Our tech team answers a lot of technical calls and emails each day, and there are a lot of common questions asked and advice given. Many of them are about when and where to use our different coatings and paints. Rust products might be the most confusing as far as when to use them and which one is correct for your rust situation. Obviously, you want the best way to remove rust from your barn find. But using the wrong product at the wrong time can increase the risk of not effectively treating the existing rust or creating new rust down the road.
We offer both rust encapsulator and rust converter for DIY automotive restorations. The question isn’t whether rust converters and encapsulators work. Both are very effective at preventing rust through the task they are designed for. The question is when to use rust encapsulator or rust converter to treat corrosion. They are two different products with different uses depending on the rust that is present. I decided to put together this quick Rust Treatment Buyer’s Guide to help you decide when you should use rust encapsulator versus rust converter.
Rust encapsulator is one of the oldest and most well-known products we sell. We’ve been an innovator in rust treatments, and this “paint over rust” product has stood the test of time. It seals rust in and stops it from spreading while acting as either a primer or base coat. Since the encapsulator has UV resistance, you can even leave it without a topcoat on chassis parts and wheel wells. In addition to the original formula, we also offer Rust Encapsulator Plus and Platinum for particularly tough corrosion fighting and longer-lasting protection.
Encapsulator is probably the safest and most universal of our rust products as it doesn’t much matter what it is applied over — it can even be applied to partially rusted surfaces. Below are some examples of situations where rust encapsulator is ideal and where another product may be better.
1.Surface Rust— Encapsulator will easily go over areas of surface rust and stop the rust from spreading. One medium coat usually covers light surface rust.
2. Medium Rust — This is rust that is more than just surface or flash rust. It may have started to lightly pit the metal but hasn’t started to affect the rigidity of the metal. Start by wire wheeling or mechanically removing any loose rust and apply two or three medium coats of encapsulator to get complete penetration into the rust.
3. Bare Metal — Rust encapsulator can be used over bare metal, but I wouldn’t suggest it over epoxy or etch primer if you only have bare metal to deal with. It can be used to quickly seal bare metal in a pinch to avoid flash rusting as well.
- Mixed Surfaces — Rust encapsulator is the best rust product to apply over surfaces that might vary in grades of rust or have a combination of bare metal and old paint present. If you have an area that you cleaned to bare metal or repaired and there’s still rust around that area, I’d suggest rust encapsulator.
Poor Uses for Rust Encapsulator
While rust encapsulator can be applied to almost any surface, it isn’t always the best option. Below are instances where we’d suggest a different product for the best results.
- Over Rubberized Undercoatings or Heavy-Duty Anti-Rust — Undercoating and Anti-Rust are great products for undercarriage or hidden areas on a vehicle, but using rust encapsulator over them is unnecessary and isn’t using the product to its full potential. I absolutely prefer to use it as a base under rubberized undercoating for peace of mind.
- In Hidden, Boxed or Hard-to-Reach Areas — Rust encapsulator needs some basic prep before application (wire brush loose rust and degrease with PRE Painting Prep). It also needs complete coverage to properly stop the rust, and it can be tough to get it to cover properly on an area that hasn’t been prepared completely. For hidden, boxed and hard-to-reach areas, we suggest our Internal Frame Coating.
Rust converter is a coating that will convert heavily rusted areas into a protective polymeric coating with little prep. The resulting black surface is also fully paintable as a primer so you can directly apply paint and sealant without sanding or further prep. It is compatible with most top coats we sell and is popularly paired with Eastwood Chassis Black.
This product works well when used as directed. However, unlike encapsulator, it doesn’t have room for error when it comes to using it on incorrect surfaces. There has to be 100% rust present for rust converter to work correctly and to fully cure. The surface also needs to be top coated after it is cured. For the best protection, we suggest applying rust encapsulator over the converter and then applying the top coat.
When Does Rust Converter Work?
- Medium Rust — Areas that are completely covered in substantial rust are okay to use rust converter on as long as it isn’t mixed with bare metal or other coatings around it.
