Dulux Weathershield For Boat Painting

[Starcoaster]

I have seen mention before of people using Dulux weathershield for painting their boat's exterior- can anyone who has used it comment on how good it was and how good it remained after use? Assuming proper preparation and application.

Specifically, Weathershield quick dry exterior gloss.

Thanks!

[Wanted]

I think that's what mine was painted with, it was done 5 years ago and is starting to bubble and lift a bit on the roof. The red is also fading quite badly.

 

Next summer is the time I bite the bullet and repaint with NATO Military paint.

[Starcoaster]

Is NATO military paint really a thing?

I know reds of all forms are supposed to fade badly. Do you think the paint itself was the problem, or the prep? How long did it look good for before it started to bubble?

[dave moore]

If I remember rightly, Bernard Hales specified Weathershield on his wooden topped historic " Enterprise ", often found at the Black Country Museum or festivals. The idea was that it would allow the timber below to breathe. This was some 2 or 3 years ago and I've not had a close look since, but I think things are holding up well. I've used it on windows and external work here at home and have, so far, good impressions, though it has quite a rubbery finish and tends not to flow out like coach enamels I more commonly encounter. Enterprise was one of the few lettering jobs where I had to second coat the letters themselves, the base coat was hard to cover easily. I'd imagine Bernard will be at Braunston soon.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[nipper]

I've been painting my sailing boat with Johnstons Storm Shield for about 10 years.

 

Very similar to Weather shield, but better, according to the Which Magazine many years ago.

 

The key is to give it a key!!

 

Light sanding and the paint adheres a lot better. otherwise, it can peel off in sheets, as a boat yard in Dartmouth found out to their embarrassment one year!

 

Nipper

[Starcoaster]

Isn't Enterprise a wooden top though, or am I making that up?

The two main reasons I am looking at this paint is the price factor, and also because it is available in the colours that I want, which are not really common or easy to find similar in smaller and specialist ranges.

[dave moore]

Didn't I say so 10 mins ago that Enterprise was a wooden top?

 

Dave

[Starcoaster]

Dur, sorry I didn't read it properly. I expect it will act differently on metal, so would be interested to know how people have got on using it on steel boats.

[ditchcrawler]

Didn't I say so 10 mins ago that Enterprise was a wooden top?

 

Dave

Yes

[Graham Davis]

Isn't Enterprise a wooden top though, or am I making that up?

The two main reasons I am looking at this paint is the price factor, and also because it is available in the colours that I want, which are not really common or easy to find similar in smaller and specialist ranges.

 

Starry

Places like the Dulux Centres and some of the DIY Sheds are able to mix paint colours.

Some can even scan and match from small chips or even adverts in the paper, so as long as a "base" paint is available you can have what ever you want.

 

EDIT.

Dulux Weathershield does have a "base" paint available, We used to mix it when I worked for SJ Dixons of Wolverhampton

Edited June 22, 2015 by Graham Davis

[Wanted]

Is NATO military paint really a thing?

I know reds of all forms are supposed to fade badly. Do you think the paint itself was the problem, or the prep? How long did it look good for before it started to bubble?

My money is on the prep being shoddy, the guy did it very quickly..

 

Yup, NATO paint.. Did a land rover with it once, sticks like shite and still looks good.

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=330894028228&globalID=EBAY-GB

Oh yeah, you need to be happy with fifty shades of Khaki!

[DHutch]

I have used weathershield on the woodern windows of my parents house, and also weathershild trade which appear to be similar but slightly thicker and recommends two coats not one. It covers well, and appears to last longer then conventional and or cheaper other such paints.

 

I have also used Dulux's metalshield on the digger I am restoring as I could have it colour mixed to the correct shade locally, and it appears to go on in a largely similar fashion and given similar finish. This was only a year ago, so I cant comment on durability. It was however red, so we shall watch this space. I used the phosphate high build undercoat, which also works, but is a pig to paint and worse to sand.

 

Would I use it on a narrrowboat? I must say, I don't think I would. It strikes me as better suited to fences and the like, it doesnt given a great finish on large flat areas, is hideous to sand, and doesnt get that hard ever.

 

The other paint I used on the digger, on the side where I wanted an industrial grey, was Blackfryers QD90, Again, far too soon to say if its durability is any good, but it went on lovely, smooth, high gloss, nice to paint, etc.

 

 

 

Daniel

[peterboat]

My money is on the prep being shoddy, the guy did it very quickly..

 

Yup, NATO paint.. Did a land rover with it once, sticks like shite and still looks good.

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=330894028228&globalID=EBAY-GB

Oh yeah, you need to be happy with fifty shades of Khaki!

