Spraying the exterior was only one stage after masking, sanding and cleaning the van. This Graco sprayer is part of the painting equipment I purchased around that broader coating work.
My van with masking around the exterior areas prepared for coating.
The item in my kit
I bought Graco Project Painter Plus Sprayer as part of my camper van equipment.
Spraying the exterior was only one stage after masking, sanding and cleaning the van. This Graco sprayer is part of the painting equipment I purchased around that broader coating work.
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.
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 Graco X5 uses a stand-mounted format. The X7 adds a wheeled cart, making storage and movement of the sprayer a visible difference between the alternatives.
Graco Magnum X5 Sprayer
The Graco X5 is a stand-mounted airless paint sprayer. Its pump feeds a handheld spray gun through a hose.