- Heavy, Flaky Rust — Rust converter works best on rust that is heavy. This would be scaly rust that has begun pitting the surface and has covered all of the metal, such as in the image above. We still suggest knocking off the loose, flaking rust using a wire brush or wheel before applying the product. The goal is for the entire surface that is rusted to turn a purplish-black once the converter has finished curing. It may take two to four coats to fully convert a surface.
Poor Uses for Rust Converter
1. Bare Metal — Do rust converters work on bare metal? That’s a big fat no. This product needs 100% rust present for it to work. In fact, virgin, clean metal could actually flash-rust if rust converter is applied and left on it.
2. Mixed Surfaces — Again, rust converter needs 100% rust present for it to fully cure. This means it won’t work completely on areas that are a mix of rust and bare metal or a mix of original paint and rust. If you’re trying to treat small rust spots that have paint surrounding them (that we assume you don’t want to damage), you can use Fast Etch rust remover to saturate the area and get into those small rust spots. Then touch up with paint as needed.
3. Painted or Coated Surfaces — This product won’t work on bare metal areas to protect or prevent them from rusting. If applied to areas that are painted or used to coat for prevention, the rust converter won’t fully cure and the surface will stay sticky.
If you follow these quick guidelines, you can quickly determine if you need rust encapsulator or rust converter. Both can be purchased in our online Rust Solutions store, a brick-and-mortar Eastwood store or through our catalog. Each rust coating is available in sizes ranging from small aerosol cans to one-gallon cans and jugs depending on the severity of your project.
Feel free to drop us a comment if you’d like to see a Buyer’s Guide for any other product. Our other guides, along with demonstration videos, project walkthroughs and more, are available via the 24/7 Eastwood Garage home page. Eastwood has been a DIY automotive leader since 1978 and is committed to helping enthusiasts Do the Job Right.
Unfortunately I didn’t see your page and I’ve applied rust converter to two areas: one that is rusted over which boarders non-rusted metal, and the other that is rusted and non-rusted. Should I try to remove the rust converter to the boarder area and to the mixed area? Or can I use you encapsulator on top of it? Can the encapsulator be sanded prior to painting? Thanks.
Our rubberized rust encapsulator is a great 1-step product to use. Another option is to apply epoxy primer on the bare metal to seal it up and then add rubberized encapsulator for extra protection on the top. Hope that helps!
Hi, Im looking to protect the underbody of my 1965 mustang. Im looking at having it media blasted. I want to make do what I can t make sure I dont have to worry about rust again. Would you suggest the Rubberized rust encapsulator to coat the bottom after media blasting?
Hi Ken, you can apply an epoxy primer over the rust encapsulator and then do your body work from there. Epoxy primer will seal up the surface the best after the rust encapuslator has cured. Primer isn’t necessary for engine enamel. For best results removing all existing paint is best, but if the paint is sold you could sand it to give it a rough surface for the new paint to adhere to.
Thanks for a good review- I have trouble keeping this straight. If you put bare metal with applied rust converter in the sunlight for a couple weeks, it seems to eventually cure. It may be that it flash rusts underneath as you hinted at above. Definitely not the best approach!
So, where I have trouble is what to use as a topcoat over these coatings-
is a primer needed? Can an epoxy primer be used?
Maybe a dirty word, but what about POR15?
Urethane based paints/ clears?
How sandable is the rust converter? am I better off not sanding and then using a high build primer to recover the pit free surface?
and on a loosely related note, is a primer necessary for engine enamels? what about removal of existing paint with good adherence?
thanks for your help!
No Chemical reaction issues, but remember that rust converter can ONLY be used on areas that are 100% rusty. That product NEEDS rust present to cure. Otherwise it will never cure. If the surface is a mix of pre-existing paint and or bare metal with rust you would start with Rust Encapsulator first. Hope that helps!
Applying Rust converter, then rust encapsulator , an then applying Lizardskin ceramic insulation, is there any chemical reaction ?
Hi Hugo, Rust Encapsulator should up just fine as long as the brakes are gotten up to red hot (at which point you have bigger issues). We have used it on brake drum internal parts with no issues.
