painting aluminum hull

wlmiller

Recruit
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Messages
4
I have a 1993 Bass Tracker 17ft with rivited hull, I want to paint the hull, but i am having a time finding out what type of paint to use. Could anyone help me out? Thanks Wendell
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: painting aluminum hull

Welcome to iboats!

Do a search here and you will find a ton of information....... take a look at our completed projects to.
 

beardslee

Recruit
Joined
Mar 29, 2010
Messages
1
Re: painting aluminum hull

I have painted many types of hull materails - alum. needs to be sands (preped) and than coated with a zinc cromate primer ( any good auto paint strore will have) once thats applied (no sanding needed) choice a guality paint - emanal is a good one and is easily to apply. Other paints including most of the over the counter sprays ( like rustnolumune) will not stick ! good luck its not that hard .
 

cedarjunki

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
472
Re: painting aluminum hull

Other paints including most of the over the counter sprays ( like rustnolumune) will not stick !

i dont want to start anything here but..... why do you say rattle can rustoleum wont stick??
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: painting aluminum hull

Rustoleum will stick from a rattle can but, it will cost you a fortune. ezmobee painted his first Starcraft that way and he might chime in.

For an initial paint job over aluminum (not painted before) you will need to lightly scuff it up, treat the metal with a wipe down of alodine then prime with zinc chromate (a light coating will work) and then paint.

Rustoleum works great and is the cheapest.

Single stage polyurethane marine paints work great too.

Or go high end with a two part marine epoxy...... people have even used regular automotive paints with great success.

Any of those paints will last and look good for a LONG time and if it is a trailered boat even longer.

Rustoleum advantage is the ability to do touch ups cheap.

The secret is in the prep
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: painting aluminum hull

Yes, paint won't stick to bare aluminum. It will in the short term but will eventually flake off. Need to prime first with ZC primer. Only a light dusting of that stuff is needed.

Yes, I painted my Jupiter with rattle cans. It was a nightmare. Used so many friggin' cans I probably could have had it professionally sprayed for cheaper. And the overspray pretty well killed my gloss. It could have perhaps been wet sanded but who knows.

My current project I painted with Petit Easypoxy using a brush and foam roller and am thrilled with the results.
 

cedarjunki

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
472
Re: painting aluminum hull

I have painted many types of hull materails - alum. needs to be sands (preped) and than coated with a zinc cromate primer ( any good auto paint strore will have) once thats applied (no sanding needed) choice a guality paint - emanal is a good one and is easily to apply. Other paints including most of the over the counter sprays ( like rustnolumune) will not stick ! good luck its not that hard .

again i wasnt trying to start an arguement here......i know it will not stick to bare aluminum....2 year body shop in highschool :) but i was refering to beardslees post..... saying it needed to be prepped and primed* but also said spray cans will not stick..... i understand the pain of the rattle cans but if that route is chosen if it is properly prepped it will stick just as well....
i rattlecanned my transom almost 2 years ago only because it was disgusting from previous owner... ill never do it again mind you, but it still looks good...
 
Top