Por15 Versus Primer and Paint

[bb72ford]

I am wondering if I should use Por15 to coat my inner fenders and radiator support, or just use primer and paint. I am also thinking about using the Por15 to coat the bottom of my cab and frame. The Por15 site says to use marine clean first, then metal ready, and then apply the Por15. I would like to hear what results people have gotten from it. Thanks!

[sargentrs]

I highly recommend the POR-15 for rustproofing. I've put 2 coats on everything I've done and it's a good hard finish. However, it has a tendency to gray out and not look so pretty after being exposed to the elements for a while. I always top coat with a black enamel like Eastwood Chassis Black. For things like the frame and underbody and such I'd coat it with the POR-15 then top coat it with something else. I sprayed over it on the back side of my inner fenders and my cab bottom with at least 2 coats of rattle can rubberized undercoating that looks like bedliner stuff.

[toddspeed]

I was thinking of using the POR-15 as well, but I was reading on the Eastwood website and it seems like they are pushing their new products as an improvement to POR-15. This was from their tech section top questions FAQ:

"Question: Which product is better: Rust Encapsulator or POR-15?
Answer: Both products are high-quality products that will produce good results for the avg. user. However, based upon our experience, our customer feedback & independent magazine articles we feel that the Rust Encapsulator is a superior product for a variety of reasons such as: overall ease of use & user friendliness, compatibility w/ other products on the market, shelf-life, long term performance, etc. Click Here to read product comparison"

Question: What is the difference between Rust Encapsulator & Rust Converter?
Answer: Rust Converter is designed to chemically CONVERT the rust into an inert black polymeric coating that seals the rust from air & moisture prior to priming or painting. Rust Encapsulator is a coating that can be applied directly over existing rust & stops the rust by sealing out the air & moisture, essentially "suffocating" the rust. The Rust Encapsulator also acts as a primer for pretty much ANY coating you wish to apply over top, including body fillers.

Which one should I use for my application? For HEAVY rust we recommend the Rust Converter first, followed by the Rust Encapsulator to seal & prime the surface. For light to medium rust the Rust Encapsulator will perform flawlessly when the guidelines for application are followed."

[sargentrs]

If you don't have the heavy rust, sounds like the encapsulator is a better product. I think I'll go with the encapsulator in the future. Thanks for the research, Todd!

[bb72ford]

I am going to sandblast the parts before I paint them, so this would be going on bare metal.

[colnago]

Like sargentrs says, POR-15 will turn grey if you don't paint over it.

Joseph

[F100builder]

I'm using Rust Bullet. It's similar to POR-15 but it has UV protection in it so it doesn't require a top coat...but, you can top coat it if you want with anything you want. Rust Bullet also takes less prep and fewer chemicals prior to applying and I just got some from Summit on sale for $140 a gallon (regularly $175). They might still have it on sale now but it may have ended with March.

[F100builder]

Oh, and I think it would be fine on your core support and inner fenders...I would do a small test patch if you're brushing it on to see how much it levels out. I'm using Rust Bullet on my frame and will be simply brushing it on. The manufacturer claims it's self-leveling and brush strokes will not be visible when it cures. I'd want to spray it on if it doesn't dry flat on the frame but it's apparently pretty nasty and I may not want it going through my paint guns...seriously considering having my inner fenders and core support powder coated.

[marvin2]

This post was well timed for me; I was just looking for a coating for under my cab, bed, and engine compartment as well. I think I may opt for a quart of the Rust Bullet. I like the fact that it is UV resistant....I've seen the POR-15 get hazy before, and I am not a fan. I would rather paint it once and be done.