I am redoing all my brakes on my 1978 Bronco and even tho I am replacing most of the hardware in my rear drums there are some internal components that need to stay such as the parking brake plate. It is all rusted so I submerged all the parts in evaporust to remove the rust but I am not sure what to use to prevent it from rusting again because these parts get really hot.
How does rust encapsulator withstand high heat? Would Rust encapsulator work for drum brake components or even engine parts?
Hi Richard, Our Internal Frame coating is the best bet for areas like that. It has a conical spray nozzle extension that will coat hidden areas. I’f you’re seeing rust bubbles or rust through the A pillar and windshield frame it already may be to the point of the metal being compromised. You can try tapping the small rust areas with a screwdriver pick lightly to see if it pushes through those areas. If it pushes through in those spots the metal has been compromised to the point of needing more than a chemical coating to repair. You can slow the rust down with our products, but at that point the correct repair is to cut the rust out and replace with new metal.
Hi Luann. That is a difficult one. The only 100% correct way to get into that area is to unfold the metal and clean the rust and apply rust encapsulator or an etch primer to seal the metal back up. The more realistic solution is to clean out any junk or flaky rust out of the inside of the door and apply our Internal Frame coating or Rust Encapsulator inside the door, focusing mainly on the seam where the door skin and inner structure touch. Our protects do have some ability to creep into the seams and will help stop and seal the rust issues. After that I would suggest applying our Heavy Duty Anti-Rust inside the door as well to give an extra barrier to any future moisture getting back down into the seam.
Without seeing the door it’s hard to see how bad the rust has gotten, but this method will be the closest to unfolding the edge and cleaning the metal and then refolding. Hope that helps!
Hi Kevin, I’d first apply our Internal Frame Coating product to those areas and then follow it up with the Heavy Duty Anti-Rust for extra added protection. This combination has been the ultimate in neutralizing rust and sealing those hidden areas back up. Hope that helps!
Hey guys, hey I live in northern Michigan, I’m looking at buying a new truck in the spring. I want to be able to under coat it for salt protection, and I want to be able to coat the inside of the doors and cab corners and such areas with some thing to help with moisture and rust over time…. Wanted to know if and what products of yours would help me the best with these projects.. Thanks
Hi MattM, I’m fixing my 2000 Honda Civic Coupe driver’s side window which is stuck half down. While I’ve got
everything all apart I thought i would think about rust prevention. Everything looks clean inside but I’m concerned about where the door skin is crimped on to the door frame. There is no visible flaking rust, just
what seems to be a slight color change in the groove where the metals are joined when you look at it inside the door. The bottom inside edge of the door does show rust, the paint is lifted up and you can see rust. What would be the approach to deal with the inside and outside?
Thanks!
Luann Casey
What about places like windshield frames and A Pillars? I have rust inside and need to stop the rust. I do not know what all of the inside looks like as far as a mixed surface.
Hi Joe, your problem may be more an issue of hidden rust that the rust products can’t get to. If you only treat the surface and there is rust down below that it may come back. We’d suggest first sanding or wire brushing as much of the rust off as you can and then coming back with a few heavy coats of rust encapsulator to seal it up.
What if I coated most of the car with Rust-Oleum and the rust keeps coming back in patches, Any advice what rust control would work well with the patches of rust that comes back? I’ve used many products and finally seen good rust preventatives and stoppers but haven’t tried any until this summer.
The methods you have used is about the best you can do, that is a tough one without exposing the rust fully it is hard to completely remove it since it is so hidden.
Hi Marty, Our After Blast or our Fast Etch would both work well.
Our internal frame coating works well for etching and sealing the metal, leaving a phosphoric coating. The Anti-Rust works best in areas that are already fairly clean. It does seal out moisture and will slow down pre-existing rust. I like to use the internal frame coating first to stop the rust and then the Anti-Rust as an extra barrier.
Hi Robert, you should be able to change your page view in the print preview feature when printing the page out. Hope that helps.
Hi Paul, try our internal frame coating for those hidden areas. Find it here: http://search.eastwood.com/search?w=internal+frame+coating
The only correct way to repair those areas is to cut the metal out and replace it. Panel adhesive is good to use if you prepare the panel correctly. We’d suggest using good primer and body filler over fiberglass. A good repair will outlast the rest of the car.
