The Best Paints for Boat Trailer for 2023

While it can be true that majority of boaters consume more time restoring or maintaining their watercrafts, a boat trailer typically remains neglected. Hence, whether it is your will to maintain your age-old trailer or searching for a used trailer to invest in; for sure, you would require investing some time in doing repaint.

In addition to this, boat trailers might not spend all their time being submerged; however, they spend sufficient amount of time in water that make them more prone to corrosion which could be a very serious concern in the future. It is necessary to prepare the surface accordingly prior the painting process. And, prior to doing so, you need to invest in the best paint for boat trailer.

Please note that some paints are not appropriate for use on a trailer and are only susceptible to getting easily damaged instantly. Thus, it is crucial to explore more on the required features that you need to search for when buying boat trailer paint.

In this post, you will learn how to be prepared prior to painting a boat trailer. You will also obtain some useful ideas with regards to the suitable boat trailer paint for you to get. Proper use, care and maintenance will also be tackled and the necessary features would be highlighted to assist you select the best match for your requirements.

Best Paint for Boat Trailer Reviews of 2023

1. POR-15 Rust Preventive Coating Semi-Gloss

Many novices in the field of owning a boat always end up asking themselves how to paint a boat trailer. And, it is true that owning one is never easy since it surely entails a lot of responsibilities. In truth, one of these responsibilities is to ensure that you take proper care and maintenance seriously to make your costly investment capable enough to stand the test of time.

If you want the best solution in terms of the most out of the ordinary rustproofing capabilities, then this is perfect for your needs. This is sterling for ensuring that you obtain the most appropriate shield for the panel. What many boat trailer owners like about this product is that there is no need to heat or spray it. All you need to do is to utilize the paint brush to accomplish the job.

Basically, you will adore this paint because it is capable of working superiorly for longer in order to provide boat trailer owners the most topnotch rust-resistant cover. This is reliable when it comes to neutralizing and removing the rust with less effort.

2. Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel Paint

It is real struggle to start painting a rusty boat trailer specifically if you chose the wrong paint product to assist you achieve whatever goals you have in mind. Fortunately, you can check out the features of this paint product and you’ll see that it nearly possesses all the perks that you would wish to encounter when accomplishing the job.

In line with this, it cannot be denied that as boat trailer owner, we prefer a paint that can coat quite well and can come out outstandingly. This can guarantee lustrous finish that would make surfaces look like brand new again. This is manufactured with incredible resistance to fading, abrasion, and chipping. If it is your goal to successfully restore boat trailer, then give this paint a chance to work like a charm for your requirements.

3. TotalBoat Aluminum Boat Paint

You are probably asking yourself what kind of paint to use on a boat trailer. Well, if you want to end up having the right paint that could do the painting task a less painful project to manage, then this paint product won’t dismay you. If you go for sturdy marine paint that is particularly formulated for galvanized as well as aluminum metal watercrafts applications, then you have found the one!

This product is available in many distinct colors such as light gray, army green, white, khaki, earth brown and black. Aside from this, it can cover a total area of 80 by up to 100 square feet per quart. This is sold at a decent price and unlike other paint products ready to use today, this option is not complicated and exhausting to clean up after the painting project.

4. Rust-Oleum Marine Topside Paint Black

When handling boat trailer painting, the quality of paint that you will be using is one of the most important factors that you need to take into account. Luckily, this paint product is highly practical to utilize on metal, wood or fiberglass surfaces on top of the waterline. The size of this can already cover by up to a total of hundred square feet. You only need to wait for approximately one to two hours before it gets dry.

It is interesting to note that many boat trailer owners pick this brand mainly because it can ensure very solid and sturdy coating that works quite excellently in combating potentially dangerous weather conditions and abrasion and it is reliable when it comes to offering long-standing ultraviolet shield. It is the right choice if you wish to sustain the elegance as well as aesthetics of your surfaces.

For the price, this is unbeatable. It is very affordable yet it is the right solution if you opt for sleek finish and ultimate gloss retention. Its oil-based formulation is what makes brushing a lot easier to execute and the paint can be applied with supreme leveling.

