Repainting bashed bits!

[kayDee]

Hi all...

We have a few bashes on our boat at around piling level where we're caught the side when mooring up. Some of these little bashes have taken the paint off down to the metal. If we want to repaint these, do we need to fill them first? There are a few layers of paint on our boat so if we painted straight on, there would be an obvious indentation in the layers of paint. Does that make sense? I just wondered if we needed to sand it all down, fill it with filler to level it up and then paint it?

Sorry, I've no idea how to get the surface level !

Any help appreciated...

Kay

x

 

Edited to say: This is the actual boat paint we're talking about here - not the blacking...

Kay

x

Edited March 20, 2009 by kayDee

[bastonjock]

im not sure on what materials you would use for a boat but i paint cars for a living,i would fill the area if it was deep or block it out and use a high build primer.I think that you would be looking at filling the scrape,to get it to a high standard takes practice,after filling you would use a sanding block or a squeegie and the relevant grade of wet or dry sand paper and rub it flat,check that the paint your using adheres well to the filler or you will have to use a primer.It all takes a bit of practice

[kayDee]

im not sure on what materials you would use for a boat but i paint cars for a living,i would fill the area if it was deep or block it out and use a high build primer.I think that you would be looking at filling the scrape,to get it to a high standard takes practice,after filling you would use a sanding block or a squeegie and the relevant grade of wet or dry sand paper and rub it flat,check that the paint your using adheres well to the filler or you will have to use a primer.It all takes a bit of practice

 

Thanks for that. We've not gouged into the metal or anything like that - its just that with the paint flaking off around the scratch, the surface isn't level anymore due to about 3 layers of paint flaking off around it. The indentation is only slight but I'LL notice it and it will bug me. I want to be able to do the job properly and have it nice and flat again when we repaint that particular bit. I hope I'm making sense... I rarely do!

Kay

x

[Keeping Up]

Alternatively - learn to wear your boating scars with pride!

[magpie patrick]

Kay,

 

We've got exactly the same problem with Ripple's top band, it has got some nasty scrapes and one or two deep scratches. I patched some eighteen months ago and unless we've caught the same place again the paintwork has survived without any difficulty although if you look closely it's obviously been patch painted.

 

clean the wound with either a wire brush, or if the rust is really bad, an angle grinder, then asap paint kurust or similar onto it. Follow the instructions on the kurust as to when to paint the next layer, which will be primer. once you've got the primer three or four coats of paint should fix it.

 

You only need filler if you've actually dented the boat, which is unlikely on the side.

 

This summer, I'm intending to do more patches and the roller the entire top band to reduce the impact of the patch painting

 

Patrick

 

edited to add: car type fillers aren't really intended to take an impact as this is serious bad news in a car, I'd have thought there would be a risk of the fill just falling out after it has been hit

Edited March 20, 2009 by magpie patrick

[denboy]

we used to use stoppa filler for scratches, think its called just scratch filler nowits not for dents just minor scuffs in paint work avail at motorist discount stores this looks like the stuff

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAR-PAINT-3M-STOPPER...%3A1|240%3A1318

[magpie patrick]

Thanks for that. We've not gouged into the metal or anything like that - its just that with the paint flaking off around the scratch, the surface isn't level anymore due to about 3 layers of paint flaking off around it. The indentation is only slight but I'LL notice it and it will bug me. I want to be able to do the job properly and have it nice and flat again when we repaint that particular bit. I hope I'm making sense... I rarely do!

Kay

x

 

Just reading that bit Kay, obviously you need to make sure all the loose paint is off. Assuming no gouging and no rust then if you remove all the loose paint, and then sand the edge of the "hole"so that it's flat rather than having an obvious lip, then apply several coats of paint (your original would have been up to 12 coats including primer and undercoats) then no hole will be obvious. The main problem is that the "patch" is a slightly different colour due to an imperfect match and some limited fading, and due to the new paint being totally unblemished!

[Guest]

I've used stuff called cellulose putty, at least I think that is the name. Apply with a scraper and rub down with wet and dry abrashive when dry, then paint as normal.

[sueb]

Use bitumen up to the gunnels saves loads of problems

Sue

[steelaway]

Hi all...

We have a few bashes on our boat at around piling level where we're caught the side when mooring up. Some of these little bashes have taken the paint off down to the metal. If we want to repaint these, do we need to fill them first? There are a few layers of paint on our boat so if we painted straight on, there would be an obvious indentation in the layers of paint. Does that make sense? I just wondered if we needed to sand it all down, fill it with filler to level it up and then paint it?

Sorry, I've no idea how to get the surface level !

Any help appreciated...

Kay

x

 

Edited to say: This is the actual boat paint we're talking about here - not the blacking...

