Paint choice for my restoration?

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by 61Glassmaster, Oct 25, 2015.

  1. 61Glassmaster
    Joined: Oct 2015
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    61Glassmaster Junior Member

    Hi guys,
    I've been lately restoring a 14' glassmaster runabout looking boat, I will only be using it in the lakes and ponds so no saltwater. Could anyone point me in the right direction for primer, paint and anything else?

    Tyler
     
  2. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    You have a multitude of choices with paint and it depends on what you're looking for, for most of the choices. Plain old house paint will do. You can roll and tip it on and it'll do fairly well. Porch and deck enamel seems best suited for this approach. This stuff can be had for $25 a gallon, so the economical choice too. At the other end of the spectrum, you can employ the stuff they use on the nose of high speed jets. It's a lot more durable, much harder to apply, is much glossier and costs hundreds per gallon.

    In the end, you'll have to decide what you want from the paint. Will the boat be trailered or left in the water. If left in the water for more than a few days at a time, you'll need special anti fouling paint on the bottom. If living on the trailer, most any non-water soluable paint will do, given costs, application type and difficulty, etc.

    It also has a lot to do with the quality of the surface. If you use a nice paint, with high gloss retention and depth, it'll show each and every subtle imperfection in this surface. A "paint job" is 90% surface prep and 10% actual brush, roller or spray gun in hand time. If you've done exceptional surface prep, you can use the good stuff to show it off. Most don't know what these paint jobs look like, unless they've been to a high end car show, where the quality of paint jobs is easily seen. This level of finish is costly in time and materials. If you're like most folks and just want to "brighten up" your old boat, a single part polyurethane or plain alkyd will do fine. Again, there's lots of choices, each with advantages and disadvantages. If you surface prep is very good, you'll want to show it off, but if you don't know the difference between a fair surface and a smooth one, you should stick with the lower priced, easier to apply products.
     
  3. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    PAR, what is this "porch and deck enamel" you speak of, Polyurethane ?
     
  4. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Usually Porch and Deck Enamel is an acrylic (latex) nowadays, but it's still available as a straight alkyd (oil), which seems to work a little better over raw (not encapsulated) wood. Polyurethanes can be labeled this way too, though more for a marketing strategy, than an effective coating type. Maybe it's different on the bottom of the globe, but here in the USA, labels tend to offer what the product is good for, rather than the qualities it might be used for.
     
  5. Mr Efficiency
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    OK, the typical types of paint used here for a deck would be a low-sheen oil-fortified acrylic for timber, or for concrete a polyurethane "paving" paint.
     
  6. 61Glassmaster
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    61Glassmaster Junior Member

    Here's what I would like to do-
    I have an armature sanding job. Nothing fancy. For the whole thing I would like to stay under $125

    Primer, paint, finish.
    Can you tell me the names of the middle of road primer paint and finish? Appreciate it.
     
  7. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    A 14' boat will need a couple of coats of primer and finish coat. This is about 100 square feet per coat (exterior only). A gallon of paint will cover anywhere from 250 to 400 square feet per coat, depending on brand. Primer generally covers less, while finishes can cover more, so lets say 300 sq. ft. as an average per coat, per gallon.

    The primer will be a gallon and the top coat will be as little as a half a gallon, but also up to a gallon, for two coats of each.

    If a mediocre sanding job, you'll want to stay away from real high gloss finishes, as these will tend to show off every sanding mark and imperfection in the hull. Also lighter colors, particularly white will help hide these imperfections, so no dark blue or black.

    As to brands, well every place around the country seems to have predominance of different ones. Ace Hardware has a store brand, which is "re-badged" from one of the major formulators, but cheaper. If going with an oil base, use Ace brand "Farm and Ranch" paint. Or use the Ace brand "Royal" Porch and Floor Enamel. These can be had on sale for $20 a gallon and about as cheap a paint as you can get. For a primer, the Ace brand "Contractor Pro" is the cheap oil based stuff (about $20).

    The acrylics (latex) is the same deal with Ace Hardware and about the same price, though easier to clean up than oil based.

    These paints will offer a few years of color, before starting to fade from UV damage.

    If you want better quality, move up to the Rustoleum "High Performance Enamel" (about $30 a gallon) or their "Protective Enamel" paints.