5. POR-15 Top Coat Chassis Black Paint

It is worth mentioning that the reasons why this paint is deemed as one of the best boat trailer paint products are its very strong ultraviolent resistant feature, it is stellar at sustaining sheen for a longer period of time and it does not need undercoat. Also, you can select from a lot of color options and it can withstand moisture as well.

Please be guided that when applying this paint, you must shield yourself from head to toe by means of wearing some protective gears. It is elating to know that one gallon of this paint is already adequate enough to cover a huge boat trailer, vessel or vehicle and it is built to last for many more years to come.

6. Corroseal Water-Based Rust Converter Metal Primer

Whether your purpose is to purchase premium quality boat trailer paint for saltwater or freshwater, always keep in mind that the right choice of paint would make a huge difference to the final outcome of your boat trailer painting project. Thus, it is imperative that you conduct a smart research first before spending extravagantly.

In like manner, it does a peerless job of restoring metal surfaces and it can also surprisingly extend the lifespan of metal equipment by means of safeguarding it from corrosion and rust. And, since it is made with water-based formulation, it is not a pain in the neck to clean up with only water and soap.

Restoring small boat trailer or a big one is made a lot easier if you have the right painting product and tools to assist you get the job done. You can see for yourself how this product can work like magic for your current situation.

What to Look for When Buying Paint for Boat Trailer

Some of the buying considerations that you need to bear in mind when getting the right paint for your boat trailer include the following:

1. Price tag. Is the selling cost suitable to your budget? Is the price tag reasonable and practical enough for the features it contains?
2. Is it designed for freshwater or saltwater applications? Or can it be safely used for both applications?
3. How about its launch time, curing time and drying time? Does it necessitate longer time to dry?
4. Is it easy and convenient to apply even for beginners? The paint should be a piece of cake to use and apply for both novices and professionals.
5. Does it call for several coatings? If yes, then it means you would need to buy extra if the current size cannot cover all the area that must be painted.
6. Is it designed to be user-friendly and eco-friendly at the same time?
7. Does it produce very strong fumes that could be potentially hazardous to one’s health?
8. Is it manufactured with incredible durability? Does it adhere quite well to aluminum?
9. Can it last for a longer period of time?
10. Is it available in different sizes, and colors? And, most importantly, is it backed up by a warranty?

As you can clearly see, there are a myriad of buying considerations that must be seriously looked into before purchasing a boat trailer paint product. Since boat trailer is a very costly investment, it is a must to use paint products that could adhere well to the kind of materials it is made of. In addition to this, painting task is not a painless project to deal with so it is just right that you use a high quality paint product to help you obtain your most preferred result in the end.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most trusted boat trailer paint brands?

Just like when investing in many other products, if you want to ensure being satisfied in the final result of your painting project, you’ve got to make sure that you only purchase products manufactured by some of the world’s highly trusted and most reputable brands.

While renowned and trustworthy brands tend to have much higher price tag as compared to other similar products sold on the market, you can be guaranteed that you are getting the best and you are investing in something that would give back the real value of your money.

And, when it comes to painting your boat trailer, it is just right that you become picky and meticulous with the kind of paint you use. As you know, boat trailers are not less expensive investments; hence, it is crucial that you only use the right paint that is built to last and can provide the best possible shield for your vessel.

Here are the brands that you can always count on:

• Rust-Oelum
• Corroseal
• POR-15
• TotalBoat

Now that you have ideas regarding a few of the best types of paint for boat trailers, you can narrow down your searches and just review the pros and cons of each brand. This way, it would be a lot easier for you to end up picking the one that is most suitable for your boat trailer.

How do you prepare a boat trailer for paint?

Prior to painting the boat trailer, you must do the following preparations first:

• Do wire brushing or pressure washing to effectively get rid of various sorts of filth and other pollutants
• If required, tidy up by using mildew retardant solution. Allow this to dry thoroughly.
• Make use of Scotch Brite (the one that comes with medium grit or utilize a very fine sandpaper) to eliminate oxidation
• Thoroughly rinse off the surface to completely get rid of sanding debris.

