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Letter 10712
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 Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
I strip down the aluminum apply vinyl-lux primewash and it you want a fine finish you use primkote after the viny-lux witch you could sand to a find finish then your top coat of your choice West Marine has every thing you need and InterLux paint by International paint has a 800 number for all your questions.
stick man Hebert
- Louisiana
+++++++
I have a gallon of dupont automotive zinc chromate primer that I
have had for many years and it is still good can't remember when or
why I got it. I just had to have a new aluminum 18 gallon gas tank
made for my boat that fits under the floor and is subjected to
getting wet (previous tank developed holes after 15 years, tank was
never painted ) My question is should I paint the tank with the zinc
chromate primer. My neighbor who welds says don't use zinc chromate
as it will increase corrosion (I don't believe him) Any opinions out
there
Thanks John
John Bemiss
hobbyist - Mcclellanville South Carolina
I have found you might want to paint the motor, but if your boat is green then don't waste the time and money painting the boat. There is no need.
George Matthews
- Cambridge, Maryland
My 91 year-old dad and I just restored, except surface finishing,
a 1960 18 1/2 foot Crestliner. It was designed with visible wood
strips connecting the deck to the sides of the boat (looks very
distinctive). I would like to finish it without paint - only the
aluminum and wood showing. I think I understand, from reading this
letter thread, how to clean the aluminum, but how should I, or should
I, treat the aluminum skin?
Thanks for hosting a very civil and helpful thread.
Wayne
Wayne Merrell
- International Falls, Minnesota
+++++++
Please help! I'm a single Mom trying to get the right INFO! I
bought an older 14 ft. aluminum boat for my teenage son to restore.
We pressure washed it, and have spot sanded. Is it necessary to sand
the entire boat? The pressure washing seemed to take off every thing
loose, (we can see lots of aluminum now) but some of the factory
paint is not coming off. Do we spot prime the aluminum showing, or do
we prime the entire boat? So glad I found this thread... we WERE
going to paint it with canned spray paint!
God is so good!
Thanks for any helpful info!
Carol
Carol Anderson
hobbyist - Birmingham, Alabama
I painted an aluminum tool box on my truck to match. I 100% washed it, degreased it with lacquer thinner [link is to product info at Amazon], then scrubbed it with a very rough scouring sponge and Muriatic Acid [link is to product info at Amazon] to etch the surface, as soon as it was completely dry I sprayed it with an industrial enamel($20 a gallon), slightly thinned to spray with an automotive spray gun. I was very impressed with the finish. Its been on a couple of years and the only spot worn out is where my four wheelers bumper rubs on it while driving through some pretty rough and long ranch roads, which would rub through any paint, No peeling spots yet.
Joe Lynch
- San Antonio, Texas
Hello, first off, I am a professional painter by trade. I to have an 15 ft. aluminum boat that I am totally restoring. I have already completely restored the trailer and it looks awesome. O.K. Here's the run down.
It's always best if possible to strip the old paint off if possible. Use a good stripper, an automotive paint store, not shop, carries some nice choices, or, like I did. A wire wheel that attaches to a drill. If you have many coats, the main focus is to remove anything that is loose. New paint won't stay on over areas that are not already bonded and your paint job will only be as good as the bond it is adhered to.
Once you boat is stripped or scraped, use a good degreaser on it. I used a strong solution of Simple Green [link is to product info at Amazon]. Once it's degreased, use jasco's acid etching on it and let it dry completely. It is important that as soon as the acid etching is dry to prime you boat. The air can make it start corroding very quickly.
To prime it, I used a product called Galv-alum. You can get it at Dunn Edwards paint company or other paint companies I'm sure. It is designed to prime different types of aluminum. The Zinc Chromate is what Lowe's boats uses for their primer, but I have had trouble finding it and I hear it's not to safe to use unless you know what you are doing. I also understand that the Galv-alum does the same job and is an easy product to get, and also much safer to use. After you spray on your primer, let it dry for a least a few hours and then recoat as recommended on the can. You primer is what really sticks to the boat itself, not the paint. The paint only sticks on top of the primer so you want to make sure more than anything that you have a good solid two coats of primer. The prime coat is the most important. Let it dry for a few days. Paints and primers dry from the outside in so it takes longer to cure and if you apply paint to primer that isn't at least fully dry. it may make for a weak application down the road.
