Experience of using POR15

[lisbon_road]

Having read how wonderful this anti rust paint is, I thought I'd try it.  So I got together a fair whack of my life savings and bought a tin.  I'd wondered why it often comes in packs of six tins......

 

It does seem quite good and goes on well.  Obviously, time will tell but I am quite impressed.  What did surprise me, was that it is next to impossible to get the lid off the tin.  In the end, the lid was virtually mangled by the time I'd got it off.  Thinking that I was going crazy, I googled it and I am not the only one.  Seems the stuff sticks the lids on and it is very hard to get them off.

 

So once I'd painted parts of the sills on my car, I cleaned out an old jam jar and put it in that.  On further reading, I found that the stuff goes off so easily that people recommend storing it with propane kept on top of the paint.  That's possible as propane is heavier than air and I have an old camping gas stove, so I could make up a paper funnel and sort of pour some in. 

 

But this all took some research, I thought I'd share the experience.

 

Seemed good paint despite all that. 

[Guest Hooli]

I've never heard of using propane like that before, I can see how it'd work though.

[Tamworthbay]

Store the tin upside down, stops it going off. Works for any paint as long as you don’t totaly muller the lid to the point it leaks.

[somewhatfoolish]

Is it moisture or air curing?

[lisbon_road]

I think that is a good idea.  Means that the paint would seep into any possible leak and seal it off.  You'd never get the lid off though.  I read somewhere that you can put a plastic bag in somehow to keep the lid from sticking down - I haven't tried it.

 

Using a jam jar or cleaning up some other old paint tin would probably do.

 

I think they could really mention some of this on the tin.

[lisbon_road]

I think it is moisture curing.

[Tamworthbay]

It helps stop the lid sticking as you don’t get that crust on the inside. I have done it for years as my old man always used to do it. I don’t think I have ever thrown paint away because it’s gone hard in the tin. Got some 20 year old hammerite I bought when we moved into this house that is still fine.

[lisbon_road]

But I reckon you don't get the crust because the air hasn't got in, as the paint will seal any possible leaks.  That's my idea.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I think that is a good idea.  Means that the paint would seep into any possible leak and seal it off.  You'd never get the lid off though.  I read somewhere that you can put a plastic bag in somehow to keep the lid from sticking down - I haven't tried it.

 

 

I just put a fresh piece of cling film between the tin and the lid every time I opened it. Then the bond is between can and cling film instead of can and lid. Worked well.

[Squire_Dawson]

I used the cling film trick too but even double skin let the equivalent of paint aids through. It is a good product but I no longer use it because I got pissed off with the expense of it and wasting a large quantity of it in storage, and it only works on rusty metal. Granted, it says that on the tin, but rusty pitted metal is often interspersed with clean smooth metal, and POR 15 just peels off it.

 

A good, highly effective product if you can use a full tin in one go, otherwise too much hassle where other less expensive treatments will do.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Subbed

[Vin]

I use cling film on my tins and haven't really had a problem. I also store opened tins in the fridge...

[cobblers]

I've not personally used it, but spartacus who had my camper used it here and there.

Looks as though its not something you'd want to paint over, it dries so hard that further paint can't get a "key" and just flakes off, like if you were to rattlecan a pane of glass

[Guest Hooli]

Looks as though its not something you'd want to paint over, it dries so hard that further paint can't get a "key" and just flakes off, like if you were to rattlecan a pane of glass

 

I spraypainted a sunstrip on a car once, it never flaked even when the wipers went over it. I was quite surprised.

[lisbon_road]

My understanding is that it isn't UV light proof and therefore is recommended to be painted over.  Presumably there'd be no trouble with schutz or something.  I was thinking of getting the sills on my car sprayed with schutz and painted, which I've had done before and can look ok.  Sills have surface rust but not worth replacing as it hasn't gone through at all.  

 

General comments are interesting.  I'm liking storage with the can/jar upside down and propane over the fluid.  And perhaps decanting it into smaller tins/cans after purchase.  

[AMC Rebel]

I've used it in the past and have just painted the boot floor of my AMC with it.  I agree it's a sod to deal with - stays on your hands etc for weeks if you get any one - and once opened it's tricky to keep fresh.

 

It is the most effective rustproofing stuff I have used for situations where I can't (or can't be bothered) spend ages on prep.  Unlike others, I've had good results painting it over old paint.

[Des]

I tried a six pack many years ago, mixed success, most of it went off before getting used. It sets very hard, too hard, I reckon it would be excellent for cast iron or heavy steel, the pallet truck I painted is still good but some sheet steel bits blistered like crazy, probably lazy preparation but I chalked it up as an expensive folly, I only tried a couple of cans and went back to Vactan and zinc with a helping of Aldi or Lidl paint on top that seem to give the best return for the least effort and cost.

[Scruffy Bodger]

I think this thread needs some input from TripleRich, he's used gallons of the stuff on his project.

[Mad Cyril]

https://www.jotun.com/me/en/b2b/paintsandcoatings/products/Jotamastic-87.aspx

 

I'd thoroughly recommend this stuff. I've used tons of it on a couple of recent jobs and it's been wonderful.
I painted the bottom of a Beetle project in a similar epoxy mastic (International 252) over 20 years ago and it's still perfect.

 

I'm naturally cynical towards POR15 simply because it's American.
 

[anonymous user]

I have used it, I too mangled the lid. I accidentally bought silver rather than the intended black, so have always painted over it. It worked well on a rusty gate, I did use it under the Bentley when the fuel tank was out, but no longer have the car, and wouldn't be able to see it behind the fuel tank anyway, also glopped it on rust spots on the white C15 I had. I opened the tin a couple of weeks ago and while there was a crust on the paint did get enough out to touch in some rust spots on the grey Land Rover, these have been overpainted with grey, so will see how it lasts.

[spartacus]

What Cobblers said. Using it on the camper was a trial, like he says, it seems to stick well and is a very hard finish but difficult to overpaint. I also had issues using what remained in the tin, which was annoying as it was fucking expensive. Also impossible to clean brushes, so buy cheap ones and chuck them after. I have since bought some 'Fortress' direct to metal paint from B and Q, which is my go-to paint for repairs to my current camper.

[dave j]

I painted the chassis rails on my camper about 10 years ago, still looks really good now! Part of it did peel off but that was on a shiny pained surface. The rest has been fine. I had someeft over stored in a jam jar, had to destroy the lid when I wanted to use it as it was set solid!

I remember the tin saying do not get it on your skin as only time would remove it!