Painting foredeck floor

[Grassman]

I've just lifted up the matting from the cratch floor for its periodic clean and have noticed that it is badly in need of remedial work. There are quite a few patches of rust. In some places the rust has lifted/bubbled up but appears to be being held together by a resin or rubbery looking deck paint that the previous owner must have applied.

 

When I 'puncture' one of these with a screwdriver a few prods each side and it just lifts away, turning a small patch into a much larger one. I have chipped away at each one and used the wire brush electric drill attachment to remove loose rust until I've reached a solid part again.

 

Ideally I'd like to strip the lot off back to bare metal but I have neither the equipment nor the time or will to do this, besides which, 80% of the floor is in good nick. So I know it isn't going to be a perfect job, I just want to arrest the rusting and protect it for a few years at least.

 

Obviously my first job is to treat the rust which I plan to do with Vactan. If I then apply a primer and then top coat (I use Damboline) will that be okay or should I look to use a thicker resin type paint which would help fill in the pitted areas that I've removed the rust from and therefore make it an even surface all over? The stuff that's down seems to have a kind of rubbery substance in it.

 

The floor is generally protected from the elements because of the cratch cover but it does get wet sometimes and I'm a bit concerned that if I just paint over these patches rather than fill them, water will get trapped in there and speed up the erosion of those parts.

 

I'd be grateful for any advice please.

[Murflynn]

The stuff that's down seems to have a kind of rubbery substance in it.

 

you probably have chlorinated rubber deck paint. suggest you google for the data sheets for that paint. e.g. Teamac

[WotEver]

Whatever you end up using I'd suggest throwing the water-trapping matting away. 

[dmr]

If you want to do the job properly then take the whole lot back to as close to bare metal as you can, a wire cup brush in an angle grinder should do this. Its tedious and dirty work but a solid half a day should get it done. Apply three coats of Armourguard epoxy metal primer and when its fully hard sand away the gloss and apply a coat or two of whatever finish you want. Danboline is high gloss which can be slippery when wet so something a bit more matt might be better.

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

[rusty69]

Am I missing something. The question was asked last summer. 

[dmr]

Oh well..., but if a jobs worth doing then a jobs worth doing properly, and if a jobs worth doing properly then its worth taking a couple of years over it.

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