2 paint questions. Thinner and quantity

[Bignose]

Hi!

 

I’m painting a vardo this weekend. Very excited.  
 

- will a quart of paint do enough coats or is it best to buy a gallon?

- I’ve read that it’s a good idea to thin the first coat. What kind of thinner and what ratio of thinner to paint ?

 

I plan on using Tremclad oil based rust paint. The Canadian branding of rustoleum. Thanks. 

[Hirilonde]

All of my boats took about 1.3 quarts of oil based paint.  I thinned the first coat approximately 10%. I suggest you compare the price of 2 quarts to 1 gallon and decide from that.

[Bignose]

Good advice. Thanks 

[Kudzu]

What Dave said.  I have never been able to get three coats on with 1 quart and always have  bit left over on the 2nd quart. I always buy 2 quarts because the gallon will go bad before I use it again.

 

As for thinner, what ever they recommend. Rustoleum uses acetone. I have tired cleaning brushes with other thinners and it ruined the brush. Did strange things to the paint so follow the instructions and used what ever they recommend.

 

And by all means thin it!  Thinning it allows it to soak into the fabric and will stain the fabric a consistent color and looks MUCH better. If you don't you have a horribly blotchy finish inside the boat.  Plus, while I have no proof I think that it helps seal the fabric better. If you skin off some paint on the surface, and you will, the fabric will remained sealed with the paint that soaked into it.