Best Coating or Paint for...

[4DSJW]

something with similar qualities to a firearm. Sorry to be a tease and post this way but I don't think the Off Topic forum will get me many useful answers. I need to paint our mailbox, it's metal and expands quite a bit as it heats up so I think that those of you who have tried different coatings on the exterior of your firearm are ideally suited to make a recommendation.

3/16 thick Aluminum locking mailbox that bakes in the sun, lots of expanding/contracting. I need a dark green matte or semi-gloss color that will flex with metal. Original Krylon job was wiped out by the paint crackling in 1-1/2 years.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated! TIA

[Vacaville]

Engine enamel spray paint. It'll take any heat a mailbox can dish out.

[totenkopf]

two part industrial urethane. can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed. it is easier then you think. pm me for questions. where in nor cal are you?

[Hozr]

Por15. Good luck getting it off anything. Ever.

[4DSJW]

Checked out the POR15 and it looks like wicked stuff. It also looks like it bonds best to bare metal. The mailbox has been powder-coated and there is no way that I will take that off down to the base metal. I do know that I have to, and did, rough up the surface of the powder-coat before I primed and painted the first time through.

And.. I live about 30 minutes N of Berkeley in the East Bay.

Thank you for the comments so far!

[awall919]

I use Krylon Camo on my field firearms from AR's to riot guns even the barrels with zero heat issues. Even in summer with rapid shooting the paint does have any issues. Unless dropped. Learned that the hard way. Limited on colors though.

[4DSJW]

I use Krylon Camo on my field firearms from AR's to riot guns even the barrels with zero heat issues. Even in summer with rapid shooting the paint does have any issues. Unless dropped. Learned that the hard way. Limited on colors though.

I primed, painted, and clear-coated with Krylon the first time through. Roughed up the original powder-coat and then two coats of each of the above. I love Krylon and have used it on MANY things with overwhelming success. Personally I believe that a piece of Aluminum this size just expands and contracts too much because of temperature changes for Krylon to handle. So I'm searching for something more "industrial".

[totenkopf]

the best type of product that will last the longest is going to be a two part catylsted system. there might be a problem though if you put that over powder coat (the solvents might wrinkle the finish under it). if that is the path you wanted to try, do a small test in an inconspicuous area. if that sounds like too much work, you could try a product by ppg called dtm. it is a single component latex paint that is designed to be applied to metal. even though it is latex, when it drys, it drys hard as a rock.