Have you painted fiberglass with a roller? What did you use and how did it turn out?

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by magentawave, Sep 11, 2013.

  1. magentawave
    Joined: Jul 2013
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    magentawave Senior Member

    Has anyone painted fiberglass with a roller? And did you get good results? What did you use? I'm asking because I'm thinking of painting a Toyota Sunrader motorhome with a fiberglass body with this method.

    Thanks
     
  2. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Very simple and common. I suggest a Petit or Interlux single part urthane. It should last a few years with good gloss retention. A gallon will cost $80-$100 but good house enamels are at least $40 a gallon lately.
    Don't even consider rolling/tipping. Rent, borrow or buy a spray rig. Even a cheap spray rig will do a better job than rolling/tipping.
    Today's paints are constantly changing formulations to keep up with the latest VOC regs. The result is paints have suffered in terms of brushability compared with the past. Not all but some and few seem to be advertising the fact.
    i'm personally done with brushing if I can spray and there's no big safety issue with spraying single-part paints, only two-part formulations.
     
  3. magentawave
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    magentawave Senior Member

    I would rather spray but I was thinking of rolling because I'm going to have to paint it outside.
     
  4. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Better reason to spray if you use a fast drying solvent in the paint. The less time the paint sits wet the better. Though I would rent a building rather than paint outside.
    Break the thing down to small areas and mask off for more control.
     
  5. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Rolling and tipping works quite well if you can keep a wet edge, if you go back onto areas that are starting to dry, it can get troublesome. Experiment on a vertical non-absorbent surface first to get the viscosity right, and you can buy flow enhancing additives that may make it easier.
     
  6. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    I used the single part Petit rolled on and got very good results. Spraying is the best but the roller result is still very good.
     
  7. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    Same here. But spraying is now possible with very little outlay. I think rolling anf tipping two-part is a good method due to the dangers of spraying catylizing paints but single part paints work very well with spraying and in a fraction of the time.
    I used some Petit semi-gloss (brushed on) earlier this year and no matter which brushing thinner I used (or without any thinner) I got very poor results due to the semi-gloss aspect of the formulation. Seems the formula wasn't the same as several years ago. Brush strokes showed until I compounded the job. The semi-glass additive was seperating at the surface for some reason. It bacasme a huge job due to getting it to look as I wanted it to compared to if I'd sprayed. I've painted enough semi-gloss over the years to know what to expect, but as I said, formulations seem to have changed.
     

  8. missinginaction
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    missinginaction Senior Member

    I'm just now finishing up painting on my boat project with Interlux Perfection, a two part linear polyurethane. I'd agree with the posts previous, especially Mr. Efficiency.

    Follow the manufacturers instructions and be sure to use a solvent resistant roller with the two part paints. The only part of the job that requires finesse is the addition of a small amount of brushing solvent to adjust the viscosity of the paint depending on temperature. Interlux says 0 to 10%. I've found if the temp is in the eighties you need no thinner if the temp is in the sixties you need more. But...if you lay on a coat to a horizontal piece of plywood and then stand the piece vertical for a few minutes you will quickly see if the paint will run. With this paint less is more, thin coats are crucial.

    If you are using light colors you may not need to tip off at all. I use "Snow White" perfection and get a very satisfactory result with just a roller.

    Good Luck,

    MIA
     
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