Deck painting

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Deck painting

Postby Shagbark » Fri May 26, 2017 9:38 pm

I need to paint my deck, benches, floor, centerboard truck, etc... Basically everything that is not the hull nor the inside of the cuddy. I found various non-skid deck paint, but I am concerned the non-skid won't feel very good on the benches, nor have that nice smooth look found on all the vertical surfaces. Also, the paint all appears to be high-gloss which I think wouldn't be very appealing when the sun is out and there is a high glare coming off the deck. What paint have others had success with for this application?
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Re: Deck painting

Postby GreenLake » Sat May 27, 2017 9:38 am

Some PO painted the boat few decades ago. I even have the receipt for the paint he used. It's been clinging tenaciously and except where scraped off some edges or worn through by the jib sheets at the cuddy corners it has held up without flaking (something that's not the case for someone's later attempts at touching up).

Alas, even having the receipt is useless: the paint is no longer being made, and nobody makes paint just like that one any more. Bet it was a lovely stew of volatile organic chemistry...

If you like reviews of current paints that are based on independent product testing, check out Practical Sailor. They do an ad-free magazine, but subscribers get access to the full online archives full of tests of all sorts of sailing gear.

My boat was painted with two different paints, the floor of the cockpit, inside hull sides and cuddy being in a different color from deck and seats and the paint used for the latter two was not a non-skid paint. The cockpit and cuddy floor and inside hull sides may have been painted with a bilge paint - my boat is a DS1 and water will collect in that area until drained.

Deck and seats have a molded in "anti-skid" pattern and that has been enough to prevent sliding around or slipping off the deck. The paint, in its current state is definitely not glossy (can't tell whether it ever was) and, like you, I prefer that. For some paints you can get flattening agents.

If you feel that you need more positive skid control for the foredeck or cuddy top, then there are several techniques you can use, like mixing or sprinkling on some sand, salt or sugar. The latter two are later rinsed off, leaving tiny craters that make the paint surface bumpy and give it some grip. I might try one of the latter two.

If your chosen color is between white and gray then you also have the option of getting no-skid panels to stick on; they usually come in some light gray.

One paint that I have had positive experience with is Petit's EasyPoxy. (Despite the name, there's no epoxy involved). I've found it easy to apply. I've had some leftovers and used them to paint the bottom of my silverware drawer, and it's held up to abuse there, so I wouldn't be worried about high wear areas like seats (if you let it cure well, before using).

Any area that potentially sees standing water you need to check whether your paint will stand up to submersion. Not as much an issue with a DSII than a DS1 I'd think.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Deck painting

Postby GreenLake » Sat May 27, 2017 6:55 pm

You're looking at 25 year old paint. On vertical surfaces there's a bit more sheen (but not gloss).
2142
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Deck painting

Postby Shagbark » Sun May 28, 2017 1:46 am

I painted today using Interlux brightside polyurethane. It went on easy enough and the boat looks near new. However, my concern with the high gloss was realized. I ordered another quart to apply the second coat, but I also ordered a flattening agent to reduce some of the gloss. Hopefully it arrives before next weekend. I'll update after the next application.
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Re: Deck painting

Postby GreenLake » Sun May 28, 2017 2:14 am

If you wait that long between coats, you'll need to do a good job of scuff sanding in between, or the second coat will peel off. You probably know that already, but just in case.
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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Re: Deck painting

Postby Shagbark » Sun May 28, 2017 8:27 am

I'm planning on taking 220 grit to it. The other thing I didn't mention in my previous post was that although I painted the boat with most of it in my garage, the bugs really created havoc. Most imperfections were caused by what appears to be a swarm of 'micro gnats', hundreds of them. They will need to be sanded out. Not sure how to handle them in the second application.
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Location: Northern Indiana

Re: Deck painting

Postby GreenLake » Sun May 28, 2017 1:40 pm

Make sure to follow the manuf. recommendation on grit, if they give one.

For the gnats: get yourself some mosquito netting fabric and make a little "tent" covering the opening of your garage. Better to prevent the damage than to attempt to fix it after the fact.
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