Painting over Metalflake?

dwyork@hotmail.com

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I have an old 83' Skeeter Bass boat that I am wanting to repaint. I have the Rustoleum marine paint and primer. I plan on putting in the large amount of prep work required, but I have a few questions about the prep. Most of the areas I want to repaint are a metalflake finish and my question is...do I need to sand all the way through the metal flake before I primer and paint or do I just need to sand it down to a smooth finish? I am not sure if the metal flake would eventually alter the finish or break through. And if any of you have painted a bass boat and have pictures I would love to see them.
 

TheWoodCrafter

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Just sand smooth and prime.
You don't need to remove the metal flake.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Alright, so I was sanding my boats and after a couple of passes with the orbital sander I noticed some loose metal flake from where I sanded a little too far. Can I still primer and paint over this without blimishes or do I have to sand all the way past the metal flake now...please tell me that I can just primer and paint, :eek:
 

WizeOne

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Alright, so I was sanding my boats and after a couple of passes with the orbital sander I noticed some loose metal flake from where I sanded a little too far. Can I still primer and paint over this without blimishes or do I have to sand all the way past the metal flake now...please tell me that I can just primer and paint, :eek:

Just go by feel. If the surface is uniformly smooth and there is no loose junk, spray on the primer. You can always color sand it a little bit and reshoot if necessary. Again, it's important that the surface be sound.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

I cleaned the surface after sanding and although there is no longer any loose metalflake on the surface, I can still feel the metalfalke slighty pushing through. If I sand any further I will continue with the same results. Can I go ahead and primer over this and with primer and 2-3 coats of paint will the roughness show through?
 

divimon2000

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Prime it and go. I did the same and used PU paint (2 part). It's smooth and I have 2 clear coats to go! (I too have the Honkin Big metal flake to cover).
 

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dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Thanks for the breath of relief, Divimon. Your paint looks amazing...did you spray that yourself? I am using the roll and tip method and if my finished product looks half as good as your pic then I will be a very happy man.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Prime it and go. I did the same and used PU paint (2 part). It's smooth and I have 2 clear coats to go! (I too have the Honkin Big metal flake to cover).

So did you have the metalflake actually coming through? I noticed that if I ran my hand along the hull that I have little pieces of the silver metal flake on my palm. I keep wiping down the boat, but these things keep showing up. I just don't want them to be lose in the primer and end up causing any blemishes on my final coats.
 

Mark_VTfisherman

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

......I keep wiping down the boat, but these things keep showing up. I just don't want them to be lose in the primer and end up causing any blemishes on my final coats.

Wipe it down with a fluid on a cotton rag. Then shoot a couple or three coats of a scratch filling primer to lock it in. Wet sand and shoot another coat. You will probably be smooth and fine at that point. Then you can start shooting the color coats. Probably need 2 or 3, then clears go over that.
 
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Tail_Gunner

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Prime it and go. I did the same and used PU paint (2 part). It's smooth and I have 2 clear coats to go! (I too have the Honkin Big metal flake to cover).


Ok hold on here for a min...First you would cut off dead material with 600-800 grit. Then a wipe with xylene then clear and clear followed with 1000 grit between coat's, That was the orignal process...am i missing something here...Aka prime it...Prime a clear...:confused:

Your going to have to build a final clear coat
 

Mark_VTfisherman

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Ok hold on here for a min...First you would cut off dead material with 600-800 grit. Then a wipe with xylene then clear and clear followed with 1000 grit between coat's, That was the orignal process...am i missing something here...Aka prime it...Prime a clear...:confused:Your going to have to build a final clear coat

I took it that he was painting another solid or metallic over the metalflake, not trying to repair it. Maybe I am wrong, but that was my take.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

You are correct, I am not trying to repair the old metal flake finish I am painting over it with Rustoleum Marine Fiberglass Primer and Rustoleum Marine Topside Paint using the "roll & tip" method. If anyone has experiences with roll and tipping a bass boat please respond. I want to make sure that I make as few mistakes as possible, LOL.
 

SuzukiChopper

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

If anyone has experiences with roll and tipping a bass boat please respond.

Roll and tip is roll and tip no matter what you're doing it to. In your application it sounds like the prep is going to be the most important and you may need a few primer coats to get the base smooth for the color.

With those flakes you can feel, I'd be tempted to use some 600 or 800 grit paper and sand those areas by hand lightly just to knock down the flake a bit. Key word being LIGHTLY.
 

88BLiner

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

I was in the auto body industry for about 10 years and I know that you need to get rid of all the loose stuff. If you just primer over it there will small amounts of air trapped under the primer and eventually it WILL come threw and your paint will crack. I guess it just depends on how long you want your new paint job to last after all that hard prep work.
 

Mark_VTfisherman

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Metalflake sticking up in a paint surface ain't loose- it's just sticking up. If he's tacking off his sanding job with reducer on a rag or whatever there will be no loose stuff, just those nearly potato-chip-sized flakes sticking up.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Awesome...that is exactly what I was wanting to find out! I was just worried that some of the flake would get caught up when I was rolling and make my paint job blotchy. I searched and searched the forums here, but I could not find any posts where anyone had painted over metal flake using the "roll & tip" method. Thanks for your help fellas.
 

Mark_VTfisherman

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Unless there is something wrong with the oem paint, merely rolling it over shouldn't pull any more flakes. Just degrease and remove dust with reducer on a rag. That should remove any leftover residues.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

Thanks buddy, I will definitely use this advise and I will let you know how it turns out...Stay tuned.
 

dwyork@hotmail.com

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Re: Painting over Metalflake?

It turned out better than I ever expected...I would definately reccomend this process and it only cost me about $100 total.
 

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