Paint question

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dseefeld
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Paint question

Post by dseefeld »

Hi. Hull #539 in progress here in North Dakota. I've got a centerboard complete and have my jig set up.
I've got to the point where I'm thinking about paint and I've read a lot of the posts on this forum regarding people using Rustoleum paint. That appeals to me because of the cost and availability, but I have a few questions about it.

1) When people talk about using Rustoleum, are they talking about using the Rustoleum Marine paint or the regular Rustoleum Stops-Rust paint that you can find at a home store? I get the impression it's the latter. Is it durable enough for years of wear? Does anyone know what the differences are?

2) With either of the ones above, what do people use for primer? I've noticed that Rustoleum has a Marine Wood and Fiberglass Primer, but any other Rustoleum primers are either Clean Metal primer or Rusty Metal primer. The metal primers don't sound right to me.

Any suggestions that could point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
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dsimonson
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Re: Paint question

Post by dsimonson »

Hello, dseefeld!!

Great to hear you've got #539 well underway. I don't have direct experience with the Rustoleum brand, and their product mix might be a bit different for us here in western Canada, as I've never seen their "marine" stuff in our stores. But, I bet they're identical products!!

I used Pettit EZPoxy on topsides and underbody, but I wanted a particular colour for cockpit, decks, and cuddy top, so I had my local Benjamin Moore mix my specification in a "porch enamel" (oil based). I had to use a bit of "Penetrol" additive to get it to keep a wet edge and flow as well as the EZPoxy, once added it worked really well, flowed out nice and smooth and finished very glossy. (Rolled and tipped.)

For undercoating both paints (after 3 coats of epoxy, as per the build manual instructions), I used a high-build primer from Interlux called "Pre-Cote"... it's meant for one-part enamels, and seemed to work just fine. Of course, it seems like I sanded it mostly all off, and what's left of it is just filling all the little scratches and divits...

I think that Rustoleum "Marine Wood and Fiberglass Primer" sounds like just the ticket.

Best of luck,
Dale
dseefeld
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Re: Paint question

Post by dseefeld »

Hi Dale,

Thanks for the feedback! I think I've decided on the Rustoleum primer. The Penetrol is a good idea. I'll look into that.

Thanks again,

-Dan
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dsimonson
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Re: Paint question

Post by dsimonson »

Good stuff, Dan

We'd love to hear a follow up on your primer and paints, when you get there! I'd be tempted to use the regular "Rustoleum Stops-Rust" paint on my next boat, if it works as well as the Benjamin Moore "porch enamel" I used for my cockpit.

Penetrol was recommended on some forum or other, can't remember where I heard about it. I painted the hull while it was upside down, with EXPoxy, and then, a year or more later right-side up and all ready for finishing, I started painting with the porch enamel and found it much thicker and harder to maintain a wet edge. Penetrol really fixed that, it made the paint behave just like EXPoxy does, quite thin and very easy to keep the edge wet.

I used those thin yellow foam rollers that West System sells for their epoxy, it meters the paint out really thin, and then, as soon as I had a short stretch rolled out, dragged a brush though it to get rid of the bubbles and texture... The paint just settles into itself, the brush marks disappear, and it looks like glass! (I think temperature and humidity have quite a bit to do with it... too. I can't get the paint to do that if it's going to rain.)

Penetrol was quite hard to find in our market, it seemed like hours on "the Google", and then on the phone, But I finally tracked it down, and was very pleased with it's effect. That was 7 years ago, I launched May 2014. Then I needed a fresh can again when I did my footwell modification 3 years ago, and went through the whole search again... Now, (with 1/2 left in that 2nd can) I just noticed one can in a Home Hardware right up the street! Tempted to buy it... you know, for the next boat. haha!

Enjoy the build,
Dale
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