Agrre with you Rob over the years spent many unhappy times painting military vehicles I always used to rub them down and so had a long lasting finish. However plenty just washed and brushed looked good for about a month or two then fell off in sheets preparation as always is the key

Funnily enough it always stuck like s##t to a blanket to me

 

Peter

Edited June 22, 2015 by peterboat

[Beaker]

I believe DeanS of this parish used Weathershield on his boat, yucky purple, IIRC.

 

Edited June 22, 2015 by Beaker

[valrene9600]

Wearhershield seems to be the usual one in diy places.

Metalshield seems to be a trade paint. I was told the former was water based for diy market.

[DHutch]

There are some waterbased paints in the Weathershield range as I recall, maybe the undercoat, but the stuff I was glossing the windows with was not as far as I recall.

 

My metalshield was of the shelf from the local builders merchant, who mixed it to my colour, and it was not waterbased. They did have to order the zinc phosphate primer in however, which came to them in a minimum order size of 6 tins, so in the end I got that online as they didnt want 5 on the shelf.

 

 

Daniel

[Neil Smith]

I've been painting my sailing boat with Johnstons Storm Shield for about 10 years.

 

Very similar to Weather shield, but better, according to the Which Magazine many years ago.

 

The key is to give it a key!!

 

Light sanding and the paint adheres a lot better. otherwise, it can peel off in sheets, as a boat yard in Dartmouth found out to their embarrassment one year!

 

Nipper

That's a hell of a long time to paint a boat have you nearly finished yet.

 

Neil.

[blackrose]

Another alternative to expensive boat paint is International 10 Year Gloss. So far I've used it on my handrails (while painting the roof with a different non-slip paint) and I plan to use it on the cabin sides.

 

I'm putting on two coats of gloss over two coats of Hemple/Blakes undercoat/primer with a coat of Bonda primer underneath.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/331256339117?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

 

http://www.mbfg.co.uk/primers-undercoats/2008.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwh6SsBRCYrKHF7J3NjicSJACUxAh736Lsimi9bm9LML5S_hwy37ykCaWn48eaSPXzSlUrThoCwmDw_wcB

 

The first bit I did about 5 years ago still looks good (yes, I've been a bit slow doing this job!)

 

When you use International 10 year gloss it really does feel like a good quality product and I trust the International brand. It's about half the price of marine gloss, or you can find it on ebay or amazon for even less. The only problem is that colours are a bit limited.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/International-Year-Exterior-Gloss-Litre/dp/B0064ZDQ3I

Edited June 23, 2015 by blackrose

[nb Innisfree]

I've used Nato matt finish paint,50/50 mix with Rylard to give a nice eggshell finish, it does dry a bit quick so difficult to keep a wet edge, solved by adding owetrol.

[Beaker]

There are some waterbased paints in the Weathershield range as I recall, maybe the undercoat, but the stuff I was glossing the windows with was not as far as I recall.

 

I suppose that saves on curtains!

[Grebe]

In 2009 we used black weathershield on Grebe's hull between the waterline and top rubbing strake. It has been great. Being broads based we have not tested its ability to withstand knocks in locks. We chose this as an alternative to the ultra expensive Intertuf we had used previously.

 

We had her lifted and repainted a couple of weeks ago and the original paint was fine. Just a wash off and sanding required before repainting.

 

A lifetime ago we painted a new shell with ordinary Dulux and it lasted years and years.

[Pykebird]

We painted several boats in dulux weathershield and got good results. The longest one was still looking good after 8 years, so would use it again!

[DHutch]

 

I suppose that saves on curtains!

Only the frames!

[David Schweizer]

Before it's recent full repaint, our boat was painted with Dulux Weathershield and it lasted more than ten years, albeit somewhat faded by then.

 

If you do choose to use it, make sure you get Dulux Trade Weathershield mixed to your colour of choice at a Decorators Merchant, and not from one of the DIY barns. The trade paint is still a traditional oil spirit based paint which will go on easily, lay off well, and last a good length of time, wheras (apart from white) the DIY version is waterbased and does not last nearly as well in an outdoor environment (despite it's name) It is also more difficult to lay off and get a smooth gloss finish, owing to it's quick drying time.

 

I still use Trade Weathershield to paint the exterior doors on our house, and get it mixed up by Brewers.

Edited June 23, 2015 by David Schweizer

[Starcoaster]

Thanks all, I have been given the heads up about the trade Weathershield by a few people.

Blackrose, I used the International ten year gloss a couple of years ago, but it is only available in a very narrow range of colours that does not include the ones I want!