How to paint a CorTen Transport Container?

January 28, 2009

Hi!
My Daughter, a 11th grade student at Piscataway High School, would like to repaint a storage container (standard 40' long 8' wide 9' tall shipping container) for a high school project. The container is made of Corten, currently has a rust-brown color (which I assume is the native Corten "oxidized" color), and has a large area painted with a company logo she would like to remove. Ideally, the finished project will be black and gold school colors. The container has been "retired" from shipping and is now used to store the High School Marching Band equipment near their practice field.

Should the container be sand-blasted first to remove the old paint, dirt, etc?

What paint preparation is best for Corten? Does it need to be stripped? Primed? Is it best to paint right over Cortens protective oxidized finish?

What paint is best for a nice semigloss finish?

What method of application is best? Spray on? Brush/Roller on?

thanks for any advice
Ned in Piscataway NJ

Ned Boff
Engineer with a Daughter who thinks all Engineers should just know this stuff - Piscataway, NJ, USA