Paint. Polyurethane enamel. You can find it just about anywhere. I recommend for a nice job that you don't try to cover the boat like a showroom finish the first coat out. Spray on a good first coat but don't focus on trying to cover it 100% perfect. That's how you get orange peel and runs, trying to brush them out can make you job look like crap. Rather than one good coat, Spray you first coat, kinda like a good fogging or light coat, wait a day or two, and then spray your second coat. Because you already have one lighter coat sprayed on, the second coat doesn't take as much effort to cover so it won't orange peel or run on you. Two decent lighter coats vs. one thick first coat. Let the paint dry for a day or two. The warmer the weather, the faster it will harder and vice versa. If you spray on two good coats they will already have a nice gloss to it so hull drag will be less. You don't have to clear coat it if you don't want to. But the benefits of putting on two coats of clear coat are added better protection and if you scuff you hull, it will scuff the clear coat first before it gets to the paint depending on how bad you hit something. And clear coat is much easier to touch up or buff out than scratched paint. You can clear coat it using polyurethane enamel clear coat and again use the same process as you did the paint. I know this sounds like a lot. But what do you want? A boat with a proper paint job that is going to last so there is less maintenance and more enjoyment? Or, just bust it out and it looks like butt and doesn't hold up well? Then what? Your back on your weekends fixing a bad paint job when you could have been patient, did it slowly, and made it look so tight the first time out. I myself am a perfectionist, my paint job proves. And one more thing, if you can get a spray rig capable of spraying the primers, paints, and clear coats even if you have to rent one, Your job will definitely come out much better than brushing or rolling ever will even when they say the paint will self level.
Like my dad always said, "if you going to do something kid, do it right the first time, or don't do it at all!" And he's right. PATIENCE!!! This fish will always be biting. Happy painting.
PS- This blog does not in any way make me responsible for what you do or don't do painting your boat. I am a professional painter and this is the method I used on my 15 ft. Lowe aluminum bass boat. Also, for those of you that simply have a duck boat, Jon boat, or what not, I know Cabela's sells a paint kit designed for that purpose. I believe it was a flat acrylic enamel kit that came in colors like camo, green, brown, etc. Take a look, that might be the route for duck boats that don't need everything that i did to my boat. The prep work should be the same though if you want it to hold up better.
Duane Osborne
- Glendale, Arizona
Follow up post from earlier tonight. This is on the Lowe boats
website under the aluminum fishing boats section. This is where I
learned what to use on my aluminum boat.
Lowe Boats State-of-the-Art Paint Systems
5052 H-34 marine aluminum and are first hand sanded to create a
proper base. The hull is then cleaned and acid etched, coated with a
zinc chromate primer and baked at 250°. Following a coat of high
grade polyurethane enamel, the hull is again baked at
250°.
In my earlier post, existing paint is best removed if possible but if
it is in good condition, then break down the top gloss by lightly
sanding. Also, you can use the Galv-alum aluminum primer instead of
the Zinc Chromate primer. I don't have a heat oven so the sun did
just fine, and then of course as Lowe boats say themselves, a coat of
high grade polyurethane enamel paint. There it is straight from one
of the leading horse's mouth.
Duane Osborne
- Glendale, Arizona
January 10, 2008
Can anyone tell me what is the easiest way to strip an aluminum boat to be painted? I'm not that crazy about spending a week sanding and scraping. Thanks.
A Lacewell
Hobbyist - Medina, Tennessee
February 4, 2008
But here's the best way to paint an aluminum boat. I learned from
experience after dicking around with all the boat guys at West Marine
and their 150-220 gallons of marine paint.
1. Go to Cabelas.com
2. Buy yourself their aluminum boat primer in the quart size - $15.99
(should be salmon red color)
3. Buy yourself any of their number of beautiful "Duck Boat Paints"
They come in marsh green, dead grass green, hunter green, sand tan,
etc. You can find these online by search "duck boat paint."
4. Take a wire wheel and a drill and clean up any patch work, burrs,
chipping and cracking paint. Go over it with some of that synthetic
steel wool stuff (coarse, the kind that's not actually steel) Go over
it with a light sand paper. You do not have to knock it down to bare
metal, just get it nice and coarse.
5. Apply two coats of primer, let sit 24 hours.
6. Apply two coats from your Duck Boat Paint, let dry 48 hours. It
should be cured by then.
7. Take your aluminum v hull, Jon, duck, skiff, or row boat out on
the lake and enjoy!
