Fine-grit sandpaper sheets were part of my paint-preparation purchases.
The featured Amazon option is Dura-Gold 180-Grit Longboard Sandpaper Roll.
Where it fits my build
I taped the boundaries and covered the areas that would not be painted with plastic sheeting. I then sanded the exposed areas with an orbital sander and 60-grit abrasive, blew away the dust with a compressor, and cleaned and degreased the surfaces.
I mixed clear bedliner with white tint and sprayed the van. After it dried, I removed the masking. The tape and sheeting stage alone took around eight hours, and the finished edges still needed some touch-up.
My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.The side of the van during the white-bedliner project.
My build notes
The most useful detail in my diary is the result, including the problems. Rust-Oleum pooled and dripped in places, and trying to repair one area with a paintbrush made it worse. I wrote that I would use a foam roller for touch-ups and preferred the more consistent finish I had obtained with RAPTOR.
Masking, preparation and application method each became a substantial part of the exterior-coating job.
Alternative products
Two alternatives to compare
Dura-Gold's 180-grit roll supplies material to cut to length. The 3M 220-grit and Dura-Gold 320-grit sheets provide finer sheet-format alternatives.
3M Wetordry 220-Grit Sandpaper
These abrasive sheets use a waterproof paper backing and a 220-grit surface. They provide a sheet format for wet or dry sanding.
