-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Removing paint lettering on trailers and vehicles
- Thread starter klingsdesigns
- Start date
Billct2
Active Member
The old trick was plain Easy Off oven cleaner.
But it has risks, it can damage paint, especially on a trailer which doesn't get the same kind of finish as a vehicle.
You can let the client know the risk and test it, or tell them to get it done elsewhere.
An overlay panel of vinyl or aluminum is always an option
But it has risks, it can damage paint, especially on a trailer which doesn't get the same kind of finish as a vehicle.
You can let the client know the risk and test it, or tell them to get it done elsewhere.
An overlay panel of vinyl or aluminum is always an option
klingsdesigns
New Member
I read about the easy off yellow can. But I figured since trailers dont have clear coat that it would eat right through the paint?
rjssigns
Active Member
Oven cleaner can work, but it's been a million years since I've done it. Can't even remember what brand I used.
I worked in tiny sections, and never walked away. Mask off everything around and spray a tiny area. Count to three then wipe. See what happens. Adjust time accordingly.
Biggest problem folks run into is getting overconfident. Hey this works great. I'll hose a large area, have a cup of coffee, then wipe it all away. Yup, right down to primer or bare metal...
Worse part is you will still need to buff everything to try and get the overall finish to look decent. Tons of extra work. Easy enough on truck doors, but a trailer is a PITA.
I agree with Bill, cover it. It will look the best and require the least amount of time, effort and materials. IMO whenever you remove paint it is almost impossible to get the finish back to 100%.
I worked in tiny sections, and never walked away. Mask off everything around and spray a tiny area. Count to three then wipe. See what happens. Adjust time accordingly.
Biggest problem folks run into is getting overconfident. Hey this works great. I'll hose a large area, have a cup of coffee, then wipe it all away. Yup, right down to primer or bare metal...
Worse part is you will still need to buff everything to try and get the overall finish to look decent. Tons of extra work. Easy enough on truck doors, but a trailer is a PITA.
I agree with Bill, cover it. It will look the best and require the least amount of time, effort and materials. IMO whenever you remove paint it is almost impossible to get the finish back to 100%.
J Hill Designs
New Member
the only thing you can really do is offer no guarantee, and work your way up in chemical harshness, while always testing on an inconspicuous area first
klingsdesigns
New Member
I am assuming you really cant just buff over it unless you want to spend all day? I do have a box truck that has paint all over it that the customer wants removed also. Better off getting repainted or wrapped I would think.
OldPaint
New Member
ok.........since i am an "old timer" and have done this, lets lay it out in simple terms SO YOU DONT SCREW ANYTHING UP!!!!
1. remover the vinyl................now how much of a ghost of the old vinyl........... do you have? it looks like a red trailer.......so iam gona say its gona be a lot))))
2. now would be the time to talk to the owner..........and see if he want to have the trailer REPAINTED, because the ghost wont go away any other way.
3. the gray area, if he decides NOT TO REPAINT(it will look like crap if he dont)is best removed with some OLD VERSION EASY-OFF. hard to find today. the new stuff dont work.
4. problem with easy off is THE ORIGINAL PAINT on the trailer. most of these are painted with CHEAP enamels without hardeners. NOW THESE PAINTS WILL BE EATEN BY THE EASY OFF. so
5.i would do some 240-320 autobody sand paper on the gray..........this way you can take it off till the red starts to show then keep working till the gray is all gone.
6. incorporate something in the NEW VINYL design.......that will cover the gray area.
1. remover the vinyl................now how much of a ghost of the old vinyl........... do you have? it looks like a red trailer.......so iam gona say its gona be a lot))))
2. now would be the time to talk to the owner..........and see if he want to have the trailer REPAINTED, because the ghost wont go away any other way.
3. the gray area, if he decides NOT TO REPAINT(it will look like crap if he dont)is best removed with some OLD VERSION EASY-OFF. hard to find today. the new stuff dont work.
4. problem with easy off is THE ORIGINAL PAINT on the trailer. most of these are painted with CHEAP enamels without hardeners. NOW THESE PAINTS WILL BE EATEN BY THE EASY OFF. so
5.i would do some 240-320 autobody sand paper on the gray..........this way you can take it off till the red starts to show then keep working till the gray is all gone.
6. incorporate something in the NEW VINYL design.......that will cover the gray area.
OldPaint
New Member
buffing will do nothing to change color of faded red, let alone getting rid of the gray......also it will put more compound into the existing paint.......which makes vinyl less likley to stick well.
THESE JOBS....... after vinyl removal........IF YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF AUTO PAINT, application of it........TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP........... let the professionals do their job.........
THESE JOBS....... after vinyl removal........IF YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF AUTO PAINT, application of it........TAKE IT TO A BODY SHOP........... let the professionals do their job.........