Kay

x

 

 

Hi Kay

 

Dont fill it - it will probably fall out next time you bump it

Simply sand down the edges of the scatches until its smooth.

Prime the bare metal with a good zinc primer - paint wont stick to metal - paint only sticks to primer.

You may have to paint a large area to loose the repair.

I only repair below the gunnels when I paint the whole section around the whole of the boat, usually when I do the bottom blacking

 

Alex

[Batavia]

Use bitumen up to the gunnels saves loads of problems

Sue

The voice of reason!

 

Chris G

[dave moore]

Hear, hear!!

I don't know where the fashion for a painted top strake came from, but it's a nightmare in terms of actually working a boat. I suggest that the bits are touched in, for now and come next repaint time, carry the hull blacking to gunwale level...saves so much aggro!

Cheers

Dave

[sueb]

The voice of reason!

 

Chris G

Many thanks. I am now embarrassed but I have lost my emoticons.

Sue

[kayDee]

Thank you for everyone's help with this. I didn't know about the primer bit - we rubbed it down with sandpaper and then put some grey undercoat on it. I guess that will have to be sanded off and repainted with the correct zinc primer now - our fault for rushing it. We just wanted to give it some sort of protection from the weather before we had chance to put the top paint on it. I will get some of those blocks, as using sandpaper on its own is horrid - it just breaks up in your hand all the time - not good!

So thanks for your help - will get some blocks and primer and do a good job of it this time - I might even get you some photos!

Kay

x

[Grace and Favour]

Thank you for everyone's help with this. I didn't know about the primer bit - we rubbed it down with sandpaper and then put some grey undercoat on it. I guess that will have to be sanded off and repainted with the correct zinc primer now - our fault for rushing it. We just wanted to give it some sort of protection from the weather before we had chance to put the top paint on it. I will get some of those blocks, as using sandpaper on its own is horrid - it just breaks up in your hand all the time - not good!

So thanks for your help - will get some blocks and primer and do a good job of it this time - I might even get you some photos!

Kay

x

 

If you use 'Wet & Dry' abrasive paper (known as Carborundum) and always keep the paper wet (with water) when using it - it'll do a much much better job for you . .

 

Whatever you do - don't use 'sandpaper' - it's horrid stuff

[Ex- Member]

There's many ways of repairing or patch painting damaged areas. The best way for boats IMO is the same methods used in the car body work repair industry. For one these repairs are used today on automobiles and they are mostly built fron steel, only difference with boats is that the steel is thicker.

 

If you have a small dent gouge, hears what you should do. Grind down the damaged area with a 40 grit disc to the bear metal about 4 inches all around the gouge /dent

 

You'll now be left with a bear metal patch with gouge dent in the middle. Purchase some car body filler Usually Grey colour with Yellow tube of hardner , most popular stuff being called Plastic Padding

 

Spread over the gouge/dent as smoothly as possible with the spreader usually provided, only cover the gouge/dent with filler and try not to spread the filler too far so it reaches the now rough paint edge. If you use the correct amounr of hardeneer this will dry in around 15 minutes ready to sand down.

 

To sand down you need 80 grit Production paper which is coloured White and especially designed for filler. Sand paper will do but not as efficient as it will clog quickly. Production paper is usually available in any car spares.

 

You now rub down the filler using a rubber Block around 3 quid to buy. You rub down the filler and do so over lapping on to the rough painted edge left by the grinding. Keep rubbing until the filler is smooth and all the paint edges are smooth too without any drinder markes left showing in the paint.

 

Your rubbed down area should now look something llike this. http://www.autofix.com.au/blog/wp-content/...spray%20004.jpg

 

You now need to get this area a little smoother using 150 grit wet and dry. Again smooth with block keeping the block flat at all times. Keep rubbing down until you see the scratches from the grinding and production paper disappear. You are now ready to prime the area.

 

You now prime with red primer preferably a turps based primer, Cellouse primers will possibly have a bad affect on existing paint. Prime a further 4 inches past the now smoothed paint edge. You need to do this so the primer will fill and scratches left resulting from the use of production paper. Prime with around 5 coats spray 4 coats brush.

 

When primer is dry, inspect the area carefull, Where you previously filled you will notice pinholes in the filler and possibly still some feint scratches. You can fill these with cellouse putty, but to be honest for a boat finish fill these in with a tiny mix of body filler again.

 

Now rub down again with 240 to 300 wet and dry until smooth. clean and dry off the area and inspect again. This should now be ready to paint and no more obvious imperfections. If there are repeat again until gone. Now Prime again about 4 coats spray 2 to 3 brush.

 

Quick rub down wet and dry 300 grit, this is just to remove the overspray or brush edges.

 

Now undercoat 2 to 3 coats, and another rub down with 300 wet and dry, just a flick over to remove overspray or heave brush edges.

 

You're now ready for top coat 2 coats ideal.