    If you go to a paint store, you can spend more and have some guy behind the counter tell you a bunch of crap about something he really doesn't know much about, but paint choices range from around $20 a gallon for the lowest priced to several hundred dollars a gallon for the bullet proof stuff.

    Given your budget, I'd go with the Rustoleum stuff, maybe even their new marine "Topside" enamel, which is pretty good (oil based).
     
  8. Easy Rider
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    Easy Rider Senior Member

    How does automotive paint fit or not fit in here. Lots of nice colors.
     
  9. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Automotive paints are typically LPU's or acrylic urethanes. The costs associated with these are out of the budget, plus the equipment to get a reasonable finish isn't common, in the average persons garage. There are some single stage systems (acrylics) that can be used, saving some money, but usually $100 a gallon, plus hardener, wetting and cleanup solvents, etc.
     
  10. 61Glassmaster
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    61Glassmaster Junior Member

    Thanks PAR, I appreciate the help, I will be going with the rust oleum I decided but will not begin painting until it turns summer. (I live in Maine) and I don't think painting in the cold is a good idea. What can you reccomend for a primer? What about the "topside" paint, I heard it's only for the top of the boat so what if it drives around in the water? Will it be ok?
     
  11. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I prefer epoxy primers, mostly because they're harder and the bond is very good. It's not a bad idea to stick with the top coat formulator's primer recommendations, if you're new to this painting thing, as you're less likely to have compatibility issues.

    If the boat is trailered and doesn't live in the water for more than a few days at a time, topside paint works. If you anticipate leaving the boat in the water for a week or more at a time, you need anti-fouling paint (bottom paint).
     
  12. 61Glassmaster
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    61Glassmaster Junior Member

    PAR, I'll be going hunting in Eustis Maine soon (just saw you were from Eustis.)
    I have been meaning to log on sooner but have been busy lately selling some of my stuff before winter arrives.
    I have decided to go with the bottom paint and do it right, so I don't have to always worry about letting it sit. Do you know a good bottom paint? I used rust oleum to paint my trailer( put it in a spray gun I have) and mixed it with gas. (I know, gas isn't the best idea.) I noticed it isn't sticking well, could the gas of caused this or did I spray it on too cold?
    Thanks- Tyler
     
  13. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Well gasoline as the vehicle isn't likely the best route, particularly given the cost of an appropriate solvent. Gasoline has a number of things in it and I'll bet one or more of these are screwing with the bond, understandably.

    Which bottom paint depends of a few factors, such how the boat will be used, how often it's used, speeds it'll move at, the area it's berthed, etc. Ablative paints are good for powerboats that can get up and scoot. In fact these paints need to have the boat move fairly quickly, so the paint can scrub off microscopic layers, providing more anti-fouling protection. If this type of paint is on a boat that doesn't see much use and/or doesn't move past displacement speeds, it'll foul up pretty quickly. There's lots of choices, so . . .

    I'd recommend you have a look at (> http://www.yachtpaint.com/LiteratureCentre/antifouling_101_usa_eng.pdf <)
    and make a choice based on your needs.

    Which Eustis Marine will you be hunting at? Call when you're in the area and we can chew on a beer or two.
     
  14. 61Glassmaster
    Joined: Oct 2015
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    61Glassmaster Junior Member

    It is a 14foot fiberglass with a 40hp. I'm not sure what she will do mph wise I was hoping 22-27.
    It won't be in the water too much unless we get a camp on the lake which is 50/50 right now. I'm having a hard time figuring out which one to use.
    Eustis (Maine.) not marine, I just thought it was funny both Eustis, one in ME and one in FL.
    Thanks for all your help, and I'll try to respond quicker from now on.
     

  15. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Oops, sometimes we just read what we want to, probably a symbol recognition type of thing. I saw Eustis Marine, instead of reading Maine. I think Eustis was named after Colonel Abraham Eustis, a US Army officer that used the sand here for something in the 1870's.

    As to the paint, if you suspect you'll have the boat in the water continuously for more than a few days at any time, you should go with an antifouling paint. The best way to pick a bottom paint is to ask the local fisherman, as they'll know which ones work best for your area. This seems like a cop out, but in reality each type of antifouling paint works differently in different locations. The guys depending on good performance, will know which is best in your area.
     
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