PS - This stuff isn't gonna resist every scratch or bump or rock you
might run into, but it cures hard, holds up nice and flat for a good
long while. And what's best? It's dirt cheap. I painted a 14 ft Jon
boat inside and out with a quart of the primer, quart of green paint,
and quart of their no slip rubber boat deck paint. Total cost was 50
dollars for all 3 cans.
Travis Johnson
hobbyist - Austin, Texas
February 8, 2008
Your post is appreciated, Travis, but the idea that all West Marine employees are idiots is ridiculous, and the kind of thing that starts a race to the bottom. I suspect there was a communication problem where you use your boat only in fresh water, or your boat is small enough that you always pull it out, and that wasn't clear to them.
In that case it is possible that the anti-fouling paint they may have recommended is an extravagance. However, if a boat ever stays in salt water overnight, anti-fouling paint is absolutely required; it is not an option. Without it, it will become totally covered in hard to remove barnacles in just a few days.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, New Jersey
February 8, 2008
I have a 40' aluminum cruiser boat that was stripped to bare aluminum about ten years ago, at the time it had epoxy paint on it. now its time to repaint it and I would like to know what is the best way to prep it and and if epoxy is the best way to go. thanks
Ralph Ripple
marine service - West Bend, Wisconsin
February 11, 2008
So whats the truth about rhino lining on the bottom of a Jon boat? My Jon boat is old and has a lot of holes why wouldn't it be a good idea to sand it down J-B Weld [link is to product info at Amazon] the holes then rhino line the outside?
Andrew Gonzalez
hobbyist - Ft Lauderdale, Florida
February 14, 2008
I have sanded my boat stern drive down to bare alum. I primed with
4cr #7405 Primer spray.
question #1. Is this a good primer for alum.??
'' '' #2 What topcoat spray paint (black) can I use??
Larry Belbol
hobbyist - Parsippany, New Jersey
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February 14, 2008 Ok guys, again, aluminum primer for your boats. Galv-alum, that is the name of the product. Here is a link, its the spec's on it and will show you this is what you need: www.dunnedwards.com/retail/documents/document.asp?id=506C949E8C9D4C81AA029E3EC0A2BE98 I am a painter, i own a painting business and have been painting since the very early eighties. . This is real simple to paint these boats but no one still seems to know. Quick run down. 1. Strip off old paint if possible. If you have paint currently on your boat You don't have to take it all the way down, as long as your current paint is intact, just scuff it with a wire wheel, or a light sand paper. the key is to just break down the gloss. If it is peeling, you still don't need to take it all the way down to metal, unless you want to. And I did it on my on boat because it makes for a more professional job. But you do need to remove anything that is loose and flaking. If it's still bonded well, then don't overwork yourself. Once your boat is scuffed and or sanded, degrease it with Simple Green [link is to product info at Amazon] and then thoroughly rinse it off. Then, take an acid etcher, i used jasco's, you can get these at your local paint store, but you can pretty much use any good one, they are usually the same, just go under different names, etch the boat with it, and then again, thoroughly rinse it off. Ok, time to prime, Galv-Alum is made for work like this. Prime twice, but let dry between coats as recommended. Once done, polyurethane enamel. One coat is fine, my boat has two. Don't try to make the first coat beautiful, it will create sags and or orange peel. Do it in two light to medium coats. Then, you can opt for a clear coat. Use a polyurethane clear coat. And again, like the primer and paint, two coats. You don't need the clear coat because the polyurethane enamel will provide adequate gloss retention, but a clear coat helps when you scratch or scuff your boat. Without clear coat, the paint is what gets scratched first then the primer, then the hull. And then matching and touching up the scrapes may mismatch in color. With a clear coat, if you scratch it, then you can easily touch up clear because clear has no tint, and or buff them out. I still see everybody still wondering what to do. And by the way, the Rhino liner on the inside of the boat is brilliant I have a spray rig big enough to shoot those finishes so that what i will be putting on the inside of my aluminum fishing boat. I have taken pictures of my boat and trailer as i have been restoring it. When the boat is done, i will try to post my step by step photo's and you can see the progress and the results. Time consuming, maybe a little, but do you want a boat that looks crappy? Take your time and you will benefits by a job that will get noticed, and that's where the pride is. Not only that, but the more solid the job, the longer it will last, look good, and have less maintenance. Good luck guys. Duane Osborne |
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