Two questions.I have some pitted area around the back glass of my car. Some area are probably half way through the metal. What is the best thing to do to stop it? #2. I have some rust hole in the quarter panel. I was wanting to know if I crimp the panel and use panel bonding glue to attach the new metal. Then cover it with fiberglass and body filler. later down the road would it crack? Thanks
Very informative information about the various types of rust as well as products that work the best.
Thanks for this
I have a replacement windshield frame for my ’69 Blazer. The inside of the frame is showing signs of rusting on the bare metal.
I cant see a good way to get down into the frame to brush on anything to deal with the rust short of pouring something in and sloshing it around. Any suggestions and help are greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Paul
I have a set of wheels that are about 80 years old, manufactured in England and used there until about 1972 when the car was shipped to USA. Wheels are wire spoked bolt-on with rims like a bicycle rim – edges are folded over (where the tire bead seats). This creates an inaccessible pocket around the circumferance of the rim. I hear loose rust flakes (possibly metal flakes from the vent hole that was drilled at manufacturing) within the voids. I have injected Evapo-Rust “rust remover” into the void of each wheel. Evapo-Rust “removes rust to bare metal” and “a rust eliminator” is their claim. I have never been sure if this is a “remover”, “encapsulator” or “converter”. What can you tell me about what I have done and what I should do to prevent further rusting of the wheel rims? Thanks.
Can I get a printer friendly version of this..?
When I have cleaned entire body down to bare steel and all rust is gone, what should I put on to protect from flash rust. Is ‘after blast” acceptable?
How does your “internal frame coating” and “anti-rust in Amber” compare for treating enclosed box sections in a 35 year old car?
Hi We would definitely suggest cutting out and welding in new metal in the areas that are actually rotted out and missing metal. For the other areas you can wire brush like you mentioned and hit it with our Rust Encapsulator and then follow it up with our Chassis Black or a bed liner like you mentioned for durability.
I hammered off what I think is paint over undercoating on my 15 passenger 2000 Dodge Van. It was on the frame and body. It flaked right off heavy flakes when hammered leaving a rusty surface. I also wire brushed it. I have a little frame extension rusted through in the far front and a little rust though of the floor by the rear wheels. I want to stop the rust. I drive on salty winter roads. I do have a HVLP spray gun/compressor. Also, what about brushing on bed liner after treating the rust? What would you recommend?
You would want to sand around the area until you’ve found the edges of the rust area and then sand the rust until the major loose stuff is off. Then you can apply rust encapsulator to seal it all up and top coat as you please.
What do you recommend for the start of a small rust bubble and inside of a fender/wheel well?
You’re correct in the process. I’d suggest 2-3 coats of Encapsulator and 1-2 coats of top coat.
Very good article. Been looking over all kinds of different products and this really helps me out. Just to verify, my 03 dodge ram has surface rust to medium rust on the undercarriage. I’m assuming I need to get it as bare as I possibly can and then apply the Rust Encapsulator, then a top coat after that. My question would be, that is if I’m correct in my intended process; how many coats of the Rust Encapsulator do I need to apply and also how many top coats do I need to apply? Thanks, Mike
You can, but remember the Rust Encapsulator can only seal off and stop the rust that you can see/it can get to. If there is rust hiding under existing coatings it won’t stop that rust. The top coat is only as good as what’s under it.
Can I apply rust encapsulator over the entire frame which has a lot of surface rust even if there is still alot of undercoat and paint on the frame?
I would remove any paint or coating around an area where you see rust as there’s probably more rust hiding under the paint. Then I’d start with our rust encapsulator and finish it off wit Extreme Chassis Black for durability.
I am replacing my Rear Axle assembly with a used one from an auto salvage. Before installing it I would like to prime and paint it. There is some surface rust and other areas that are painted .
What do you suggest.
Thanks,
WW
Hi Linda, Our Rust Dissolver is a safe option if grocery-store tub cleaners don’t work.
Rust exists around the drain in my bathtub. What product/information will help me?
