Painting self built poles/jumps

[thehorsedream]

So, being a typical cash strapped rider, I’m building my own jump standards, found my own poles etc. I’ve always planned on painting them. My initial idea was to just paint them white with some good quality outdoor paint so that the wood lasts longer than it would bare.

However, looking into different tutorials has now made me think that maybe I shouldn’t just leave them white. I’ve seen doing stripes with bright colored duct tape. I’ve seen stripes with bright colored paint. Some say to make stripes certain sizes so you can visually see exactly where the middle of the jumps are.

What is the most beneficial as far as homemade jumps? I’m mostly practicing jumping without trainer assistance so I’m not sure if any of these suggestions matter to me.

[Lord_Helpus]

Word to the wise: Use a very good exterior primer first. Otherwise you will be scraping and repainting the jumps every 2 years.

[Ready_To_Riot]

I’ve always just used the cheap mis tint paint and Home Depot. You can get all sorts of colors for under $10

[normandy_shores]

![]( also buy cheap mistints, but I’ve also scoured our local paint recycling drop off. Lots of older paints I wouldn’t touch, but many partially full cans of neat colours for free.

And yes, even painting basic stripes will give your eye somewhere to focus on approaches and turns. I had a lot of fun painting mine and doing different patterns and designs, and makes my ring look interesting to passersby!

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsiabz0zrm.jpeg)

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvpllpkoi.jpeg)

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsh9tlj2qq.jpeg)

[Mango20]

I buy a variety of colors from the Home Depot “oops” shelf. I would recommend against using duct tape for jump stripes - it’s easy and looks good at first, but it quickly deteriorates, the tape peels off but leaves behind a sticky/raised residue. I’d just get creative with your paints instead.

[enjoytheride]

My gelding had a hysterical meltdown the first time he saw a painted jump pole because I had white or wood colored poles at home. He was a special special horse but I have always made sure my horses jumped over colored things and filler before taking them anywhere.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

What LH said. I made the mistake of not priming and am now in the “scrape and repaint” stage. Blech.

[sherian]

I used white and coloured stain for my jumps - no scraping or peeling, it fades gradually but you can just slap a new coat on

[VelvetsAB]

Mis-tints are always a good idea, and you could always have extra tint put in to make it brighter. Or get a can of darker, and mix it in with something lighter, so that you have two hues of the same colour for a set of poles.

I believe there are a few different widths of painters tape now, that would be really helpful in making sure the colour blocks are the separated.

[RugBug]

I’ve never seen much difference in the swear between primed/unprimed. If I want the jumps to look decent, I’m painting everything two years no matter what. It’s why we’ve converted to all PVC standards… Less stuff to paint.

I prefer stripes and visually interesting at home so that when you get to a show, horse won’t be surprised.

[thehorsedream]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I definitely was planning on doing a paint primer mix in white when I was just thinking about doing white. I didn’t think about the spook factor colored jumps could have if you never rode over them. I will definitely consider that now. And knowing you can buy mis-tints is a great thing. Thanks for all the advice!

[SonnysMom]

I paint a lot of poles for my trainer. Primer first then 2 coats white paint, then tape, then paint the edges of the tape with white again, let dry, then paint the colored stripes. By painting the edge of the tape with the base color it helps to prevent the stripe color from bleeding under the tape. This produces a much crisper stripe line.

I use the highest gloss white paint I can get. For the stripes I used to use mismatch paint from Lowe’s. I am a snob and hate Behr paint so won’t use they. I just am never happy with the results from Behr. Now we specifically buy the stripe color paint so that it is high gloss. I very rarely see high gloss exterior paint in cool colors in mismatch.
My trainer has us stripe the cavellettis with a single center stripe.

The center stripe gives you a clear focus point.

[awesomenessity]

I’ve done duct tape rails! These are photos of them a couple months after I made them, but they look basically the same now at almost 2 years old. Haven’t had to retape them at all. The blue combination rails are getting a little bit ratty if you’re close up but they still look awesome from far away! They just get used the most If you have any questions about them let me know!

EDIT: One thing I will say that I REALLY like about them is they stay shiny and glossy without having to clean them… They stay constantly spooky

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=awesomenessity;8478969]
I’ve done duct tape rails! These are photos of them a couple months after I made them, but they look basically the same now at almost 2 years old. Haven’t had to retape them at all. The blue combination rails are getting a little bit ratty if you’re close up but they still look awesome from far away! They just get used the most If you have any questions about them let me know!

EDIT: One thing I will say that I REALLY like about them is they stay shiny and glossy without having to clean them… They stay constantly spooky ;)[/QUOTE]

Have these been outside at all? There’s a big difference when jumps are exposed to weather.

[awesomenessity]

No they haven’t, we only have an indoor arena. Should have mentioned that in my post because they definitely do fade over time if left in the sunlight. I have had one rail outside for the last year and a half throughout the winter/summer getting snowed and rained on and the tape is still attached and looks okay, but the orange colouring has faded significantly.

[thehorsedream]

I could see how duct tape would work better indoors. Duct tape and water do not mix well. Unfortunately, I only have access to an outdoor arena so I would need to have the outdoor paint.

Does the gloss vs not gloss really matter? Is it spookier? Does it last longer at higher gloss? Or does it just look better?

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=thehorsedream;8479965]

Does the gloss vs not gloss really matter? Is it spookier? Does it last longer at higher gloss? Or does it just look better?[/QUOTE]

I think the high gloss last better outside. At the very least, dirt does not stick to them nearly as much.

Which bring up another point: if you can, have ground lines be different from the poles you use on the jumps. Being on the ground is really hard on the paint, and they won’t last nearly as long. I like to keep solid colored ground lines, and then do the stripey poles for on the jump…that said, because sometimes you build want an vertical where an oxer is set, the stripey poles may sit on the ground…and you just deal with it.

[SonnysMom]

I think the high gloss paint lasts better. I agree with RugBug that the dirt is easier to brush off the high gloss and doesn’t stick as much.
Where I board she uses 8 ft landscape ties painted white for ground rails and trot poles to save the nice striped poles. We use 10 ft rails not 12 foot rails and just center the 8 ft one in the middle.
However, if you are going inexpensive spending $5 a gallon on mismatch and a less glossy color versus $10 a quart for high gloss who cares if you have to repaint it a little sooner?

[alliekat]

Here is a link to the jumps we built for our daughter a few years ago. If you read through the tread, we even broke down the cost and materials.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?318629-We-built-our-own-homemade-horse-jumps-)&highlight=homemade%20jumps

[Dewey]

[QUOTE=nor![](andy_shores;8476688]
I also buy cheap mistints, but I’ve also scoured our local paint recycling drop off. Lots of older paints I wouldn’t touch, but many partially full cans of neat colours for free.

And yes, even painting basic stripes will give your eye somewhere to focus on approaches and turns. I had a lot of fun painting mine and doing different patterns and designs, and makes my ring look interesting to passersby!

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsiabz0zrm.jpeg)

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvpllpkoi.jpeg)

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/allymrtn/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsh9tlj2qq.jpeg)[/QUOTE]

That last one should be called the “Howard Johnson’s jump.”