paint for v-berth

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Cruiser2B
Topside Painter
Posts: 134
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:27 pm
Boat Name: Salacia
Boat Type: Alberg 30

paint for v-berth

Post by Cruiser2B »

I am going to freshen the v-berth area of me Alberg 30, what type of paint should i use? Does this require a marine grade paint or will a good enamal exterior house paint work? first off let me say before i get blasted...i really have no experience with paints of any type, this is why i am asking. i know it may get wet in there but it would not be exposed to the elements or is there something about fiberglass work that would require marine grade paint. I do know that 90% of the finish product is in the prep work which i am fully prepared to do, so if you have any recommendations I am all ears...thanks for the help and sorry for the noob type question.

Jason
www.svsalacia.blogspot.com
Preparing to get underway!!
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Rachel
Master of the Arcane
Posts: 3044
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:59 pm

Re: paint for v-berth

Post by Rachel »

[Edited to add: Ah, I think from reading the other thread you started that you have a second-generation A-30. I'm thinking that may mean that you have a gelcoated liner on the hull sides of the v-berth? If that is true, and it has not been painted, I would probably try to buff/wetsand/compound the gelcoat to bring it back to life. Maybe you can speak to that because it might change the opinions people would give you in this thread.]

What I wrote before I edited:

The first thing you might want to check (see notes below) is what type of paint (if any) is on those surfaces now. That's because it may exclude some options (unless you were to strip it all off).

A basic rule of thumb is that you cannot put a harder paint over a softer one. Two-part paints are typically "harder," and one-part are "softer." Now, you may not even want to use a two-part paint, but I just thought I'd mention it.

If you *do* want to use a two-part paint, then there are tests you can do to figure out what you have. You can look up details with each paint manufacturer, but it would be something like "cut slits in existing paint, soak cotton ball in our paint's solvent, tape it to the cuts, and check back in 24 hours; if the paint has bubbled or failed, our paint cannot be put over it." Generally, two-part paints are more durable, but then they also more complicated/expensive/noxious to work with.

As far as one-part paints (which most people probably choose), there are "old-fashioned" oil-based paints, one marine example being Interlux Premium Yacht Enamel. Then there are the "polyurethane" alkyd (oil) type marine paints like Interlux Brightsides and Pettit Easypoxy (they tout themselves as one-part polyurethanes but I tend to think of them more as a modified oil paint -- someone correct me if I'm wrong). And then there are the latex/water-based enamels ("modern" acrylic latexes). There are probably more, but these three categories seem to be common choices.

I tend to like something like Interlux Premium Yacht enamel, but then I just like painting with oil-based paints. I don't know that I could say they are "better" than the others. Latex would probably win the "easy" contest, what with being water cleanable, less odorific (during application), etc.

As far as whether to use marine paints or not.... I have always used marine paints, but that's partially because I know them, I have good access to them, and for me, with all the labor/time, and other materials/expense of the job, saving money on paint is not a priority. I wouldn't rule out changing my mind, and I don't necessarily think there is anything wrong with using non-marine-specific paint. I *do* think that "cheaping out" on paint is a mistake (would be for me, anyway). But then going non-marine is not necessarily cheaping out, if you get a high-quality paint from someone like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, or etc.

For exposed surfaces, I tend to like semi-gloss. Gloss just looks too glaringly shiny to me, especially if the surface is not perfectly smooth and consistent. I do like gloss in lockers for the cleanability and the lower tendency for dirt to stick.

Rachel

PS: Does your A-30 have the "pegboard" ceiling (i.e. interior hull sides) mounted on vertical cleats? If so, you might also consider using wood ceiling (horizontal strips of wood) on the existing cleats (if they are suitable; I have never removed the pegboard). (Pardon me if I'm being too obvious with some of the definitions, but they are common points of confusion.) [Edited to add: If you have a "liner boat," then you probably don't have the cleats/pegboard/ceiling.]

PPS: You may want to supplement the information you get in this thread with a search of the archives, because I think we've had some good discussions on interior painting before.
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