painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

joseph89click

Recruit
Joined
Apr 8, 2013
Messages
1
I understand that automotive paint is not designed for a fiberglass boat but i wonder if i can paint with automotive paint and clear over it if there is a proper primer i can spray on it in order to have to automotive paint adhere to it. Any feedback is appreciated. i would rather not use gel-coat. for one i dont know hardly anything about it and i am wanting to do a technique that i can only do with automotive paint and clear coat.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,932
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

Welcome to iBoats!
Lots of Fiberglass Cars out there so yep you sure can. Only thing is...If you leave the boat in the water for more than 3-4 days at a time it could develop blisters on the bottom of the hull. Not saying it will but it could. If it's a trailered boat then you'll prolly not experience any problems. What kind of paint and what kind technique are you wanting to try?
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,381
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

I understand that automotive paint is not designed for a fiberglass boat but i wonder if i can paint with automotive paint and clear over it if there is a proper primer i can spray on it in order to have to automotive paint adhere to it. Any feedback is appreciated. i would rather not use gel-coat. for one i dont know hardly anything about it and i am wanting to do a technique that i can only do with automotive paint and clear coat.

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,... Forget about the base coat clear coat, 'n go with a 2 part single stage Urethane paint, 'n you'll have No problems...
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,605
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,... Forget about the base coat clear coat, 'n go with a 2 part single stage Urethane paint, 'n you'll have No problems...

Why do you think a base coat clear coat is bad? You do know that the clear coat IS a 2 part Urethane clear don't you. So what would be the bad part to stay away from? I don't follow your logic... Anybody can spray many coats of clear and have as much or more protection then a single stage Urethane paint...
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,381
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

Why do you think a base coat clear coat is bad? You do know that the clear coat IS a 2 part Urethane clear don't you. So what would be the bad part to stay away from? I don't follow your logic... Anybody can spray many coats of clear and have as much or more protection then a single stage Urethane paint...

Well,.... Base coat/ clear coat can't be easily repaired, after the fact,...
With single stage, you can resand out a small spot, 'n re-shoot it....

With Boats, the price ya pay, in labor, 'n paint is Extremely high for Bc/ Cc's depth of view,...
With single stage, ya get a Beautiful finish with the 1st shot...

If ya like doin' the same job over, 'n over, 'n over, 'n over, 'n over,...
Go with base coat/ clear coat....

If ya want a Beautiful Durable finish, for Less money, 'n effort,...
Use a single stage, No clear coat needed....

We shot our dumptruck fleet with Bc/ Cc once, along time ago,...
It's 'bout 4 times the labor, compared to a single stage paint, with No benefit....

Put a scratch in it, ya gotta sand off all the clear to fix the base color, then build it back....

Put a scratch in a single stage, ya sand it out abit, 'n shoot it,.... Done....

Why waste the Money, 'n Effort, on the underside of a boat, that nobody will ever See,..??

All the sanding Required between all those coats of Clear is Alota labor, 'n the Protection does Not increase with each coat, only the depth of view....
1 Scratch, 'n yer startin' over anyways....

I use Martin Seymour Prizim fleet paint from my local Napa, that chemically is 'bout the Same as the "Marine" paints advocated 'round here....
It shoots like a Dream, 'n leaves the finest shiniest finish anybody could ask for...

If I was shootin' a '32 coupe, Show car, I might use Bc/Cc,.... Otherwise, I go with a single stage.... ;)
 

zool

Captain
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Messages
3,433
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

PPG Concept would be my choice, you can also clear over it if you want to, but its not necessary.
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: painting with automotive paint or spraying on paint

I understand that automotive paint is not designed for a fiberglass boat but i wonder if i can paint with automotive paint and clear over it if there is a proper primer i can spray on it in order to have to automotive paint adhere to it.



Adhesion is not an issue, gel coat is a very good substrate to paint over and most paints stick very well with no primer at all. If the surface has defects that need to be taken care of then a primer is needed to help hide them, if the surface is in good condition most paints don’t require a primer over gel coat. I’ve supplied gel coat to truck builders (Kenworth, Freightliner, etc) and RVs for a very long time, primers aren’t used very often, normally only on repairs.
 
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