Painting a container

How would you go about painting a shipping container or CONEX box? I have one that was damaged in the fires in CA. I was thinking, pressure wash, prime, paint. Has anyone used rust converters? How did they work? I do not have a lot of rust, but the heat caused some surface issues. Recommendations on type of primer and paint?

Good question!

We have 2 of them that need painting. No fire damage, but heavily oxidized, one graffittied.

Check with your local paint store for phosphoric acid to stop rust. We used to use a product called OSPHO. Rust was a constant problem on the platforms out in the Gulf.

Well assuming that they're not going to be in your front yard or on display, I would simply wire brush the burnt and rust areas, prime and paint with whatever "rust paint" you want like Rustoleum or equivalent. Brush or roller works great, I seldom if ever spray those kinds of projects. I wouldn't get too heavily invested in any kind of automotive or epoxy paints. The container as it sits right now will outlive the both of us I would guess.

Take the wire wheel to it then any good metal primer and paint. I used to recondition garbage dumpsters and had real good luck with Diamond Vogel.

Pressure wash with a good 2500-3500 psi pressure washer..and use a 0 degree rotating tip and hit it hard so when you rub your hand over the container...your hand is clean.Do the roof first... The best would be to sandblast container to a paintable stage(you need to rough up the surface)you don't have to take all the paint off to bare metal....remove rust and loose paint. But to hire it done would be pricy. Go buy some rustoleum (oil base)rusty metal primer (it comes in red or grey..I highly recommend grey,because it's easier to cover when topcoating)and prime the whole container....with an airless sprayer.. you will want to thin the primer with mineral spirits or paint thinner (about 4-6 oz per gallon.. because it is pretty thick.Some places still rent sprayers out. You will need a 513 or 515 spray tip. Let the primer set up for 24 hrs if temps are 50 or above. Then topcoat with a good brand waterbase acrylic enamel.No need to thin the topcoat... Make sure when you prime....you cover all the rust or the waterbase will rust thru. A forty foot container(roof and all) should take about 7-10 gallon each.I would buy 1 five gallon bucket and five one gallon cans of primer and paint...that way you can take the single gallons back(if unopened and not tinted))and get a refund. I also recommend a light color like silver or white...they do not fade as fast and reflect the heat.

Good luck and be careful...if you need help on how to operate an airless sprayer....I would be glad to help. Been using them now for 39 years. P.S. I use an 8" spray gun extention for my sprayer..when spraying roofs,so I don't have to bend way over to paint....it saves your back, trust me.....lol

Keith

I use Gemplers rust converter, it works real well, but only on rust. Won't work on bare metal or paint

Just a reminder: All containers are made of Cor-Ten steel. Cor-Ten rust is tightly adhering and will protect the underlying metal from further rust. If you sand blast or wire brush it off you lose that protection and your metal is thinner. Look on the doors and it will say to repair with Cor-Ten only. That's how they survive ocean freight with all the salt spray.

Once you get a container off the ocean it will just about last forever with no painting.

I would just use a rough surface paint like Rustoleum if I wanted a different color that red oxide.

^^^What He said ^^^

(quoted from post at 13:19:11 12/02/17) Good luck and be careful...if you need help on how to operate an airless sprayer....I would be glad to help. Been using them now for 39 years. P.S. I use an 8" spray gun extention for my sprayer..when spraying roofs,so I don't have to bend way over to paint....it saves your back, trust me.....lol

Keith

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How long does that paint last on a roof?
Brand?

The burnt areas should be sanded down to bare metal before painting. A good paint to use would be Sher-Kem enamel from Sherwin Williams. It's a direct to metal paint which wouldn't need a primer. It was developed for rough duty such as dumpsters.