What product works on an acrylic utility sink that is rusted around entire inner sink? I am unable to remove rust with scrubbing nor chemical rust remover. Thanks!
I painted two coats of RE on a long, narrow strip of a left-lover piece of body panel..I put it in a snow bank, in January, and removed it in the Spring when the snow melted. I left half coated with the RE..half “bare naked”… the result was as follws: There was no evidence of rust, anywhere, on the piece coated with RE. It is a fantastic remedy for so many applications. Sprayed the “inner cross member of my Crown Vic..after cutting out a rusted area. Then welded the repair piece over the hole, ground it down flush, light filler, and used RE on the outside as well, then painted it with Chassis Black. That was four years ago…not a sign of rust. Rest my case. it is a fantastic product that works. Thanks
The rust converter may be doing that because there’s some residual rust “dust” on the surface. If the panel has been media blasted I would use our AfterBlast to treat the panel and clean it afterwards. If you still see rust on the panel I’d spot blast until it’s clean since you already have the blaster out. Fast Etch can also be used in a pinch to clean and seal the panel from flash rust. I’d only use encapsulator if the panel has light to medium rust at minimum, not just flash or residual rust dust.
Yes, apply acetone or PRE and wipe the panel down thoroughly, then do your final sand. Our fast etch works well to apply to surface rust areas that need to be treated. If it’s a little more than surface rust you could apply encapsulator to treat the areas.
Sorry about that Mark, I missed the second question in your initial comment. The only 100% correct way to completely treat that area is to cut open the panel and remove and treat the rust. I’m assuming that isn’t a viable option, so I’d suggest starting with our Internal Frame Coating with the extension wand to coat the area as best as possible. The IFC will creep into those seams probably the best out of any of our products. If you want to go one step further I’d suggest applying our Heavy Duty Anti-Rust on top of the IFC-treated areas for optimal protection.
Hope that helps,
Matt
Hi Matt, Thanks for the feedback on my first question. Now I’d appreciated your thoughts on the second question that I had posed.
I put some converter on a bare metal fender top as a test. Wish I had read this article before. It had rust stain after removing the paint. I thought this was the right stuff. OOPS?
So acetone/PRE to remove it before I do my final bare metal sand? (at stage of paint removed with scotchbrite wheel). Rust stains wipe with encapsulator? Or fast etch? Or? They don’t seem to want to sand out.
I have been using rust converter on sand blasted steel surfaces and my assumption has been that if it turned black/blue that there was some hidden rust present and I go ahead and paint over it. Is this correct or should I be using the rust encapsolator in these situations?
Hi Sean,
Internal Frame Coating is meant for hidden areas that you can’t get to with a normal can. It will tend to run or creep so I wouldn’t suggest it for the outside of the chassis. I’d use our rust encapsulator topped with our chassis black.
The encapsulator can go over that primer but it can’t stop rust that it isn’t touching so if rust has begun to form under that paint it won’t stop it. The best bet is to strip that primer back down to bare metal and apply an epoxy primer over the bare metal to seal and then top coat your color of choice.
If you have some rust in the wheel wells you could use our rubberized rust encapsulator. If it’s clean and not rust just our normal rubberized undercoating would work in the wheel wells.
Rust Encapsulator will withstand up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If what you’re using will see higher temps than that your only real solution would be to mechanically remove the rust and apply a high temp paint to seal the bare metal from future rust.
You could attempt to encapsulate over those areas, but realize those spots are the tip of the iceberg and there’s probably more rust that may pop up as time goes on.
Wipe it down with our PRE prep or a similar cleaner.
Our internal frame coating also has creeping features as well as rust encapsulating properties. I think top coating the IFC isn’t a bad idea and would be the best overkill (good) solution.
You could do that, or let it dry and sand it off of the flat surface. We’ve also used rust dissolver or fast etch on pitted areas to remove the rust out of the pits with success but it does take some time.
The best steps are to spray the panel down with our PRE prep and wipe it down throughly until the rust dissolver is gone and then apply a coat of fast etch and let it dry on the surface. That will etch the metal and leave a phosporic coating that will keep it from flash rusting so quickly again.
