Painting Outside of Narrowboat.....yep again sorry.

[The Grumpy Triker]

Hi all,

 

My interior project for bow end of the boat is coming to and end.....many thanks to all who've helped me out in my dark hours.

 

I leant a few wood panels against the side of my boat during the interior work and a few hours of rubbing took the paint off, right back to steel.....ex-hire boat so I guess it has a coat or two of paint but not the prescribed professional number of layer of each application.

 

i am going to repaint my boat myself for now...that is a given, can't afford £6-8,000 for a proper job....more importantly I want to enjoy my boat after a winter, spring(?) & early summer of fixing the galley and saloon.

 

I'll also take my chances with the weather and time my applications as best I can.

 

I need primer, undercoat and top coat.....not cheapest, given the above, but also not dearest..,...unless top coat requires investment.....I am happy to get the good rollers and brushes but need to find a reasonable costed solution for a year or two.

 

Just need the benefit of your ever beneficial comments ......oh and a few of the usual jokes & mickey takes ?

 

Cheers all.?

Edited June 10, 2018 by The Grumpy Triker
Fat fingered Fred typing

[Tony Brooks]

As I have said on other similar topics I have been singularly underwhelmed by the so called marine products including from Craftmaster & second line usppliers and I am not too keen on International bilge & locker paint.

 

After flirting with Crown I have now used Johnstons self colour oil based undercoat and top coat in a RAL number so you are not stuck with a paint companies house colour. I only had to patch prime so I used a small pot of anti corrosion primer that takes at least 6 hours before over-coating so I doubt its water based but may use a solvent a little more exegetic than and ordinary oil based primer.

 

I did 4" red coach lines last years and they have not faded over the winter and sis not shed much pigment when   I polished them to clean off masking tape residue. This year I painted the side panels in a green and am happy with that. No problems over the years with reaction to the primer.

 

Remember at this time of year you need to be up soon after 5 am to leather off and dry down the area, then have some tea, then degrease with spirit/panel wipe and aim to be painting no later than 6.30 to 7.00 am. This way the paint has a chance to flow out before it starts to dry. Also try to moor so you are painting on the side shaded from the morning sun.

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

After flirting with Crown I have now used Johnstons self colour oil based undercoat and top coat in a RAL number so you are not stuck with a paint companies house colour.

 

How curious. I too have settled on this as brilliant boat paint, and apparently independently of you. 

 

Are you also buying yours from the decorators' merchant opposite B&Q near J11 in Reading?!

[Tony Brooks]

8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

How curious. I too have settled on this as brilliant boat paint, and apparently independently of you. 

 

Are you also buying yours from the decorators' merchant opposite B&Q near J11 in Reading?!

Yes

[mark99]

If you insist on doing it outside - find your self a bridge that's not a wind tunnel.

[Gareth E]

Just to add to the notion that expensive 'boat paint' isn't always the best: I painted the back end with an expensive green paint. 2 years on, I've needed to patch a few areas that I didn't prep properly. The paint I put down has discoloured pretty badly.

 

On the other hand: The red areas on the boat sides, towards the back, had discoloured to pink. No idea how long this paint had been on. I simply sanded it flat then applied a single coat of 'pillar box red' I bought from a local Asian pound shop. It was a little thick but a bit of white spirit soon sorted that. 2 years on, it's still brilliant shiny red. Total cost? £2 for 2 x 100ml tins.  

[Mike Hurley]

Its all about the preparation, if you spend time doing it right it will look good with cheap paint, if you dont prepare properly then expensive paint wont help.

[The Grumpy Triker]

19 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

As I have said on other similar topics I have been singularly underwhelmed by the so called marine products including from Craftmaster & second line usppliers and I am not too keen on International bilge & locker paint.

 

After flirting with Crown I have now used Johnstons self colour oil based undercoat and top coat in a RAL number so you are not stuck with a paint companies house colour. I only had to patch prime so I used a small pot of anti corrosion primer that takes at least 6 hours before over-coating so I doubt its water based but may use a solvent a little more exegetic than and ordinary oil based primer.

 

I did 4" red coach lines last years and they have not faded over the winter and sis not shed much pigment when   I polished them to clean off masking tape residue. This year I painted the side panels in a green and am happy with that. No problems over the years with reaction to the primer.

 

Remember at this time of year you need to be up soon after 5 am to leather off and dry down the area, then have some tea, then degrease with spirit/panel wipe and aim to be painting no later than 6.30 to 7.00 am. This way the paint has a chance to flow out before it starts to dry. Also try to moor so you are painting on the side shaded from the morning sun.

Cheers Tony & all.....the anti corrosion Primer, are there makes that people recommend?.....I need to watch the videos again as I think he mentions something on there but seem to remember someone warning of a primer / mixing it with other paint types.

[The Grumpy Triker]

6 hours ago, Mike Hurley said:

Its all about the preparation, if you spend time doing it right it will look good with cheap paint, if you dont prepare properly then expensive paint wont help.

? I was working on the basis that I'd prefer to rub it all clean and give it the recommended number of coats of each layer. Like you say I was hoping the extra work in prep may help it last a bit longer. Many thanks again.

[Tony Brooks]

Just now, The Grumpy Triker said:

Cheers Tony & all.....the anti corrosion Primer, are there makes that people recommend?.....I need to watch the videos again as I think he mentions something on there but seem to remember someone warning of a primer / mixing it with other paint types.

Ah yes - don't mix, that old chestnut, well for the majority of time anyway. naturally if you try to use a paint with a cellulose of other so called fast thinners as a solvent you may well have trouble but I do not think you will if you stick to oil based or one that says can be covered with after xx hours. I also doubt you would have a problem with a water based metal primer as long as you let it dry well before coating. Just think who's interest the do not mix paint manufacturer advice is in. Especially when if it did go wrong all we would loose is a bit of paint and a bit of labour, not that much different to a bad case of rust.

[The Grumpy Triker]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

Ah yes - don't mix, that old chestnut, well for the majority of time anyway. naturally if you try to use a paint with a cellulose of other so called fast thinners as a solvent you may well have trouble but I do not think you will if you stick to oil based or one that says can be covered with after xx hours. I also doubt you would have a problem with a water based metal primer as long as you let it dry well before coating. Just think who's interest the do not mix paint manufacturer advice is in. Especially when if it did go wrong all we would loose is a bit of paint and a bit of labour, not that much different to a bad case of rust.

Very true ??

[Tony Brooks]

FWIW  I have just completed my cabin sides. last year I dealt with a 4" red coach band. I rubbed out & treated the rust, locally primed (2 coats as per instructions) with a red "oxide" coloured anti-rust primer, flatted back to disguise the rust spots & key the surface, followed by two coats of red topcoat.

 

The cabin sides had a slight change from Brunswick green to a lighter RAL colour plus sign writing I needed to get rid of and rather more rust & scrape areas so that was more problematic.  I machine sanded the whole side to key the surface, hand flatted off the sign writing and then flatted back to a smooth finish. Locally treat rust and scrapes as above. Then a final all over rub with 360 grit paper (dry). Followed over several days/a week or so by two undercoats and two top oats. Keyed/de-nibbed each coat with medium (100) foam sanding pad, dusted off with microfibre cloth and wiped over with spirit wipe just before applying the next coat.

 

I have no idea if this is considered acceptable but I am happy enough with the result and based on last tears red I think it will last OK.