Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Painting A Van Floor.

WCF

Help Support WCF:

O

OoO

I painted my van floor. Its not really a guide on how do it. More of a tips and tricks section :)

OK so first clear the van out, I really mean clear it out. If you are painting up to the sides of plastic or wood. I would strip the van out like I did. The paint gets all over the place. No matter how careful you are it will go everywhere lol. Paint splatter is also present, not as bad as house rollers as the paint is quite sticky. But you will get some.

OK so the van is cleared out. Work out what to wear. You will ruin the clothes, so make sure you are not wearing anything you want to keep. You will probably get drips on shoes as well. So remember to wear old ones.

Make sure you are wearing gloves, don't bother with those latex ones, the paint will eat through them. Spend a few quid and get some nice heavy duty marigolds. Maybe even two pairs.

Next is work out where you are going to paint the van. Think about space, ventilation and the weather. If the paint get wet, it will cure funny and react. Make sure you have enough space to work around the van and it can be stood still for a few days.

Okay so you want to start painting....wrong!!! Get a heavy duty mask. This paint stinks its very fun for around 30 mins. Ow look I am high, this is great giggle giggle. Then you start to get sick and the headaches start. So get a good mask!!!!

The paint work needs to be cleaned,dry and keyed.

I basically cleaned the van out, with a brush and then got to work. The whole floor was cleaned using CIF. This is what you are told to use, and it does work. Give the van floor two good cleans. Next get some heavy duty scourer pads. Ideally ones for removing burnt on rubbish from griddles. Cost about £3 for 10 or so. Scotchbrite is good, but its easier with bigger pads.

Work on the floor for around an hour or two. Get rid of the shine, any loose rust and grease. Once the floor is done, brush the floor out or use air like I did. Next you want to clean the floor with Xylene (Xylol) and only this. Anything else could react with the protecta kote.

Once the floor is cleaned let it air dry. Mask up any areas and allow for paint splatter.

The paint needs to be mixed for a good 5 minutes. If you cheat and say 2 minutes is enough, you will find out the hard way. The paint will clump, and look a mess. Buy a drill mixer. Cost about £4 and put it into a drill. Hey presto easy work.

My advice would be to buy the acceleration liquid. It knocks off around 60% drying time! BUT if you plan to do this when its cold, it makes a big difference to time. 5 hours without it, or less than 2 with it! The price is about £2.50 per litre of paint. So not expensive!

Once the paint is mixed, pour some into a roller tray. Now its just a case of painting. Start from a corner and work towards the back of the van, making sure you can reach any bad bits with a brush as well. Do corners etc as you go along. As you do not want to walk on wet paint. I have a side loading door. So no issue for me. Do a light coat in ONE direction. Make sure its only in one direction. When you run out, remix the paint up in the tin and then pour on the roller tray.

Now roller trays can be any size, but for the love of god use a 4 inch stippled roller. Do not use a bigger one, its awkward and clumps!

Now do all the corners with a brush. DAB the brush downwards so all the hairs splay out. Get a real cheap nasty brush for this.

Once finished throw the roller sleeve out and fit a new one, they are about £1 each. Its not worth the hassle cleaning!

DO NOT THROW THE BRUSH AWAY. Let the brush dry out, when you do the second coat, the brush should be rock hard and look knackered. This is great as it will give a stippled effect and not a brushed effect!

You can use Xylene (Xylol) to thin the paint but I wouldn't. It also cleans off any spills.

Once sort of tacky dry apply the second coat in 90 degree rotation to the previous coat. This coat should cover any imperfections. The second coat will take longer to dry.

I would only do two coats in a day.

Before you start the third coat, you could apply some anti slip powder. 100 grams at £2.50 did my floor and its really is grippy!!!!

When you finished coats, check for spills, splatter etc. Clean with the Xylene (Xylol) don't leave it longer than needed. It will only be harder to clean off paint work etc.

Thats about it really, like I say not a guide. More of hey guys I painted my floor. I checked everywhere for some help, and not a lot on the internet.

Now some do's and don't that I found handy.

Do's

Buy the acceleration liquid and the Xylene (Xylol) cleaner.

BUY 1 LITRE POTS! It may work out dearer, but once these tins are opened they only last 24hrs before they cure. Also its a lot easier if you want to do over a few days etc

I bought 4 tins and used two, so if I did buy the 4 litre pot. I would have wasted a good £33!

