Camper Van
Freedom.

Hand Tools · Build notes & Amazon options

Chip Brushes in My Painting Kit

A multi-brush chip-brush set appears in my painting-supply purchases.

By Steven Smith · Camper Van Freedom

Read my build notes ↓
Chip Brushes in My Painting Kit

My purchase and Amazon option

A multi-brush chip-brush set appears in my painting-supply purchases.

The featured Amazon option is Pro Grade Two-and-a-Half-Inch Chip Brushes.

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.
My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.
The side of the van during the white-bedliner project.
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

The Pro Grade chip-brush pack repeats one brush width. The Pro Grade and Bates sets offer mixed brush sizes and shapes.

Pro Grade Flat and Angled Paint Brushes

Pro Grade Flat and Angled Paint Brushes

This brush set includes flat and angled brush shapes. The different profiles provide options for broad strokes and smaller edge work.

View on Amazon
Bates Paint Brush Set

Bates Paint Brush Set

This brush set contains several brush sizes with wooden handles. The grouped shapes provide separate tools for wider areas and smaller edge work.

View on Amazon

Questions from my build

What took the longest before painting?

Taping the edges and covering the areas I was not painting took around eight hours.

What problem did I record with the bedliner?

The Rust-Oleum pooled and dripped in some areas, leaving an uneven finish that needed touch-up.

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