How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

[ShawnQ]

I am going to be pulling the carpet, and putting Durabak on the interior of my blue wave in a light grey color.<br /><br />If you've ever seen a factory center console boat, they have a very thick spatter laid over the base color of the boat. I dont think it is actual paint, but it could be.<br /><br />I want to take some blue paint, and spatter it over the light grey to get the same effect as you would from the factory, without paying a professional to do it.<br /><br />I have worked in the auto paint/body industry for a while, and I'm perfectly capable of doing a complete repaint on a bus if I had to...so dont worry about the ability side of it. I'm just curious how they do this.<br /><br />Any ideas?<br /><br />Thanks!<br />Shawn

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

There are a few ways you can do it depending on what you want it to look like.One way is to take a wisk broom or a wisk brush and dip the tips of the bristles in the paint and dab it on.If you dont like the way that looks you can take a large paint brush and load it up with paint.Take a piece of 2x4 wood and hold a piece of it just over the area you want spattered.Hold the wood firmly and hit the part of the paint brush just below the bristles on the wood and it will spatter.You will have to experiment with how close you hold the wood as to what kind of spatter you will get.Good luck!!! Charlie

 

[ShawnQ]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

hmm...<br /><br />I wonder what kind of paint the factory uses to get that thick and hardened spatter, versus just a paint spatter.<br /><br />I was thinking that there is an air powered gun I can purchase that will do this...but I am sure the methods you mentioned should work.<br /><br />I wonder if I just use my standard paint gun, and lower the PSI without thinning the paint, I'm sure it will spatter out...but the spatters wont be very big. I'm looking for the long/runny spatters that you see in your factory 'bayboat' with a rolled edge.<br /><br />Thanks for the tips!<br />Shawn

 

[JasonJ]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

There was a discussion on this a long time ago on Fiberglassics.com. A guy rebuilt a 50s runabout and wanted the splatter. He ended up using a gun, and I can't remember exactly what type or nozzle he used. I almost want to say he used a gun for undercoating, something with a large nozzle, and used low pressure. I can't remember the specifics. I know the brush whack technique would work as well. I know with gelcoat there is an additive that makes it ropey so it can be sprayed and give that splattered snot effect, not sure about paint.

 

[ShawnQ]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

Jason,<br /><br />Thanks for the info.<br /><br />I actually just found what I was looking for. It's called 'webbing' or 'veiling', and it is done by putting an additive into gel coat and spraying it. The additive causes the gelcoat to almost dry as soon as it is sprayed out, which freezes it in mid air and makes it land as a splatter/vein/'snot' look.<br /><br />Supposedly you can spray it through any regular paint gun. I think I'll give it a try.<br /><br />Here's a link that I found it on. This guy used it to make more of a granite look, but I would lower the PSI and go for the runny look:<br /> http://www.whopperstopper.net/readingroom/gregsboat.htm <br /><br />Thanks again!<br />shawn

 

[Terry H]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

Shawn...the paint I've used is called Zolotone...there's a website and if you do a search you should find it...just a Thought

 

[BillP]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

Boat factories use regular gelcoat to do the splatter finish. A base color is sprayed on the same way paint is sprayed. Then the splatters are done by reducing the paint gun air pressure to "spit" the gelcoat. It just takes some experimenting to learn the technique.

 

[ShawnQ]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

BillP,<br /><br />That's what I figured. Where can I buy Gelcoat in colors, online? Any sources? Does Iboats sell it? I didn't see any...<br /><br />S_Queeney@hotmail.com is my email if you need to recommend a source without posting it.<br /><br />Thanks!<br />Shawn

 

[BillP]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

ShawnQ,<br />I haven't bought gelcoat in a long time so don't have a best source to give you. Do a google search...there are plenty of suppliers in Florida. Buy it in white and mix in different pigments to make the colors you want. There are also high temp gelcoats (normally orange or black) for mold making and a high impact bright white gelcoat for medical parts. <br /><br />Bill P.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

Gelcoat mixed with webbing solution.. <br /> http://www.shopmaninc.com/solvents.html

 

[crab bait]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

i used kraylon marble-izer on time to do an old ugly fireplace hearth in my house onetime..<br /><br />it's pretty neet..!! comes in a kit..2 cans..one can, the base paint,, which is regular spray -in-a-can paint... then spray on the contrasting marble # 2 can..<br /><br />goes on like 'silly string' an lays thick an dries immediately..<br /><br />it does a great job.. an looks like marble. fools everyone..!!<br /><br />mine was white with black mable lines.. but comes in a variety of 'flavors'..<br /><br />easy to do..holds up great.. but with anythin' you choose.. the hard part is knowin' when to stop.. <br /><br />cause over doin' it looks bad...<br /><br />get it at any major home center, or store<br /><br />p.s. you would only need to use can # 2

 

[ShawnQ]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

Crab Bait,<br /><br />Thanks for the reply.<br /><br />I think I am going to go with the light grey Durabak as a 'base coat', and if I am unsatisfied with having too much grey, I will try and splatter some blue onto it to match the hull sides.<br /><br />Thanks for the tips everyone. This would be a good thread for someone else interested.<br /><br />Shawn

 

[rjarreau]

Re: How to make paint 'Spatter' finish like from the factory?

man you hit the nail right on the head on this topic.i have the answers you are looking for. i have been working on my 4 year old center console promaster for 2 weeks now and doing the exact same thing. i removed all the carpet. and reglassed where they did not do a good job at smoothing out where the fiberglass cloth ended. i have talked to more than my share of people about this and are still super nervious about how the completion will look like. my wife is not very happy. i still owe 8000.00 on this boat and i have nothing left but the hull right now.so after many discussions and me bugging local marine shops what you see is a pure white gelcoat shot on with a special gun with a webbing additive, i have tested it with a undercoating spray gun set at 30 psi. mix the white gelcoat with mekp hardner and a webbing additive and let it set up about 10 min. waiting the 10 min. will let it thicken up a bit and goes on without running, it looks excellent.i am going to apply 2 coats like this in the pure white then one the third coat i am going to mix a 1\2 a gallon of the gelcoat up and add a grey coloring agent to it then shoot it on the boat. i am going to try to shoot the entire boat next week. i have got all my supplies from www.uscomposites.com they have everything . i have purchased for my 19 promaster. 4 gallons of white gelcoat,2 bottles of hardner,2 qts of webbing solution. grey coloring agent. and a bunch of mixing containers and stuff. i will post you pics as i go along. it will start to look real good by this weekend. good luck and i will post a entire story with pics and how to's on this site so people dont make the same mistakes i made !!!!