Need Advice: Painting Mobile Home Exterior

[bunky1998]

Hello folks, new to the boards. Glad to see such a wonderful resource available!

I have a mobile home that is located in a coastal area, so it is constantly exposed to salt air. This is causing significant rust "spots" to pop up on the trim and sheet metal screws. I had the MH painted 3 years ago but it was clear after 3 months when the rust reappeared that the painters didn't tackle the rust first.

I am trying to figure out the best way to attack this problem, since I'll be painting it myself this time around. Any suggestions on products/techniques to treat the rusty areas and screws? I realize the home will continue to be assaulted by the salt air and sunshine, I would just like to give the new paint job the best chance of lasting more than a year or two. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[JD]

You can replace the screws with stainless steel #8 3/4" hex head screws. That will stop the rusting. You can try to seal or sand the rust stain before the next paint job. SS screws cost about $60 a thousand in bulk. Zinc plated about $20.

[stevieb]

Hello
I replaced every single screw on my home with stainless steel screws. A very long and tedious task, I removed each screw, sanded the rust stained area around it and replaced the screw. Than we pressure washed with Simple Green and than again with bleach. We painted the home close to its orignal creamy beige color with an acrylic latex from a reputable paint store with 2 coats. Its been 7 or 8 years and it still looks great. No chalking or rusting stains anywhere, I have vertical sheet siding. Be sure to caulk around windows etc. The prep work was very time consuming but well worth it.

[Arlo]

I'd run around the mobile before painting with a spray can of Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and spot prime all the screws and trouble spots. Then paint as described above.