A fantastic paint job.

Posted by Howard on Nov 14, 2004

in getting a fantastic paint job, i would focus on surface preparation and paint application...i don't think pigmentation really makes for a fantastic finish as much as it may save you a coat of paint or two.

here are some things i would keep in mind:

1) be prepared to really sand the outside of the boat to a uniform, smooth 200 grit finish or better. use additional fill coats to ensure that you are filling in all the minor imperfections in the surface...do not overly rely on fillers except to fill pinholes and the like. pay particular attention to sanding where the deck glass feathers into the hull glass..and the ends of the boat..these are areas that need attention to get nice and smooth.

2) after you are finished with sanding...consider letting the boat "bake" for a couple weeks. painting too soon after the epoxying the surface will usually result in "print-through" as the very slight shrinkage in the epoxy makes the cloth pattern visible through the paint..i find that some of my old refinished boats have a smoother finish then a newly built boat becuase of this effect.

3) make sure to follow your paint manufacturers instructions to clean the hull with an appropriate cleaner to remove any contaminations on the surface. this may be soap and water or might be a specialty cleaner that the manufacturer sugests.

4) when you do your painting, work in a clean or wet down shop when there is no wind/breeze to kick up dust into your finish. avoid the pollen season. make sure your shop is clean and uncluttered and that you can get to all the areas you need to without tripping over something. turn off the cell phone or put up a do not disturb sign. hard to get a solid paint job if you are subject to interuptions. also pay attention to temperature to ensure that the paint will set up quickly enough to prevent it being sensitive to dust for too long a time.

5) wet sand between your paint applications to ensure that you beat down any runs or drips.

6) paint in thin layers...i use roll and tip technique and while it may take a couple extra passes..i try be careful not to try to force too much paint on at a time. for some colours like red or yellow i find that i end up doing as many as 6 or 7 coats...still only use a quart of paint...just more, thinner layers.

7) use good tape to ensure your paint lines are clean...make sure you have really pushed that tape down to prevent paint getting where you don't want it.

you can get super finishes without going exotic with patience and solid preparation.

good luck

hs

In Response to: paint job - pigment epoxy by ray on Nov 12, 2004

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