This time capsule has been a part of our family for a decade. It was featured in our first book, Vintage Camper Trailers. It has been to events and rallies up and down the West Coast. The trailer was found under a canopy by friends of ours, and the interior was preserved in amazing original condition. The exterior on the other hand had been ravaged by weather blowing in from the sides and it had to be replaced.
As do it yourselfers, we have painted trailers with everything from automotive paint to rattle cans. Deciding to paint this trailer with house paint was based on several factors. Along with being economical, it is also relatively easy to apply with an airless sprayer. Tim Brown suggested a semigloss sheen because I did not want a “new car” glossy finish on an original trailer from the 1940s.
I loved the corral color and paint scheme Tim and I did about 10 years ago. We used a very similar paint and the same application process at that time. Our first paint job held up well but I wanted to change the look of the trailer before selling it. A color change creates a whole new look and feel to the trailer. It is now refreshed for the new owners to enjoy their “new” trailer. We used the Sherwin-Williams Solo exterior paint. Crabby Apple Red was the new color, and the off-white was matched to the existing color on the trailer.
Exterior house paint is an option for painting any kind of trailer. It is non-toxic, cleans up with water and most people can do it themselves. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a spray booth as long as you have a little space in your yard. We did this one in 14mph wind! The materials for this job were a few hundred dollars. A fraction of what automotive paint will cost you.
