Painting Project

CanoeMan · #1 (**permalink**) 12-25-2006

Hello all. I have a question for those of you with more experience than myself about painting a canoe. I bought a new canoe a few months ago. I live in Louisiana a duck hunt a good bit. I am not satisfied with the Sand color that the new canoe came in and would like to go with a dark Green or Brown color. I wanted to repaint the boat with a good paint, probably 1 part poly, and need help with how to do it. Can I lightly sand the new gelcoat with say 220 grit paper and roll/brush paint the poly paint right on or is there more preparation I should consider? Thanks for any help in advance.

camaraderie · #2 (**permalink**) 12-25-2006

Canoe...I'd suggest starting with 220 but then moving to 300-400 wet sanding for a smoother finish. You'll need to wipe it down with mineral spirits to get the grit off after sanding...MEK also works well but don't start sniffin it!!. I guess you don't want any gloss for hunting so 1 part poly should be a good choice but you may need to add a flattening agent to dull the finish. You can roll poly on with a good dense foam roller and then use a good bristle brush to "tip" it off. This will save you time and provide a nice smooth finish without bubbles.

sailaway21 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006

Better check that canoe-not too many of 'em made out of fiberglas anymore. Commonly ABS, Kevlar, and polyurethane. Check for compatibility of the paint with the hull material. I'd recommend acetone for the wipe down. Mineral spirits leaves a residue and MEK takes a long time to flash off-course if you want to fry up some gray cells that may not be undesirable. (don't misunderstand-it won't get you very high but it will cook your egg.)

camaraderie · #4 (**permalink**) 12-26-2006

Sailaway...Yup...Acetone is better...I must have been too close to the MEK!