Bretbyron
New Member
Like I said, it would be my go to. When you Color/Wet Sand it is usually done with 1200-2000 grit not 200-350 grit. The only time I have ever touched paint with 200-350 grit on an automobile is when you are going to do a repaint.
I have seen painted stripes buffed off of cars in seconds on accident and have had to replace them. It all depends on the prep and paint including additives that were used.
I do concur with the "take it to a professional".
I have worked in Autobody and with automotive refinishing since I was 19, 10 yrs. of shops and 11 yrs. on and off on my own. Certified by Akzo Nobel/Sikkens/Nason and have sprayed, cut and buffed PPG, Dupont, Glasurit, and a few other less known brands.
If your buffing and polishing compounds have oils in it you should use a different brand. Try Perfect It by 3M. Meguiars sucks up because it has oils in it. Either way you should always de-grease before applying anything.
I have seen painted stripes buffed off of cars in seconds on accident and have had to replace them. It all depends on the prep and paint including additives that were used.
I do concur with the "take it to a professional".
I have worked in Autobody and with automotive refinishing since I was 19, 10 yrs. of shops and 11 yrs. on and off on my own. Certified by Akzo Nobel/Sikkens/Nason and have sprayed, cut and buffed PPG, Dupont, Glasurit, and a few other less known brands.
If your buffing and polishing compounds have oils in it you should use a different brand. Try Perfect It by 3M. Meguiars sucks up because it has oils in it. Either way you should always de-grease before applying anything.
signbrad
New Member
Easy-Off oven cleaner will usually remove lettering enamels. It may take some scrubbing. It will also dull the factory paint on the vehicle. Easy-Off is basically sodium hydroxide—lye.
I've had the most success using Easy-Off to remove lettering from white vehicles and the least success on red and brown vehicles. I have also gently rubbed lettering off with BonAmi bar soap while flooding the area with a garden hose (it took a long time). Either way, the problem is bringing back the factory finish after removing the lettering. I wasn't always able to do it.
There's no way of knowing how tough the factory finish is. These aluminum skins are coil-coated (roller coated) in huge quantities with anything from acrylics and urethanes to epoxies and polyesters.
I learned the hard way that there was absolutely no way of guaranteeing removal of the old lettering without damage. I have also, more than once, repainted truck doors (with acrylic enamel back then), for people who did not mind a less than perfect job and knew I was cheaper than a body shop.
Obviously, the best course on this job is for the customer to have a body shop remove the old paint and/or repaint the trailer skin, partially or completely, as OP said. And, as he mentioned, on a red background, the lettering will still be visible where the vinyl graphics are pulled off.
Applying new graphics to effectively cover the old areas is a good idea. Or, a large color panel could be installed to the sides, whether vinyl or paint.
If the marbleized panels on the trailer in the photo were painted with urethanes, Easy-Off will probably not do too well at removing them.
Had I done this job originally, I would have marbleized vinyl squares and installed them, rather than marbleizing directly to the vehicle. You have greater control over the marbleizing technique, you can do a lot better job, if you do it on a horizontal surface rather than a vertical surface. I've used this technique many times on flat signs to make a marbleized oval or rectangle.
Good luck.
Brad in Kansas City
I've had the most success using Easy-Off to remove lettering from white vehicles and the least success on red and brown vehicles. I have also gently rubbed lettering off with BonAmi bar soap while flooding the area with a garden hose (it took a long time). Either way, the problem is bringing back the factory finish after removing the lettering. I wasn't always able to do it.
There's no way of knowing how tough the factory finish is. These aluminum skins are coil-coated (roller coated) in huge quantities with anything from acrylics and urethanes to epoxies and polyesters.
I learned the hard way that there was absolutely no way of guaranteeing removal of the old lettering without damage. I have also, more than once, repainted truck doors (with acrylic enamel back then), for people who did not mind a less than perfect job and knew I was cheaper than a body shop.
Obviously, the best course on this job is for the customer to have a body shop remove the old paint and/or repaint the trailer skin, partially or completely, as OP said. And, as he mentioned, on a red background, the lettering will still be visible where the vinyl graphics are pulled off.
Applying new graphics to effectively cover the old areas is a good idea. Or, a large color panel could be installed to the sides, whether vinyl or paint.
If the marbleized panels on the trailer in the photo were painted with urethanes, Easy-Off will probably not do too well at removing them.
Had I done this job originally, I would have marbleized vinyl squares and installed them, rather than marbleizing directly to the vehicle. You have greater control over the marbleizing technique, you can do a lot better job, if you do it on a horizontal surface rather than a vertical surface. I've used this technique many times on flat signs to make a marbleized oval or rectangle.
Good luck.
Brad in Kansas City