Molded nonskid painting question

Hello guys

I would like to paint a molded gelcoat factory non skid deck
My question is it possible to get good paint adhesion to molded non skid with out actually grinding down all the texture and starting from scratch.

Is there a way to mechanically abrade the deck with out loosing the profile of the nonskid.

Secondly it would seem that using a primer would fill the negative space in the non skid. Can a deck be painted with out primer.

Or is this just peeling paint waiting to happen

Thank you

 

Boy thats a tough one.

If I had to rough up a surface like that I'd probably grab a couple of different wire wheels and screw one on to my 4" grinder to see what affect that might have. As far as paint staying on it for any length of time... I think you got it right with the last line of your post.

MM

 

A wire wheel will score the surface pretty quickly. A fiber wheel, which looks like a wire wheel, except it has man made fibers instead will be a better choice.

Yes, use primer and yes to a very small degree, some of the low areas within the texture will fill, but we're talking a few mils of depth here, so not anything to worry about. A good primer surface is 7 to 10 mils thick. A human hair is about 7 mils, so you decide how bad this might be.

 

A light sand blast directly down from the top !.
second choice would be a wire brush in CORDLESS DRILL ON SLOW SPEED use a detergent to get rid of grease wax and anything else that could prevent paint adhereing to a surface !
i hope you got good paint !!!!

 

I have a product (Map Yachting Deck Line) which gives a rubbery anti skid surface, and their recommendation is HP cleaning, then wire brushing.

 

I think there are two options, but both have flaws.

You can clean the deck, first with a HP cleaner, then a strong degreaser solvent and a wire brush to scratch the surface to provide a mechanical bond with 2C polyurethane enamel. Tunnels suggests a cordless drill, I would probably do it manually unless your deck has the size of an aircraft carrier. The spray painted deck will look good at first, but the paint on the tops of the no skid layer will wear and show where people walked frequently.

Or you use an angle grinder to flatten the surface and apply a special non skid paint. I've tried several German products but was dissatisfied with their bonding strength on polyester. My own solution was spray painting with white 2C marine polyurethane, dust clean white sand over the wet surface and immediately spray paint it again. It takes a bit of exercise to distribute the sand evenly and the result is somewhat abrasive to the skin, but it is definitely non skid.

 

Do not use sand, but use polypropylene spheres instead, if you want to go this route. Otherwise you will never be able to get it off again. Anti skid properties of these systems is limited. (which is why I like the MAP Yachting stuff, soft, rubbery, anti skid, and also suitable to walk on with bare feet, will not damage sailing suits)

 

Quite right Herman, you can't get it off again. I should have mentioned that.

I have no access to PP spheres, there even isn't natural sand here, only ground limestone or marble. A friend of mine was representative for a company near Munich that produces several coatings using these spheres, both acrylics and polyurethane based, but terminated the contract because of quality problems. Where the coating was applied indoors it performed as advertised, but outdoors was a disaster on any surface material, even porous stone. It seems to me the problem is the polypropylene that adheres to nothing.
I have a balcony, done 3 years ago and subject to salt, rain and scorching sunshine. Had it done because it is a tourist apartment and I'm afraid of liability issues, but at the present approx. 80% of the coating has gone as small and larges flakes that are lying all over the place. This season is no problem because it hasn't rained in 4 months and I have the feeling it may never rain again.
In case it does, I intend to etch the tile surface with hydrofluoric acid (HF). Very dangerous and unhealthy, but I lost faith in plastic coatings.

 

For concrete and other silicium containing surfaces, you could use a product called "Slipstop" which is used over here to do balconies and walkways.
It etches the surface to a non skid sirface.
Be careful with HF. Have a gardenhose ready to rinse any spills. Consider using phosphate acid instead of HF. HF might burn through the skin very fast, eating throgh the flesh and even into bones. Not a pretty sight.

For coatings, the primers are essential. It should be doable, but your conditions are pretty harsh.

PP should not matter. OK, it does not adhere well, but they are encapsulated in the thin coating (the coating should be thinner than the pshere).

In greece there is a company "Kesteco" which has a lot of nice grits to sprinkle into an epoxy coating.

 

Guys Thanks for the replies

I have been away for a couple days so sorry for my delay in responding.

I have two questions

Herman what is HF... and in the other post HP I assume is high pressure

And how will one sand the primer that has been applied with out its removal using a wire or synthetics bristle abrasive

Thank you

 

HF is one hydrogen and one fluor atom in a watery solution, called hydrofluoric acid or hydrogen fluoride.
It aggressively attacks all body tissues, glass and ceramics. Because it leaves the solution as a colorless gas, it is one of the nastiest substances imaginable.

 

My boss left me a small bottle of HF solution on my desk. It was there where now there is a hole in my desk...

HP = high pressure

 

Got it... I will stay away from HF

Thanks

 

I faced the same issue this past spring. used a few cans of spray paint which fixed the color but didn't fill in the non skid texture...


paul
progressive epoxy polymers inc

 

Microns perhaps ? 7ml is over 1/4 inch !