Best Exterior Paint for Skoolies
Come with me as we dive into the best exterior paint for skoolies. I share what products we used and where you can buy them for your upcoming paint project.
Having painted our rig myself in 2021 and seeing the long-lasting finish of the products I used, I feel confident that the information I’m sharing will help you make the best decision for your upcoming paint project!
Additional Skoolie Paint Resources
Are you going deep into the rabbit hole on
- How to paint your skoolie exterior
- How to paint your skoolie roof
- Skoolie supply list to build a rig like ours
- 6 Charming Exterior Skoolie Paint Schemes
What type of exterior paint should I buy for my school bus conversion?
The type of paint you need for your rig depends on the body construction. If you purchased a retired school bus, the exterior is likely stainless steel or some other metal. In this case, it’s imperative that you choose a paint primer and tinted enamel paint that is made for:
- Exterior
- Durable, long-lasting finish
- Metal
- Rust-resistant
- Oil-based
- Budget-friendly
You can also use an automotive primer and paint, though these may come at a higher price point than the other oil-based paints that you can find at your hardware store.
Oil-Based vs. Latex Paint for a Skoolie
I recommend that you use an oil-based primer and paint (enamel) rather than a latex product for the exterior. Oil-based paint can be more forgiving, if and when you need to do sanding and touch-ups. Oil paint does smell so you’ll want to work with this in an open spaces with ventilation.
For the interior, I recommend using latex paint since it’s indoors and doesn’t put off the same odor as oil paint does.
In both cases, if you’re working on an unpainted surface like metal or wood, prime before applying the top coat.
What is the best exterior paint to buy for a school bus conversion?
We recommend products like Rustoleum and Valspar Anti-Rust Armor Enamel. Rustoleum products aren’t tintable but do come in a wide range of colors, especially for farming equipment like tractors.
Valspar Anti-Rust Armor Enamel is tintable and comes in several finishes (gloss, semi-gloss).
Valspar Anti-Rust Armor (Oil-base) vs. Rust-Oleum (Oil-base)
If we hadn’t come across Valspar Anti-Rust Armor, we would have chosen a Rust-Oleum product, which has a good history and is easy to find at hardware stores. However, we wanted to make a custom color choice and the Rust-Oleum products on the market cannot be tinted though they offer a wide range of colors.
Valspar is the Lowe’s paint brand and you can purchase it there or on Amazon. Rustoleum is found at most hardware and paint stores, and on Amazon.
Both of these products are affordable, falling in about the same price range as a normal can of household paint.
Valspar is the home brand for Lowe’s Home Improvement stores, and you can only purchase it in their paint department or on Amazon.
How do I calculate how much paint I need for my Skoolie ?
We recommend using a paint calculator to determine how much primer and paint enamel you will need to paint your school bus conversion.
Sherwin Williams has a paint calculator and I’ve linked that below.
Cost to paint a skoolie interior
We hired a professional painter to prep, prime, and paint the interior of our school bus. It took him two days (a total of 8 hours) to do the work and we paid him $750. The cost included paint and labor.
The prep work took the longest because he had to protect all of the products and fixtures in our completed rig. We also removed all cushions and personal belongings so he could work around everything.
Conclusion
Did you paint your