Hi Rich, It can be used on an engine block and won’t create an oder unless the engine gets catastrophically hot where the paint burns/peels (in which case many other things will too). Any of our engine paints can go over top of the encapsulator.
You can find our international dealer list here: http://www.eastwood.com/distributor_intl
Where can I get this product here in Puerto Rico
Thanks Matt!
Thanks for the help!
Great stuff, as always!
Can the rust converter or encapsulator be painted on an engine block? If it can be painted on the block will it have an odor to it when the block heats up?
If the encapsulator or converrter can be used do you need to utop coat it with a specific paint?
I have a couple questions.
1) I’ve noticed that after using Eastwood Rust Dissolver that the metal rusts again rather quickly. What is the best way to protect the metal from rusting again if it’s going to be some time before receiving a coat of epoxy primer?
2) What product(s) would you use on the inside of a deck lid (between the inner support panel and outer panel)? I’m especially concerned about the extremities where the two panels are crimped together. There’s evidence of rust stains bleeding out from the edges where the metal is folded over. Access to the inside is restricted to a few access holes on the inside of the trunk but there’s no visibility into many areas as to the final result of any rust product application.
Wouldn’t Eastwood’s Heavy Duty Rust Anti-rust be a better choice in this case? I would think the fact that it seeps and gets into crevices easily and stays flexible and self heals would give it an edge in this case.
I have some pitted interior body panels needing treatment. I’ve sanded the panels down to bare metal but rust is still in the pits. I know media blasting would get the rust out, but would it be possible to cover the panel in rust converter then squeegee it off of the bare metal leaving it only in the pits?
What is the best way to remove rust converter that was applied to clean sheet metal?
My Ranchero undercarriage was painted with POR-15 about 10 years ago-spots are rusting through-do I encapsulate or convert?
A related question is that I need to halt the surface rust spreading on the firebox of my offset barrel smoker. Since moving to Florida from MD, the rust has spread more quickly than before.
Since the firebox is subjected to high heat, I suspect that rust encapsulator won’t work. Will the rust converter work in this situation?
I have a 06 jeep tj with very minimal surface rust in a few spots. My plan is to use internal frame coating on inside AND outside of frame , is this ok and do I need to do any prep work or can I paint over? Also, I had a rear bumper sandblasted to bare metal (had heavy rust spots ) I used Rustolium automotive primer just to get something on it before it flash rusted again, I used about 4 coats of primer. Can I use rust encapsulating directly over this primer? What’s the best option for coating the inside of my jeep and wheel wells, I was thinking bedliner, any suggestions? Thanks for the help.
I’d attack the rust from the inside out. Try out Internal Frame Coating or Rust Encapsulator with the extension wand to get into the bottom inside of the doors. It will at least slow it down, but if rust has started to form inside the seam it will be nearly impossible to stop it completely.
I’m starting to see some rust staining under the drain holes at the bottom of the doors, so there’s obviously some rust forming in there. What’s the best way to deal with this before the rust penetrates the bottom of the door skins?
I to did not read the buyers guide carefully and applied rust converter over rusted areas and some painted areas. The painted areas are surrounding the rusted areas but there are many of them (100 plus) If they are dry to the touch can I put a top coat over this or not. If not what do I need to do. Is there a way to wipe it off with a solution or put a coat of something over it?
I would suggest to wipe off those areas with acetone or PRE and then apply encapsulator over the entire area.
We only suggest it for extra durability. A top coat like a bedliner or undercoating can certainly be applied over top.
I to did not read the buyers guide clearly and applied the converter over rusted and some painted area. This is a lot of small areas. If it is not sticky am I ok putting a top coat on it, if not is there something I can put over these areas or can I wipe them off and let dry.
What is the downside of not using a top coat on the encapsulator product? I’m working on a newer (2007) truck frame, and while it’s not especially rusty, I do want to prevent future rust as much as possible. I’m not particularly concerned about the aesthetics of the frame.
Is there any issue applying liner products (i.e. spray-on bedliners) over the rust encapsulator? Thanks!
Hi Art, yes those products will adhere, but may require scuffing of the surface for the best adhesion.
