Re: Paintin' the hull

Posted by Steve Miller on Aug 6, 2004

John, first do a search here. It has all been covered before.

Skip the high build primer and do the sanding properly. High build absorbs water. Bad thing for a primer to do on a boat. Plus its soft. You really don't need it for paint to stick to the epoxy anyway but it is really good for showing how good or bad your sanding job is. Remember that varnish sticks ok without primer!

Yes, you need to go to at least 220 or the sanding marks will show under the varnish. If you paint you will end up sanding it all off for several coats until the marks are full of paint anyway so its easier to just sand right the first time. Think "zen of sanding". Sand for an hour or two then go away. Come back later and sand again. Work that way until its done. Lots of builders seem to loose heart or patience at this stage but its the work that every one sees/notices so keep at it.

Masking is mostly using the right tape. Use the 3M Fineline tape. Period. Rub it down well. Some guys leave the tape on until done but I pull it after each coat and re-tape. Try a test on the bottom of the boat and see which system you like best. Sand it off and start over.

Here is my write up on painting/varnishing - saved from an earlier post. Applies to any paint you would use too, not just Brightsides:

I don't have problems with Brightsides other than it is hard to touch up. Lots of folks have trouble applying it. Like most marine paints it is thin and prone to runs, sags and drips.

It is so glossy that it demands very good prep. Most builders are in such a hurry to get the boat in the water they skimp on prep. Prep means fair surfaces and smooth sanding. Prep means time. My �Zen of Sanding� concept.

It needs to go on in thin coats. I don't think you can successfully brush it on large surfaces. Brushes leave too much paint. Use the white foam rollers (4", round ends) at Home Depot or Lowe�s. Use paint filters and filter every batch you put in the roller pan. Do NOT put the unused paint back in the can since it has lost solvent and will effect the rest of the can and your future results. So don�t put half a quart in the roller pan. Same advice for varnish by the way! Actually, I roll on varnish the same way I do Brightsides but I add Penetrol to varnish. 2 or 3 ounces per quart of varnish. You can add Penetrol to most paints too.

Carefully roll it on thinly and evenly like you would use any roller on any paint but finish each section by rolling like you were using a brush. That means rolling one direction only - dry to wet. Note that the rollers seem to have a grain - one direction will leave more bubbles than the other so flip the roller to check. Do a few sections (2 - 3 square feet each) then tip by using a second dry roller. No pressure just the weight of roller. All you are trying to do is pop any bubbles. The warmer it is then the faster you need to work or the smaller the sections need to be.

Have good light and really look at each section as soon as you are done with your final rolling. Check for anything you don't like. Now is the time to fix it then do the final roll again. Once you have tipped DO NOT TOUCH IT AGAIN. Brightsides sets fast but takes a long time to get hard. It levels well for the same reason it sags and drips and runs. The idea is to get just enough paint on to be glossy and wet but not too much. Too little applied will leave the grain of the roller in the surface. Easy to see when you are checking for imperfections at the end of each paint section. If it runs or sags after you have tipped just sand it out later. Note that you can sometimes �hear� that you have too much paint on by the way the roller sounds when doing your final rolling. Too much paint will also tend to bubble more.

Sand between coats with fake steel wool by 3M - finest grade you can get. Wet sand every second or 3rd coat with 400 grit. Anything coarser is for paint salesmen. This will build coating thickness faster and still give you a good smooth paint job. Do not use solvents of any kind to clean up after sanding. Shop vac with a brush then wipe with clean lint free cloths. No tack rags. When you wet sand rinse with clean water before letting it dry.

My rule is to prep and paint to a degree of finish that makes YOU smile. Good luck and post pictures!

In Response to: Paintin' the hull by John M. on Aug 6, 2004

Replies:

• Re: Paintin' the hull by RogerJ on Aug 9, 2004
  • Re: Paintin' the hull by Steve Miller on Aug 9, 2004
    • Re: Paintin' the hull by RogerJ on Aug 11, 2004
      • Re: Paintin' the hull by Steve Miller on Aug 11, 2004
        • Re: Paintin' the hull by RogerJ on Aug 15, 2004