Painting show jumps - what's the best method?

[Ranyhyn]

Yeah yeah, back n fore with a brush

Ok so starting from a wooden pole - what's the best way to paint a jump pole? Can you use simple wood paint or is a special paint preferable? Is there any top coat/undercoat?
Etc Etc

Cake for anyone who answers

 

[Littlelegs]

I'm a bit of a tramp, I use wood undercoat if not been painted before, then whatever remnants of outdoor gloss I can find. (bought 1 can of red so far) usually 2 coats, but I do keep them on a field floor all weathers. Best tip is to find older kids/ teens & offer them McDonald's & use of jumps if they paint for you!

 

[SpottedCat]

Whatever gloss paint is lying around in the garage/on offer at B&Q! Look in the cheap section of B&Q as if someone has had some paint mixed and either returns it or doesn't collect it, they sell it off for about £1. Never bothered with undercoat.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Undercoat is essential, otherwise it will all fall off.

 

[Ollie's Mum]

I was going to say ask a man to do it for you (Do I get any cake? )

 

[Ranyhyn]

LOL you can have cake yes

OH will most certainly be doing it, but as ever I am the organisational lynch pin of the whole operation, so will be in charge of things like colour and design etc!

 

[noblesteed]

I made some a couple of summers ago and the paint has stayed on while out all winter. First of all I sanded the wood down with an electric sander, mainly because I was aware of the chance of getting splinters in hands when dragging jump poles across the field! Then I used cheap bog-standard white undercoat all over them and left them a day to dry outside. Then I got some little tins of coloured wood gloss to go over the top. I did red and white stripes and blue and white stripes using masking tape. The white paint I used was some left over from when husband had painted some outdoor wood, it was quite old but it was fine.

Be aware that gloss can take a week or two to dry fully. The first time I used my jumps I got a teeny bit of blue paint on my top which I then managed to transfer to the underside of my saddle and it won't come off!!!!!

 

[RobinHood]

You need to clean them thoroughly (ie scrub with washing up liquid) and let them dry. Then sand any rough parts and smooth off the ends of the poles so they don't chip on the cups.

We use 3 coats of undercoat and then 2 coats of barn paint or wood gloss. It's important that the undercoat is the same colour as the top coat otherwise it'll show through when horses hit them and the top coat chips off. I paint alternate stripes on alternate days (does that make sense ) so the paint doesn't run into another colour.

Be warned it's more time consuming than you may think. We have enough jumps for 3 two phase courses and repainting them is never ending.