Paint Question

[Guest Dave R]

Finally, Julie K is getting her bottom painted. I started today but I'm wondering how many coats I should apply. I'm using Behr semi gloss exterior latex.

Anyone? Thanks.

[Barry Pyeatt]

If you are going over glass and a good primer coat then I would suggest that you roll on the first coat and brush it out. Then let it dry for several days and recoat with a second. That should be all you will need. If you are going for a very high gloss then I would wait a week for that second coat to dry and set up completly and then wet sand with 400 and then wash it down and go over it completly with a tack cloth after it dries and then put a final coat on. You can apply a coat of hard wax over that after it has setup for a couple weeks and is pretty well set.

[Dave R1]

thanks Barry, I should have included that it is over epoxy sanded with a 80 grit. I didn't prime based on advice I got someplace-CRS prevents me from recalling just where.

[Barry Pyeatt]

You should be fine, over epoxy, primer isn't needed. 80 grit leaves a good "tooth" for a good bond.

If you are spraying latex, I would recommend back brushing it immediately with finishing strokes all in one direction. Same with rolling it.

[Frank Hagan]

I'd just add that you want to avoid the problem a few of us using exterior latex had: do NOT recoat too soon! Make sure you cannot dent the paint with a fingernail before you recoat. It has to dry HARD between coats.

Latex is much softer, and can take several weeks to fully dry. I coated mine with three coats, a few days apart. It was very soft and fragile for about three weeks. I was worried I was going to have to start over! Mike Donlan had an adhesion problem due to re-coating too soon, with sheets of it coming off the hull.

So take your time ... put a coat on and make sure its hard and dry before putting another coat on. And consider just a single coat if it covered well. A single coat of latex paint is several times thicker than a coat of oil based paint (in general). So you may not need "3 coats" like the guys using that thin, solvent based paint.

[Dave R1]

Thanks guys. Frank, I hope I don't have any of the problems Mike had. The directions on the can said to recoat in 4 hours so I did put a second coat on. I guess I'll ignore it for a week or so and see what happens.

Maybe I'll get to launch this summer. To think that three years ago, Frank, you gave me a link to your site about the construction of Aslan and now, I'm finally getting close. Thanks a bunch Frank.

[Bill Paxton]

Great to hear from you, Dave. Believe it or not I was wondering the other day how progress was coming on your Weekender. The last pictures I saw made it clear that you were doing a first-rate job, and that the finished boat would be a beauty.

I look forward to sailing with you.

[Dave R1]

Hey Bill, I was thinking about you the other day, too. Have you got your boat out and readied for the water, yet? If you're ever looking for something to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, you're welcome to come down and give me some advice.

By the way, the colors we decided on are based on Kirby's paint chips. The hull up to the lower rubrail is 1-Green Gray, the space between the rails and the upper part of the transom is 12-Bottle Green, Rails are 8-See Red. The cabin sides and main bulkhead will be Green Gray (I think) while deck surfaces and seats will be 32-Sand.

[Frank Hagan]

Thanks guys. Frank' date=' I hope I don't have any of the problems Mike had. The directions on the can said to recoat in 4 hours so I did put a second coat on. I guess I'll ignore it for a week or so and see what happens.

Maybe I'll get to launch this summer. To think that three years ago, Frank, you gave me a link to your site about the construction of Aslan and now, I'm finally getting close. Thanks a bunch Frank.[/quote']

I was worried with mine that it would never cure. If it passes the "fingernail test" and you can feel that its hard, it should be OK. Mine hasn't had a single problem, except for some mysterious scratches that seem to happen when I get near a dock.