs
 
Yes, a light scuff for adhesion then spray on the primer, you should be fine. Of course you need to prep the area before sanding as mentioned earlier. If you do bust thru the top coat into bare metal, then you need to touch up that spot to protect it from rust, then prime.

Or you could use epoxy primer (comes in various colors) and never worry about rust. Sprays over bare metal and will not allow moisture to penetrate. That would be my recommendation.
 
We used to just go over the old paint with a scotch brite pad, the ones that were a bit courser (and actually made for that), not the small ones for those teflon-coated aluminum pots. (You wife wouldn't like that too much, anyway.)
 

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