Opinions for surface rust on trunk floors

[kliv555]

I have surface rust on some parts of the trunk floor, I scraped off what I could and then used a wire wheel. I am wondering if there is another step I can do work away at it? Or should I just sand down what I can and then put some paint/primer on it? It is in the trunk so it doesn’t have to be pretty, I would just like it to last. See photos below.

 

[VANDAN]

I did what you did, then I poured some Evaporust into the channels, and kept clean rags, dampened with the solution over the surface areas, and let it sit several days, and cleaned it up. When it warms up, probably next spring, I'll rebrush it again, and prime/paint it.

 

[dana44]

Habor freight sand blaster and Por 15, don't over think it.

 

[Manzolds]

Hello,
I have been using CLR & wirebrush/scotchbrite to clean up all brackets and hardware I did not want to sandblast.

Small parts can be rinsed in a wash basin, this cleaning method is messy, but the results are good.

CLR does a nice job in conjunction with a wirebrush.

Using CLR in a trunk will require you to hose off the surfaces to ensure complete removal.

Be sure to remove all plugs for drainage, especially in lower quarters (if present), then take a powerful leaf blower to dry the surfaces and then a heat gun to evaporate any remaining water residue.

Another option is to use POR once you have all the loose rust removed.

Hope these ideas are of some use to you.

Sincerely,
Manzolds

 

[zyzzyx]

I used "Kleen Strip" Phosphoric acid to treat the rust. you can buy a gallon of it at Home Depot. It converts the rust
and after it's rinsed, you can prime it with Epoxy primer. Next put about three heavy coats of Evercoat G2 and then
sand the grooves with D.A. paper wrapped around a piece of 7/16" Dowel rod. Sand the top flat part of the trunk
floor with 80 grit D.A. paper. Put another coat of G2 on it and if you are happy with it, paint it. I had to do the same
thing to my floor and it came out "Perfect".

 

[icetech]

I use Corroseal on my rust then paint over it... it stops/seals the rust up and works fast, brush on..

 

[hunt2elk]

Phosphoric acid works good, but has to be neutralized with water as mentioned above.
If it was mine, I would sand blast it, epoxy prime, then paint. I am a huge NON fan of por15. I hate rust......

 

[R413]

I’d go with evaposrust or acid. Your trunk is in pretty good shape it will clean up easily. Wait for the warm weather though. Then it will dry fast.

POR is not my favorite. I Would not but a car with that band aid on it, or some bed liner on a classic car.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Phosphoric acid works good, but has to be neutralized with water as mentioned above.
If it was mine, I would sand blast it, epoxy prime, then paint. I am a huge NON fan of por15. I hate rust......

Exactly what I did but used zinc chromate primer. Rust wasn't bad and about 1.5 sqft..
Edit: taped off area with rust and blasted to keep sand from going all over the place.

 

[snakeoil24]

First step Phosphoric acid till rust turns black. Then do it again. Final neutralize with Baking soda and hot water for fast dry. Avoid Por 15 at all cost. After 2 part epoxy. Then paint.

 

[zyzzyx]

Ha! I found the pic's.

 

[75super]

If you put window screen cloth between the metal and the trunk mat it will help with rusting in the future. This creates a air gap between the two.

 

[Sahara]

Also not a POR15 fan. Hate the stuff. A guy that worked on my WannaBee used it. I am now using a razor blade to shave it off in long strips that look like tape because it didn’t stick.
I actually have terrific results with wire brushing, then Rustoleum primer. Doesn’t work worth **** on bare steel but is terrific on rust. The company is Rustoleum…

 

[JR_Charger]

I've been using a couple kinds of Rustoleum rust convertor as well (after wire brushing off the loose stuff). I use the spray on stuff for light surface rust and a brush on kind (in a little white bottle that looks like an antifreeze bottle) for heavier rust. I can't speak to the long term performance, but at least it isn't as toxic as POR-15. That stuff is nasty.

 

[munger77]

+1 for POR 15; I have really liked that on my floors. If you blast it, you will need a high CFM compressor.

 

[dana44]

Rustoleum primer is good

Also not a POR15 fan. Hate the stuff. A guy that worked on my WannaBee used it. I am now using a razor blade to shave it off in long strips that look like tape because it didn’t stick.
I actually have terrific results with wire brushing, then Rustoleum primer. Doesn’t work worth **** on bare steel but is terrific on rust. The company is Rustoleum…

 

[WileERobby]

Two options: 1) sand down to bare metal, epoxy prime, topcoat body color single stage urethane. 2) brush Por-15 on it. It all depends on what you're looking for.

 

[Roger63]

I used this in my trunk, works great

 

[#41]

The only way to make rust go away forever is to take it to bare metal by blasting it off. Everything else is just covering it up. How long the rust remains encapsulated depends on how much moisture it encounters and how good the products are that you use.

This looks like the kind of project that is the latter. Wire wheel as much of the rust off as practical, apply a good rust converter product, sand, fill divots, prime, and paint. Forego use of a rubber trunk mat or use something that breaths and make sure your trunk seal is good.

The last few projects I have been using this to treat areas that cannot be reached. It seems to penetrate and do a good job:

Amazon product ASIN B014LR5PA2