by K.C. Walker » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:15 am
To a point, I think of paint price as not the important part of painting. Labor is by far the most expensive ingredient, whether you hire it out or do-it-yourself. When I do it myself, I figure that I've already spent a lot of my time and I don't compromise by using low-grade paint. I would expect that one quart of Brightside would be enough and the cost is not much. You have already done the prep work which is the major ingredient. From here, what you're looking at is future application and maintenance costs.
For Brightside I would expect your application to be one primer coat and two topcoats (if they are all white) or three coats of Brightside with sanding between each coat (which is quite difficult unless it's a smooth flat surface). For top-quality self priming exterior latex paint, I would expect one coat would be adequate and two coats would be as good as it gets (and no sanding between coats), if you're brushing technique is decent. They're both plenty washable and durable in this application I would think (and sandable in my experience with Behr Marquee yesterday). In the future prep for another coat of paint is much easier for latex, as all it needs is a good washing, whereas Brightside would need sanding and solvent wash. If you are looking for the perfect finish on the hull sides, there is no question that Brightside would be much better. If you were to go with latex I would recommend a lower sheen for the most hiding. Also, touchup on latex is super easy and blends right in.
Geez, it sounds like I'm advocating for latex and I might be tempted to try it myself in this application. But, I don't have any experience with this, so it's all speculation.
I wouldn't worry about it much, though. You do realize the only time that you are going to see the ceiling of the cuddy is when you are laying on your back in the cockpit…
KC Walker, DS 1 #7002