When re-painting the boat trailer, a few of the preparations that must be done include:

• If the boat trailer has been painted in the past, see to it to do some sanding first to eliminate and loose paint and fix up the edges.
• Make use of a wire brush and medicate using rust converting primer if there is any rust issue.

How to paint aluminum boat trailer?

Painting an aluminum boat trailer begins with some careful preparations. You might be knowledgeable of the fact that aluminum does not let the paint stick quite well by itself. That said, it is quite necessary to take some additional steps if you prefer the paint to look polished and well-kept for a longer period of time.

These days, there are paints that claim they are particularly designed to be utilized for bare aluminum and they tend to work well in certain applications; however, if you wish the finish to last longer, thorough preparation is highly required. For sure, this would deliver a long-standing finish that would make you feeling satisfied.

Here are the guides on how to properly paint an aluminum boat trailer:

• Rinse the entire surface of the trailer thoroughly using water and top quality de-greasing cleaning solution or soap. Then, let the trailer to totally dry.
• Thoroughly sand the surface using 80-grit sandpaper to get rid of the loose paint and to make the surface smooth.
• After that, you may start sanding the surface with the aid of 180-grit sandpaper to make the surface even become smoother and clear away the surface scratches.
• Then, sand the surface again but this time using 400-grit sandpaper, be sure to work gradually. Take into account that this is already the last sanding prior to primer, this is why in this stage, it matters to ensure that the aluminum is neat and sleek.
• The next stage would be to wipe down the trailer using a tack fabric- this would help expel sanding dust from the surface.
• Then, it is high time to spray a conversion coating on the aluminum and let it sit. The amount of time to allow this is indicated in the manufacturer’s instructions, so you better check out the directions first.
• Wash the conversion coating off the aluminum using water and let the trailer become dry. Please be guided that any remaining water on the trailer would pollute the primer; hence, ensure that all water is out of any crevices or cracks.
• Utilize aluminum oxide primer in a number of thin coats. Then, let the primer to adhere but not totally dry between coating.
• Wet sand the finished primer with the aid of 600-grit sandpaper this time. Afterward, use 800-grit sandpaper to get rid of the fallibilities and scratches prior to painting. For this, it is highly advised to keep the sandpaper drenched for more outstanding outcomes.
• Tidy the surface using isopropyl alcohol. Then, paint the aluminum trailer using any paint you desire. You can use a number of thin coats for most excellent outcomes.

How to paint a boat trailer?

Here are the proper steps for you to take when painting a boat trailer:

• Inspect all the hardware as well as all the welded components on the trailer. Make sure to repair all wrecked axles, bents, the damaged welds and loose bearings. It is imperative to repair or change all the broken components prior to the painting process. Check if the lights are functioning well.
• Get rid of the old boards. It is required to utilize a dependable tool that aids in cutting through metal to execute this method. Consider utilizing angle grinder that comes with metal cutoff disk to accomplish the task.
• Thoroughly sand all the surfaces on the trailer. The objective here is to remove the rust since it would be impossible to apply fresh paint on age-old and deep-seated rust.

Please be guided that if sanding does not work well, considering using angle grinder that comes with a flap disk that’s capable of eliminating all layers off the metal frame’s surface.

Always make it a habit to wear protective gears like goggles, gloves and face mask while executing this stage. See to it that you’ve gotten rid of the old paint on the trailer. This would result to even and sleek finish.

• Strip down trailer that’s all set for the painting process. Carefully inspect all the distinct components of your rig and utilize a welder to bind any damaged pieces.
• Utilize an air compressor to efficiently get rid of the dust. A powerful airflow is required to eradicate the amassed residue from all corners prior to proceeding to the next phase. Utilize a drenched cloth to thoroughly wipe the frame of the trailer and then be sure to eliminate all sorts of rust and dirt.
• Begin painting the rig. Here, be sure to wear protective goggles and face mask before proceeding. Tape all the spots that you do not prefer to cover or paint in different color.

