Jump to content

Deck paint advice please


Miss Tadpole

Featured Posts

Hello,

I recently bought a narrowboat (22ft) and I have been doing some work on her. The front deck needed some cleaning / derusting / welding - which is now done. I have paimted it with Owatrol and with red oxide but now I need to put the top coat on so I can finally take off the tarp which has been protecting it ip until now.

 

Please can anyone here advise what paint I should use? I want to paint it black and although I have been recommended "International" it doesn't come in black. Someone else just said to use Dulux exterior gloss or I've heard you can mix it with sand? I'm not sure what to do and I don't want to mess it up.

 

Hope to hear from you soon.

 

Lynne

Edited by Miss Tadpole
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot depends on your boat and budget, no point using mega expensive paint on an old welded up boat. There are (amazingly) two Internationals, A B&Q type brand and a proper expensive boat paint (based in Southampon?) who will do black. Take care adding sand, it makes it non slip but it goes green and mouldy and its then a bugger to sand down, bacause sandpaper does not sand sand ?.

I think we need to know more, maybe a picture of your boat, to make useful suggestions.

Throwing handfuls of wet builders sand into paint looks truly terrible, but I have seen it done.

 

..................Dave

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For what it's worth, my GRP sailing boat was supplied with deck fitted to the hull but with the join unfinished, (not painted), I was however supplied with the correct toside colour two pack paint and a bag of very fine glass beads. I painted around the edges and while still wet sprinkled the beads. When dry I went over it again with the paint. All I can say is that in all the time I had the boat it wore very well and was very non-slip, indeed you did not want to get bare skin near it and them as did only did it once!

 

On paint I had a friend with a Dauntless clinker built gaffer who swore by Woolworth's own brand in sky blue. In all the years I knew him the boat was always immaculate and watertight.

 

As has already been said you are dealing with a fairly small and low value boat, (in money terms at least). So because it is  of  low value it is not worth using expensive paints/materials and because it is small there is a lot less of it to chase around after so you can smarten it up more often anyway. A win, win I'd say!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Man 'o Kent said:

As has already been said you are dealing with a fairly small and low value boat, (in money terms at least). So because it is  of  low value it is not worth using expensive paints/materials and because it is small there is a lot less of it to chase around after so you can smarten it up more often anyway. A win, win I'd say!

 

Conversely because it's small you could pay for the "good stuff" as you won't need a large tin ...

 

There are four schools of thought on painting boats:

 

Never bother and have a deteriorating scruffy boat.

 

Protect the boat but don't worry too much about the finish, just keep it weatherproof.

 

Smartly kept boat with regular careful touching up of battle scars where the trees won.

 

Shiny boat, perfect finish, rarely dare use the boat.

 

 

Somewhere around the middle seems reasonable to me, other boat owners will choose differently.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Miss Tadpole said:

Hello,

I recently bought a narrowboat (22ft) and I have been doing some work on her. The front deck needed some cleaning / derusting / welding - which is now done. I have paimted it with Owatrol and with red oxide but now I need to put the top coat on so I can finally take off the tarp which has been protecting it ip until now.

 

Please can anyone here advise what paint I should use? I want to paint it black and although I have been recommended "International" it doesn't come in black. Someone else just said to use Dulux exterior gloss or I've heard you can mix it with sand? I'm not sure what to do and I don't want to mess it up.

 

Hope to hear from you soon.

 

Lynne

A word of caution in case you haven’t considered it - a black deck can get so hot in bright sun that it will burn bare feet and pet paws.  Not something I would do.

 

added - I do mean injury, not just uncomfortably hot. 

Edited by Chewbacka
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

A word of caution in case you haven’t considered it - a black deck can get so hot in bright sun that it will burn bare feet and pet paws.  Not something I would do.

 

added - I do mean injury, not just uncomfortably hot. 

I'll second that!

Back in the summer of '76 we called in to the tide mill basin at Woodbridge. Fresh water was supplied to the pontoons by black plastic hose. The water coming out of the hose was far too hot to bear even on hands toughened by rope and sail handling.

 

Mark you we did make best use of the weather, towards the end of the booked two weeks of my holiday entitlement I 'phoned work.

Me: "Sorry boss I won't be able to get in on Monday we are storm bound."

Boss: (significant pause) "Oh yes? Wadda you mean storm bound? Just how long are you going to be storm bound for prey?"

Me: "Oh! Another week I'd think."

 

Well, I was entitled to a month . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've used Craftmaster Raddle on my roof, rear deck, and side walkways, (gunnels?), and all seem reasonably none slip.

 

I previously used International Deck paint, (Grey), and it was not much better at non slip, (IIRC), and was easy to sand, prior to applying the Craftmaster.

 

If using sand, I think it needs to be fine, and kiln dried.

 

John Barnard Boat Painter does a series of videos on boat painting, and it's well worth watching every one of them if you are refurbishing a boat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

I've just put the undercoat and first top coat on the roof with Black Country Paints. It's good stuff, very heavy pigment and coverage. It's also about 1/4 the price of Toplac.

I have just spoken with them after reading your post and I have to say they couldn’t have been more helpful. Nice thing is from reading their Webb page is that they are an independent British family business.  Thank you for the post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 18/08/2020 at 23:58, PD1964 said:

I think she means International Interdeck non slip, which does not come in black.

I buy from Rawlins paint, they have five stat technical advise and hundreds of paint varieties.

Anti slip granules added  to Rustoleum Combi. [black only 2.5l].

Downside is the tins are flimsy and difficult to re-seal, use gaffer tape.

All paint from Rawlins is about £20/l, but long life, quality.

Edited by LadyG
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.