There are few ways to better to test the bonds of friendship than to say "Hey, you want to help me paint?" So ask we did, and small militia of our friends and family showed up. Of course, to invite friends over to paint your bus is also to invite a certain amount ridicule; but hey, it's a package deal.
Our friend Randal, who is actually a professional painter in his day job, led the project (and kindly overlooked our amateurness). Also helping were my father, Ken; Gary and Linda; Mathew and his son Nathan; and John. We used rollers and brushes to apply Industrial Enamel paint from Sherwin Williams over the body, and we used a layer of Bus-Kote (super fancy space-age insulating paint) for the roof.
It took us a while to get the groove, but we found that it actually looked pretty good when we were done. Using rollers instead of brushes as much as possible definitely helps. Took a full day to apply the first coat, but we were really pleased with the results, and we made plans to apply the second coat the next day....
... And then we woke up to rain the following morning. Two days of "Should we have built an ark instead of a bus?" rain. Well, when the paint suggests at least 12 hours to dry, it means 12 hours. When the Bus Kote says 4 hours between coats, it means 4 hours. The sides held up pretty good, and will only need a few touch-ups before applying the second coat, but the roof took on a Teflon tape consistency and shriveled and bubbled before finally drying out properly with the appearance of paper måché...
...Which means that this spring, when it's nice and the pollen has all fallen, we'll be calling up our friends and saying, "Hey, want to help us paint?"
Our friend Randal, who is actually a professional painter in his day job, led the project (and kindly overlooked our amateurness). Also helping were my father, Ken; Gary and Linda; Mathew and his son Nathan; and John. We used rollers and brushes to apply Industrial Enamel paint from Sherwin Williams over the body, and we used a layer of Bus-Kote (super fancy space-age insulating paint) for the roof.
It took us a while to get the groove, but we found that it actually looked pretty good when we were done. Using rollers instead of brushes as much as possible definitely helps. Took a full day to apply the first coat, but we were really pleased with the results, and we made plans to apply the second coat the next day....
... And then we woke up to rain the following morning. Two days of "Should we have built an ark instead of a bus?" rain. Well, when the paint suggests at least 12 hours to dry, it means 12 hours. When the Bus Kote says 4 hours between coats, it means 4 hours. The sides held up pretty good, and will only need a few touch-ups before applying the second coat, but the roof took on a Teflon tape consistency and shriveled and bubbled before finally drying out properly with the appearance of paper måché...
...Which means that this spring, when it's nice and the pollen has all fallen, we'll be calling up our friends and saying, "Hey, want to help us paint?"