What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

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realnutter
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What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by realnutter »

I'm hacking my spare Minisail, to fit a self draining cockpit... this involves grafting in bits from another hull..

The colours don't match, and my grafting will show, so I need to paint the topsides to hide the work...

What should I use?
Matt

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Rupert
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by Rupert »

Either go expensive and use 2 pack, or roller on international front door paint. Has worked for me in the past. Not sure anything in between gains you much.
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realnutter
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by realnutter »

Thanks, Rupert.. Front door paint sounds reasonably cheap...

It doesn't have "boat" in the name... :-)
Matt

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Rupert
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by Rupert »

Sadly, not too cheap, really. But better than boat paint. Canal barge paint of eBay also works!
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trebor
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by trebor »

I found using a roller gives a better finish than a brush, spraying obviously best.
The rollered finish gave a textured look, very difficult to get a flat shiny finish with brush or roller, though their are techniques but I believe you need 2 people painting to achieve optimum results.
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Ed
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by Ed »

Depends on the colour you want.

If you don't mind having 'white' I would use either:

an epoxy primer and polish back to white. Gives hard good surface, which after polishing back, does not look like it has been 'painted'. Cheap, but heavy initial layout. You obviously need diluent and rollers etc.

http://www.paintmarine.co.uk/jotun-peng ... ArVZ8P8HAQ may look expensive, but it lasts quite well and will do 4 or 5 Minisails.

or a hard auto acrylic white primer in a rattle can: Again, looks fine after polishing - but not nearly so hard.....but cheap.

http://www.autosessive.com/products/605 ... AlZT8P8HAQ

or

http://www.autosessive.com/products/605 ... imer-500ml

Personally, I have never had much luck with painting gloss paints onto grp. Sure it can be done, just never been that happy with the results.

eib
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PeterV
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Re: What's the best paint to apply over gelcoat?

Post by PeterV »

Over the past 40 years (surely I'm not that old) I've painted severla GRP boats and I've always been very happy with the results. I've only ever used 2 pack epoxy for the hull and International single pack for the decks. My reaosning is that there's no point painting a GRP boat if you're not going to get a good looking hard wearing finish. The deck doesn't get as much wear as the hull but sitting out and ropes do wear it and a high quality paint stands up to this.
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