Painting a boat

[drewpster]

Re: Painting a boat

When I wrote "allot of prep" what I was referring to was the amount of time I spent getting the surface ready to paint. Marine polyurethanes (or any shiney finish) look best when applied over a very smooth surface. Any imperfection will show after the paint cures. It is also recommended that the surface be as clean as possible to allow a good bond and to prevent fisheyes or other problems in the paint.
It is very important to follow any instructions concerning preparation that the paint manufacturer recommends. It is also important to stick to a single manufacturer's label when selecting cleaners, thinners, fillers and so on for the job, to insure compatibility of the products used.
A seasoned pro may have experience enough to know what can be used with what, but guys like me need the assurance that all the stuff will work together.
I like Interlux products because they make every product I need, they are competitively priced, and they design their products for novices like me. Their website also has a wealth of information for doing the job.
I have been extremely happy with the results so far.

 

[BillP]

Re: Painting a boat

Pics make these paint jobs look a lot better than they really are but here's a roll and tip with blue Interlux Brightsides...and a sailboat done with just a "hot dog" foam roller and West Marine SeaGloss single part poly. The hot dog foam roller kicked butt on the tipped version for best cosmetics but you can't see the difference here.

 

[texfish]

Re: Painting a boat

When I wrote "allot of prep" what I was referring to was the amount of time I spent getting the surface ready to paint. Marine polyurethanes (or any shiney finish) look best when applied over a very smooth surface. Any imperfection will show after the paint cures. It is also recommended that the surface be as clean as possible to allow a good bond and to prevent fisheyes or other problems in the paint.
It is very important to follow any instructions concerning preparation that the paint manufacturer recommends. It is also important to stick to a single manufacturer's label when selecting cleaners, thinners, fillers and so on for the job, to insure compatibility of the products used.
A seasoned pro may have experience enough to know what can be used with what, but guys like me need the assurance that all the stuff will work together.
I like Interlux products because they make every product I need, they are competitively priced, and they design their products for novices like me. Their website also has a wealth of information for doing the job.
I have been extremely happy with the results so far.

I am no expert, but I just completed a deck paint job with the product and technique recommended above and I am very pleased with the result. I will also amplify his comments regarding the shiny finish showing every imperfection in the surface. My only complaint was the odor is bad while drying in an enclosed shop.

 

[yam350yfm]

Re: Painting a boat

To all, thanks for some great advice and ideas!

I stopped by the boat supply store over the weekend and they have a few brands. 2 were polyurethane and 1 was silicone based. All use the "roll and tip" method. The polyurethane's also had reducers available for use in a sprayer. That would not be something that can be sprayed in a temporary homemade paint booth, so I would most likely need to roll and tip. I have used the foam rollers referenced. Anybody have problems with the chemicals in the paint breaking down the foam rollers?

 

[drewpster]

Re: Painting a boat

Yes it is a good idea to use a special roller with these paints. The solvents in the paint will quickly break down a plain foam roller. They are a bit more expensive but nothing is worse than having a plain roller come apart in the paint. It is also a good idea to use a natural bristle brush for the same reason.
Here is link to one iboats offers. I used a different brand because they were available locally. The Corona is the same type.

http://www.iboats.com/Slicker_Roller/dm/**********.117708686--*******.699778136--category_id.246659--list_time.1199302819--view_id.37884

Here is the brush I use.
http://www.redtreeind.com/brushes.html
The Onyx is the one shown in the link. I use their Badger hair brush.

 

[BillP]

Re: Painting a boat

I've yet to find any paint straight of the can that didn't need thinner (reducer) to get a good finish when brushing or rolling. I doubt you will find it any different.

Most modern single and two part polys will eat foam rollers...some foam just lasts longer than others and how much thinner is used makes a difference too. You can feel the roller dragging before it happens and change it before pieces start chunking off. It takes a little practice but don't be afraid to change foam rollers often.