You can utilize enamel spray paint if you want to paint all the metal components on the trailer. Prior to applying more coats, you would need to wait a little more till it dries and continue doing this till you obtain the preferred outcome of color and finish.

In order to lift the wheels, you must first take the nuts off, then paint them separately to ensure that they are thoroughly covered in all angles. The spare wheel must also be painted.

If you want to safeguard the body of the trailer, you could utilize a special sealer for this. There are a few sealers that are specifically manufactured to fight off water and UV damage.

• Allow the sealer to dry if you wish to apply it. Afterward, check all the wires. In case you have purchased an age-old trailer, it is highly suggested to change all the wiring to allow the lights to function well.
• To have the replacement boards set up, be sure to cut them properly. For more precise measurements, you can take a look at the old ones or consider measuring them on your own. To ensure the right measurement, first try to fit the boards in place and from there you can fasten them.

In order to safeguard them from getting damaged by extreme exposure to water or being affected by harsh elements, consider utilizing a special varnish on the boards.

Once the rig is repaired, it is high time to fasten it to the vehicle and try it for a ride.

What is the warranty?

Many consumers are already insightful of the fact that many a time receiving defective or wrong items is inevitable. It is because of this why it is seriously encouraged to opt for products that are backed up by warranties. Basically, warranties serve as customer protection whenever they shop especially if the shopping is done on the web.

Warranties play a very vital role when it comes to giving to customers what is really due to them. For instance, in case a customer received a wrong time, he can ask the seller to replace it, or if the item is defective, he can ask for a product replacement. At times, manufacturers are also willing to provide money back guarantee offers to assure customers that shopping with them is risk-free.

That said, it is a lot better to opt for products that come with warranties so that you can instantly have your issues resolved the soonest possible time.

Where to buy?

You can search for different paint products that are specifically designed for boat trailers. Fortunately, these are readily available in well-stocked home improvement stores, hardware stores, and marine supply stores. See to it to ask the seller if the paint you are planning to get is designed for painting boat trailers. As you know, some of them may not be manufactured for that specific purpose so they don’t tend to last for years.

If you want to search for boat trailer paint online; it is important to choose legit online shopping sites only like Amazon. Otherwise, you may end up being a victim of fraud. Credible online shopping sites can also offer you lots of top quality products to choose from and it is where you can find some of the world’s best brands or manufacturers.

Besides, there are some special promos, freebies and discounts offered in such sites too which means that you could also enjoy some shopping perks that you would not experience in other local stores.

How to care and maintain?

Here are some tips on how to properly look after and maintain a boat trailer:

• Ensure that everything is properly kept connected and secure. This means that it is critical to practice road safety whenever trailering too. Keep in mind that safety starts quite well prior to hitting the road. It is important for trailers to have tail lights, reflectors, stop lights, and turn signals.

Additionally, inspect damaged or cracked connectors/wires, loose or cracked lenses as well as debilitated bulbs that require being replaced.

• The tires of the trailer must not get exhausted. You can take proper care of your trailer tires by not allowing tires to sit for too long on arid ground when not using it. Consider parking the trailer on a concrete or try laying a thick enough plywood sheet below the tires.

More than that, you could utilize tire covers when your trailer had no choice for to sit for prolonged periods on bare ground. Also do not forget to examine the tire stems on a periodic basis and inspect for tread depth frequently.

• Make it a habit to check poor quality wheel bearings. The wheel bearings on the trailer must be repacked or resealed annually. A few indications that the wheel bearings need to be changed include:

1. When there is resistance on the wheel or when it does not spin without hindrance
2. Whenever you could hear some grinding or squeaking sounds
3. Or when grease develops surrounding the exterior of the wheel hub.

• Proper tire inflation is deemed paramount. The tires must always be kept inflated. Improper PSI, tire blow-out and damaged bearings could result to serious troubles. As for the PSI rating, it is highly suggested to adhere to the recommendations of the manufacturer.

In the long run, boat trailer care and maintenance would become nearly second nature and being well aware of the necessary repairs prior they emerge would lead to more memorable and rewarding experiences on the road and this would surely help you safely reach your desired destination without much hassle.

