That rust test at the paint store saved me $300

I was buying primer at Sherman Paint on Menaul last week and the guy behind the counter showed me this simple trick. He took a wire brush and scraped a patch on my truck bed, then sprayed it with plain water. If the water beaded up, it meant there was still oil or wax on the metal and my new paint would peel in a few months. I ended up doing the whole bed with a degreaser and rust converter before repainting, took about 3 hours on a Saturday. Another customer in line said he skipped that step and his bed looked terrible within 6 months. Has anyone else tried the water bead test before painting over surface rust?

1 comments

1 Comment

felix82422d ago

Pfft, really? A drizzle of water on rusty metal tells you all that? I mean, sure, if it beads you got grease, but half the time that just means you didn't clean it good enough with soap first. I've painted over worse with a wire wheel and some rattle can and it held up fine for years. People act like a little surface rust is cancer. It sounds more like the store guy wanted to sell you that fancy degreaser and converter. Three hours on a Saturday for something that might be a problem later? I'll take my chances.