It all depends on how bad the rust is. Judging by the age of the vehicle you should be safe using a wire brush to remove the loose rust, then rust encapsulator to seal it all up, and our Chassis Black over top to give the most superior finish for undercarriage.
Hi Andrew,
Yes you could apply epoxy primer over top of an entire area to really seal everything up. Most times epoxy is applied over bare metal though, so depending on the situation a urethane primer would be sufficient.
Body Filler could be applied either way, but generally you want to apply body filler over top of clean bare metal with no rust present. So if you have a doubt, I’d apply rust encapsulator first, then body filler. The best case scenario though is to media blast or use a chemical such as our Fast Etch or Rust Dissolver that actually removes the rust.
Sorry to hear that Mike, feel free to email our tech team with your experience and they may have some suggestions on where something could have gone wrong. Their email is: techelp@eastwood.com
I used the Rust Converter, didn’t work at all, will never use again.
CAN BONDO BE APPLIED UNDER/OVER YOUR PRODUCT?
If I use rust encapsulator over a mixed area (clean and rusty metal) can I epoxy over the RE once it has cured?
I have a 07 Mustang and want to paint the rear axle. What is the best product to use to cover up the rust and then top coat it?
Great article! It demystifies the differences between these two products.
I have a question:
Will body fillers, lacquer/epoxy primers, and finished coats adhere to these products without any additional treatment?
Thank You,
Art
Geez, this is such useful info !! Thanks !
Hi Jim,
I’d suggest wire wheeling the entire area and get it as clean as possible. I’d then apply a few heavy coats of rust encapsulator and top coat with chassis black.
As mentioned in the article Rust Encapsulator would be your best bet for an area with surface rust. Top coat it with our Chassis Black or a similar paint for the ultimate protection.
Hi Walt, unfortunately any coating will be compromised if you weld on the other side after applying. We normally advise to apply the coating after all welding is done. You can apply a last coat inside after welding to just coat those welded areas.
I would check those areas that are on bare metal and painted and make sure the converter isn’t sticky still. Ideally I’d remove it from those areas and apply rust encapsulator over the entire frame.
The only correct way is to separate the panels and clean between them and apply rust encapsulator or a weld through etching primer.
We can ship it if you buy direct off of our website or you can check with our Canadian distributors here: http://www.eastwood.com/distributor_intl
Hi Joe,
Yes Rust Encapsulator can be top coated with your desired paint.
Hi this will work to treat the rust, but if you have rust holes you should really be replacing the metal and repairing the damage. None of these products can make swiss cheese metal stronger.
I have a frame that is rust thru in spots will these products work on it?
Going to use one of your products to cover the I beam that holds my house up. Not to rusty from building exposure. The finished I beam will be seen everyone goes into my basement so I want it to look finished. Tks.
Can rust encapsulate be painted over?
What is the best product for lap-joint type welds? I have a situation where two body panels are attached to each other by spot welds at a lap joint. I can blast or wire brush clean all around the joint, but I can still see rust in the seam between the two panels. I could drill the spot welds and separate the panels but this is very labor intensive. I am afraid that if I clean the exposed metal and go ahead and paint, the rust will eventually cause the paint to bubble at the seam and need repair again.
Thank You
Steve Phillips
I live in Canada. Where can I get rust encapsulator?
I should have read the buyers guide before I started. I have applied rust converter to a frame that is about 95% medium rust. There were a couple of isolated areas with weld repairs that were not rusted and a couple with small patches of old paint. It seems to have dried to a hard dark surface in these areas, do I need to go back and remove it from these areas?
I’ve used both…with success. However, is there a potential problem if I need to weld where I have applied either product ? How about the
internal frame coating ? I’ve used it and now question …what if I need to weld on the exterior of the frame where I used the wand to apply the
internal frame coating ? Thank you walt
i need to paint a metal overhang that has surface rust which product should i use
THANKS FOR THIS IMFORMATION
Restoring a 60 yr old tractor. Want clean interior of tire rim and coat to prevent additional rust. What product is recommened??
Hi, you can order online directly through our website and have them shipped to you.
Where can I get rust converter/ encapsulate in the Durham NC area