Additional Tips

Unquestionably, maintaining your watercraft on a regular basis is what you seriously need to keep if you truly want to keep it in good shape and condition. As what you already know, vessels are generally kept in the rain and sun when they are not submerged in the water. And, when you ride or utilize them, they are more exposed to powerful currents that could ravage the paint.

Over and above, leaving the watercraft corroding at the dock for a longer period of time would bring about worse damages on the finish. Undeniably, the paint of the vessel shields the hull from all plants, animals and other kinds of hard objects that could corrode or wreck its body.

Here are some practical tips on how to paint your boat trailer:

1. Make certain to set up the vessel in an area that comes with ample ventilation. The location must be somewhere where you could execute the painting job more comfortably.
2. It is a must to use and wear protective gears such as gloves and face mask.
3. See to it to fix any indications of dents on the boat’s body or frame.
4. It is critical to sand the body of the boat to thoroughly get rid of dirt and rust.
5.  Make it a point to apply primer to provide utmost protection to the vessel’s body and sand again.
6. Consider utilizing top quality brush and roller when applying the paint.
7. Allow the paint layer to dry prior to applying a new layer of paint.
8. Afterward, sand it again and carefully apply another coat. It is highly suggested to apply a minimum of 2 coats.

How to impede corrosion and rust from spreading on the boat trailer?

Corrosion and rust on the boat trailer are generally brought about by saltwater striking and then leaving your trailer soaked in it. As a matter of fact, this is a typical concern that you could not just avoid specifically if you would haul your vessel to water with any type of regularity.

The good news is that this could bring a couple of instant solution that could try:

• Make it a habit to wash your boat trailer thoroughly using fresh water after you use it. This would remarkably aid remove the salty gunk that would merely contribute to more corrosion ad rust issues.
• Utilize a wire brush to remove rust from boat trailer. See to it to grind the rust down thoroughly. Once the job is completed, continue and apply a corrosion and rust medication product prior to re-painting the boat trailer using a corrosion-proof paint.

How to inhibit corrosion and rust from taking place?

In point of fact, corrosion and rust is merely a part of possessing a watercraft and this normally happens when you use it regularly. Anyhow, a few of the most exceptional means to ward off the occurrence of corrosion and rust and one of the most effective methods to try when restoring boat trailer is through considering the following:

• Rinse the trailer down using fresh water.
• Utilize rust-proof coating on the boat trailer
• Make it a habit to store the boat trailer in a dry location and away from any drenched areas.

It is worth noting that managing corrosion and rust could be a tedious issue; nevertheless, there is no need to deal with it on your own. If you think the job can’t be done all by yourself, you can always rely on experts for some advice or probably allow them to do some of the work for you when repainting boat trailer.

Conclusion

As what you have delved into this article, if you own or have invested in an old boat trailer that badly requires upgrade, restoration and repaint; there are lots of factors for you to consider. In truth, there are step-by-step guides for you to strictly follow in order to successfully upgrade, restore and repaint your dilapidated boat trailer.

Just what was discussed in this post, a plan of action is quite necessary for restoring your boat trailer. This consists of figuring out what needs to be accomplished, what tools are needed and what task you can let professionals do for you. And, one of the most important things that must not be overlooked is investing in the best paint for boat trailer.

Needless to say, making your age-old and overused trailer look good again definitely requires a bit of work; nonetheless, it is well worth all the effort. In the process, you would especially necessitate a nice rig that precisely blends the aesthetics of your vessel to keep it safe as you ride it from one spot to another.

Take in mind that executing this project with a fellow devoted and passionate partner is much more exciting and fulfilling. Not to mention, when you look after your boat trailer, when it is regularly maintained; it would absolutely perform at its best and last long and, the best of all, it would also take better care of you for many more years to come.

Dave L. Beaton

I am Dave, Marine Talk’s content creator. Boating experiences matter when planning a boat trip for your family or going by yourself. Therefore, I am here to tackle all things relevant to boating so even the inexperienced ones can start their boating safely.