Painting over Silicon Caulking

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Sandra

Member
Joined
May 23, 2007
Posts
15
Location
Almont, Michigan
I had a bright idea to update my 1980 Travelcraft MH.  It had brown and orange strips on the body.  Such a 70's color.  I have successfully painted the orange strip to a bright blue.  Wow, updated it about 30 years.  My largest problem is the front cab over, it is a class C.  The whole front has been ravaged by time and needs a complete paint job.  I have stripped all of the silicone caulking on the strips that I have painted, but this area has so much, it would take months to strip.  I have read on several web sites that denatured alcohol or Kilz oil base primer.  Has anyone had any luck with painting over silicon or RTV.  I hope to do this project this weekend and need all the help I can get.
 
Have never been successful painting silicone caulk with anything. It's too oily for anything to stick to. Some of the newer silicone caulks say right on the tube that they are paintable, but I doubt seriously any from the 80's are.

Talk to the folks in the paint department at Home Depot, Lowes or at a Sherwin-Williams store. If anybody would know if there is some way to prep the caulk to take paint, they would.

Will be looking for some pictures of the finished job.

Larry
 
Why use silicone on an Rv in the first place?  Try Dicor and it will stick wereas silicone may not and isn't always recommended for RV's in the 1st place. Dicor at RV stores is about $6
 
Shayne, the problem is that he wants to repaint a 1980's trailer, and the silicone caulking is already on the trailer. He wanted to know if there was something to prime the existing silicone caulk so he wouldn't have to strip it.

Larry
 
While silicone products have many great uses they do have at least one very big disadvantage in that trying to paint over silicone is next to impossible.  In many cases even trying to caulk over an area that was silicone previously can give real problems.  I think it would be a good idea to talk to paint experts and see what they suggest.

Just to let you know how bad it can be several years ago my brother in law's car was scratched nearly down the whole side. didn't go deep just a surface scratch.  When they went to touch up the damaged area they ended up having to take the paint off to bare metal because my BIL was a real believer in car polish that contained silicone.

Not good stuff if you have to paint it.
 
Yep  I'm aware of that but I'd strip it.  Reason s mentioned.
 
An Update ;D, I am gonna try the denatured alcohol and oil base primer.  see what happpens.  The good news from my RV dealer guy, there is a new product on the market for RV's.  I will post the name when I have it.  The good news is that it last longer then Dicor, is paintable and made for vertical surfaces. Comes in almond, white and clear.  I am waiting for the shipment of clear, comes on friday.
 
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