Make sure you have plenty of cloths about to mop up etc.

Stir, stir and stir. Stir the paint at least every 10 minutes.

Buy a good breathing mask.

Mask up well.

DONT'S

Get in hair

On clothes

On hands

Breath in too much

Smoke a *** in the back

Paint over screw heads.

View attachment 917

View attachment 918

View attachment 919

View attachment 920

View attachment 921

View attachment 922

View attachment 923

 
Nice tidy job and a good right up.

When I get my van I plan on painting the top half and roof in a light colour and then paint the water proof paint on floor.

Just to make it feel a bit roomy and not dark and dingy lol, and of course so

It looks nice lol

 
Nice tidy job and a good right up. When I get my van I plan on painting the top half and roof in a light colour and then paint the water proof paint on floor. Just to make it feel a bit roomy and not dark and dingy lol' date=' and of course so It looks nice lol[/quote']Don't forget the wall paper, chandelier, cushions, throws, etc too! Lol
 
BUY 1 LITRE POTS! It may work out dearer, but once these tins are opened they only last 24hrs before they cure. Also its a lot easier if you want to do over a few days etc

Wouldnt agree with this tho, I bought a 5lt tin for mine a year ago, and it's still able to use it now,

 
BUY 1 LITRE POTS! It may work out dearer, but once these tins are opened they only last 24hrs before they cure. Also its a lot easier if you want to do over a few days etc
Wouldnt agree with this tho, I bought a 5lt tin for mine a year ago, and it's still able to use it now,

http://www.protectakote.co.uk/docs/protectakote_%20application_%20instructions.pdf

Please note that once a tin is opened and exposed to the air the curing process will begin

and it will have a maximum life of 24 hrs, this will be significantly reduced by the addition of

accelerator, the amount of the tin that has been used and the climatic conditions.
 
BUY 1 LITRE POTS! It may work out dearer, but once these tins are opened they only last 24hrs before they cure. Also its a lot easier if you want to do over a few days etc
Wouldnt agree with this tho, I bought a 5lt tin for mine a year ago, and it's still able to use it now,

http://www.protectakote.co.uk/docs/protectakote_%20application_%20instructions.pdf

Please note that once a tin is opened and exposed to the air the curing process will begin

and it will have a maximum life of 24 hrs, this will be significantly reduced by the addition of

accelerator, the amount of the tin that has been used and the climatic conditions.
It might say that, but mine is still going find after a year, paints on fine and drys fine.
 
Haha I was thinking led lights wired up for when the doors open /emoticons/smile.png
I have already done this in my van bud, and i can honestly say it makes the van so much nicer to work on in the darker nights.

Its an awesome light as well, not a yellow light.

I made all the lights myself, was getting fed up of being ripped off!

If you want some pics let me know /emoticons/smile.png

Actually i do have some spares to make some more, infact i have some done lol!

 
It might say that' date=' but mine is still going find after a year, paints on fine and drys fine. [/quote']Yeah but on the 25th hour it eats into you bodywork like acid from an alien /emoticons/tongue.png Was just repeating what i read. Good to know tho!
 
Yeah but on the 25th hour it eats into you bodywork like acid from an alien /emoticons/tongue.png Was just repeating what i read. Good to know tho!
Lol that's how they get people to buy more! Lol
 
Lol,

Mate can you post some pics of your LEDs fitted.

My dads an electrical engineer and is nuts about LEDs lol

I wanted white hidden under the shelling (to light the shelving below it) and a few large strips across the roof.

The I wanted some blue ones u under wheel arches etc, operated by a switch so if I was parking to do a job, switch em on and ta da...excellent marketing. A nice tidy van all sign written with some blue lights to attract attention lol

 
I too wanted to go the hidden route, but in the end i just wanted to get light in the van haha. Its very simple what i did.

Will take photos a bit later, so you can see the proper effect.

I also though about external lights etc, but could just attract kids who then decide to rob me van /emoticons/biggrin.png

 
Lol well is only put the lights on at a job so id be near the van and it would be locked.

U can't have em on when driving anyway and no point having em on in the drive lol

 
I got lights on my astra mate, under the vehicle, you can't have them on while driving, what a waste of £70! I didnt realise at the time...

 
I can understand blue ones maybe! But they aint even flashing so hardly gonna be confused with a police car.

What about like under van lights, which are just white?

 

Latest Posts

Back
Top