best painting technique for 1-part paint in tight spaces?

Discussion in 'Materials' started by kayakingsteve, Aug 31, 2021.

  1. kayakingsteve
    Joined: Aug 2021
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    Location: Florida, United States

    kayakingsteve Junior Member

    What's the best technique you guys have found for getting 1-part poly smoothly painted into tight spaces, like foot wells in a surf ski or around hardware, where a roller won't fit?
     
  2. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Welcome.
    Try a brush. Wear gloves.
     
  3. kayakingsteve
    Joined: Aug 2021
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    Location: Florida, United States

    kayakingsteve Junior Member

    Touche' :) Foam brush or bristle? Tried with nice angled bristle brush first, but that seemed to leave a lot of grain... haven't tried sponge yet.

    Follow up question: is it practical to do a two-part paint over a one-part?
     
  4. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    You may just dab it on with a natural sponge. No linear brush marks that way; just texture.
     
  5. kayakingsteve
    Joined: Aug 2021
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    Location: Florida, United States

    kayakingsteve Junior Member

    This boat is a beater, so a great boat to experiment on with glass and painting...

    Follow up question: can you do a two-part poly paint over a one-part?
     
  6. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Edit: No.
     
    Last edited: Sep 1, 2021
  7. Blueknarr
    Joined: Aug 2017
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    Location: Colorado

    Blueknarr Senior Member

    Try the triangular sponges sold on the make-up isle.

    It it usually not recommended to use a two part paint over a single.
    The two part frequently has solvents that attack most single pot paint. If it doesn't have immediate problems then all is almost OK. You won't get the adhesion benefits of the two part because the over painted single will fail under the two part. Kind of like painting over tape. Looks good until the tape lifts.
     
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  8. kayakingsteve
    Joined: Aug 2021
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    Location: Florida, United States

    kayakingsteve Junior Member

    FUNNY, it's almost as though building a boat and gelcoating and painting it is a complex process that requires a great deal of skill and planning. Who'd have thought. :) I sure bumbled into this, but it's been a great learning experience on a found boat. Nothing to lose and turning out a bit better than expected. Lots of things to improve on next time.
     
  9. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    If brush leaves marks; use a capful of thinner.
     
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  10. mrdebian
    Joined: Apr 2021
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    Location: Greece

    mrdebian Junior Member

    @fallguy does it need to be a specific thinner and what is the % per 100 gr for example?
    Can I use acetone as a thinner?
     
  11. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    fallguy Senior Member

    It should be specific thinner for the paint. Recommend about 5% off the cuff, but manufacturers usually offer recommendations.

    glass test if in doubt

    paint on clean piece of glass no thinner
    Then 5% thinner
    Then 10% thinner

    see what looks best, simple as that, 10% thinner will cost some sheen, on my boat; used some thinner on last coat because it lays down so much nicer
     
  12. Barry
    Joined: Mar 2002
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    Barry Senior Member

    check with your paint store as there are product specific FIRMNESS of brushes as well. When you say bristle, are you meaning a bristle brush for oil base as compared to say a nylon brush for latex. There are also some for varnishes
    and stain that are softer and will feather out paint easier and with less texture/brush marks. Mind you if your one part paint is quite thick, an extremely soft brush will not move the paint around.
    The recommended instructions for two part poly paint, (when you cannot spray) is roll and then feather with a brush. You can buy rollers down to a couple of inches which will get into most areas. The advantage of a roller is that
    you can roll the paint in all directions and get an even coat before you feather
     

  13. The Q
    Joined: Feb 2014
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    Location: Norfolk, UK

    The Q Senior Member

    if it's a really tight space get a fan blowing air in there, the fumes can be nasty, so nasty I had slight chemical burns to my legs through my overalls, lucky my head was above the chemical level..
     
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