 

Tack rags are handy to remove dust and debris prior to top coating.

 

Done correctly as above this is an efficient repair that should last as long as the paint that coveres it, and probably a lot longer.

 

Here's a handy video worth watching

 

 

Pleease note for car finishing there are 2 more processes during the wet and dry section. You don't need these for boat finishes unless you're looking for a quality finish found on cars.

Edited March 21, 2009 by Julynian

[ditchcrawler]

Thank you for everyone's help with this. I didn't know about the primer bit - we rubbed it down with sandpaper and then put some grey undercoat on it. I guess that will have to be sanded off and repainted with the correct zinc primer now - our fault for rushing it. We just wanted to give it some sort of protection from the weather before we had chance to put the top paint on it. I will get some of those blocks, as using sandpaper on its own is horrid - it just breaks up in your hand all the time - not good!

So thanks for your help - will get some blocks and primer and do a good job of it this time - I might even get you some photos!

Kay

x

Below gunwale level I don't both but then I don't boat with fenders down so the bands get rubbed in every lock. I just black up to gunwale level when the bottom is blacked of if I am really board and the sun is shining I will wiz round with a 4" brush and blacking. (I think I did that twice in 7 years)

[Keeping Up]

I just work on the principle that the paint in that area is sacrificial.

 

When the boat is next painted, the first act would have to be rubbing down and possibly removal of the old paint, so I just reckon I'm starting the process a bit early.

 

Having said that, if bare metal is visible I usually put a bit of red oxide on to keep the rust away, and a quick dab of topcoat to make it slightly less obvious.

[Ex- Member]

I just work on the principle that the paint in that area is sacrificial.

 

When the boat is next painted, the first act would have to be rubbing down and possibly removal of the old paint, so I just reckon I'm starting the process a bit early.

 

Having said that, if bare metal is visible I usually put a bit of red oxide on to keep the rust away, and a quick dab of topcoat to make it slightly less obvious.

 

 

It just depends on weather you want a full repair or patch up. If you have a pretty newly painted boat, a proper repair would be better, if your paintwork is ten years old and you're planning a repaint anyway, patching up is fine short term.

[Keeping Up]

It just depends on weather you want a full repair or patch up. If you have a pretty newly painted boat, a proper repair would be better, if your paintwork is ten years old and you're planning a repaint anyway, patching up is fine short term.

No I take that attitude (to that part of the paintwork only) from the day after it has been repainted. It's going to get that way fairly soon anyway, and I'd hate to be forever worrying about scratches and chips in that area.

[bastonjock]

You are better off using pollyester stopper if you are going to do filler work,you can buy it from your Local car bodyshop suppliers,personally i would not use 40 grit,id start with 80 then got to 180 and finnish using 400.if its ajob that you are going to be doing on a regular basis,id get a palm sander and use velcro backed discs

 

i never put filler on top of primer and if there is a touch of rust i use Kurust first and then filler,filler then primer then paint

[Ex- Member]

You are better off using pollyester stopper if you are going to do filler work,you can buy it from your Local car bodyshop suppliers,personally i would not use 40 grit,id start with 80 then got to 180 and finnish using 400.if its ajob that you are going to be doing on a regular basis,id get a palm sander and use velcro backed discs

 

i never put filler on top of primer and if there is a touch of rust i use Kurust first and then filler,filler then primer then paint

 

If you're just rubbing down paint, then 80 grit is enough.

 

 

You have to use 40 grit/grinder to grind gouge or dent for body filler to obtaim maximum adhesion, this will also quickly remove rust, 80 grit for filler application is too smooth.

 

Body filler should not go on top of paint full stop, but to fill in pin holes it does ok and saves using/buying fine putty.

[ditchcrawler]

No I take that attitude (to that part of the paintwork only) from the day after it has been repainted. It's going to get that way fairly soon anyway, and I'd hate to be forever worrying about scratches and chips in that area.

I'll drink to that

[steelaway]

I'll drink to that

 

 

Me too.

I cant believe some people are actually using car body filler on a steel boat - especially below the gunnels

Its not a car ............ and it's continually going to get scratched in locks and moorings.

 

Alex

[Ex- Member]

Me too.

I cant believe some people are actually using car body filler on a steel boat - especially below the gunnels

Its not a car ............ and it's continually going to get scratched in locks and moorings.

 

Alex

 

There's nothing wrong with car body filler on a boat, it will adhere the same to boat steel as it would to car. Nearly every boat on the canal will have body filler somewhere, boatbuilders use it to take out imperfections prior to priming. All the weld seams on the upper shell sides will have been ground back and filled with body filler, that's what it'r designed for, otherwise weld marks would be visible.

 

I have never sudggested it under the waterline, but under the gunwale above the water line is no different than elsewhere.