paint shelves

ive got a 7x16 trailer, and im buying a 2nd painter this year. can anyone give me some tips for paint storage? it seems along the walls would be best to distribute the weight, but will 2 machines fit side by side with paint along the walls? maybe im having trouble visualizing.. what are you guys using? also i still need to figure out a better stencil storage system, i have them on the floor now, but 2 machines will make it a little more difficult.

Just Machines OR drivers too? How much paint? Can you carry extra paint in your tow vehicle? How many stencils and how many do you use often?

i dont have a ll yet, not sure i dont think im going to get one this year.. ill usually have around a palette of paint (18 5g) plus thinner, extra white, blue etc.. on a full load no more than 24 pails i would think. id prefer not to carry it in my truck. is that what most of you are doing? my collection of stencils is growing ive got probably 10 maybe but id hate making return trips if i have a stencil and didnt bring it.

We use a 7x12 trailer and have three machines and LL and back pack blower in it. Stencils are on the floor and paint is in tow vehicle. We only take enough paint for the day. Crowded but works. We switched to a van for tow vehicle this season and don't know yet how will like it.

Well, I don't want to make things difficult for you. However. If you have that many pails of solvent paint on your truck or trailer, you have to be placarded. God help you if you get a DOT traffic stop or a weigh station wave over. If you have more than 10 pails on your truck I would recommend getting yourself up to compliance. You need a DOT number MSDS sheets and a load sheet. Also a drivers log book. Etc etc etc..........I know of other companies that have been spanked to the tune of thousands of dollars in fines.

is your trailer a v neck and is there a side door. mine is a v neck with a side door. therefor all of my paint goes in the front where there are shelves which is by the door. i have two shelves which makes it three high. if i need additional paint i will line the sides with it but it always seems to be in the way. i usually take two machines, a line lazer, and a 13 horse power push blower and i have plenty of room. like i said, mine is a v neck which holds the paint perfectly. not sure about the weight but i pull mine with a 250 and its of course fine. good luck stencils, i cant help you with. mine hand and on the floor but i dont have a recomendation on that

autolinesjake wrote on Mar 24, 2009:Go to #5

Well, I don't want to make things difficult for you. However. If you have that many pails of solvent paint on your truck or trailer, you have to be placarded. God help you if you get a DOT traffic stop or a weigh station wave over. If you have more than 10 pails on your truck I would recommend getting yourself up to compliance. You need a DOT number MSDS sheets and a load sheet. Also a drivers log book. Etc etc etc..........I know of other companies that have been spanked to the tune of thousands of dollars in fines.

this is good advice.. i will look into it. and unfortunately no, my trailer isnt a v-neck. i would think all that paint would make your trailer tow with the back end riding high? or maybe the machines even it out if you have them situated in the rear? i had all my paint kind of in the middle on the one side of a dividing wall, with the machine at the back, but that can be easily changed.

i just find it in the way all of the time on the sides. i have a heavy duty trailer and a f250 pulling it. im dont even realize its back there. i have tried it all ways but i guess this just works best for me. i just carry my paint and hand tools out the door on the side and unload the machines from the rear. if i dont need a machine and just need paint i simply open the side door and get what i need. good luck with it

RandyV has an excellent pail storage system, as does JPanz I believe. Myself, I'd never carry 24 pails of paint. I only carry what I need for the day. You should have plenty of room with a 7x16 with pails on the sides as long as your machines were front to back and not side by side.

carrying so much paint allows me to save myself trips to the paint store, since i really dont have anywhere else to store it at the moment but in my trailer.

I have approx. 6foot long racks down each side of the trailer(centered over axles), Paint sits on floor stacked two high. Ratchet straps keep them in racks. Can fit 12 pails per side. Shelf storage above for number/letter stencils, gallon cans of enamel and concrete stain, parts, tools etc. Usually carry 4 3900's and 1 3000 and 1 driver, scarifier, back pack blowers, power broom and lord knows how many stencils, on the floor and wall. Wells 7 x 16 with ramp door. This is my second enclosed striping trailer, so I put a little thought into it.

Fonz wrote on Mar 25, 2009:Go to #9

RandyV has an excellent pail storage system, as does JPanz I believe. Myself, I'd never carry 24 pails of paint. I only carry what I need for the day. You should have plenty of room with a 7x16 with pails on the sides as long as your machines were front to back and not side by side.

And if you want side by side store all your paint in front of trailer and striper's in back side to side. You really want majority of your weight over your axles but if not it is better to have it in front of axles instead of back. In back it can get really squirrelly.

I have 2 stripers and a driver in my trailor. Today I built overhead shelves to put my big stencils. I keep all my individual letters in a wooden box. I found a buch of these with "FREE" written on them. I took all of them. I keep my small 8 " stencils in big milk crates. I Hang my small arrows and handicap stencils on the wall. All my paint is in my tow vehicle. All subject to change. Pete