Paint

Posted by Ken Leffert on Oct 5, 2006

I think that Kirby paint is designed to put a substantial protective coating on a boat and keep it there. I don't think it is designed to make a painter look better than they are, like most paints. I think most paints are designed so that imperfections like brush strokes disappear...... leaving behind a glassy finish. The downside to that, IMO, is that most paints also lose nearly all of their volume as they cure, not leaving behind much of a protective coating. Its been 3 or 4 months since I painted my boat, and it just now is starting to lose some of the brush strokes from painting. In fact.... it looks pretty much exactly like it did immediately after painting it. (not counting, ofcourse, the NUMEROUS scratches and blemishes I've managed to put on it).

It does have a glossy surface, which seems to be getting more glossy as it cures. Its a very nice finish overall, but its not a Ferrari-slick showboat paint job. A knowledgable observer will not mistake my paint for gel coat. I'm babbling about all that to say that my answer to your question "Do they have a nice gloss and finish?" is..... How smooth are you able to apply the paint? What you have when you put the brush (spray gun, roller, etc.) down is pretty much what you're going to have the next day, the next week, and so on..... atleast thats my experience with Kirbys. I think I could get a glassier, more shiny finish with a different kind of paint (I have no experience with any other marine paint), instead, with only 2 coats of paint, I have a substantial protective layer for my boat, a much better option in my opinion.

In Response to: I love Kirby Paint! by Ken Leffert on Oct 4, 2006

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