Deck Paint Suggestions?

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Captain K

Captain K

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2012
Messages
315
Location
USA
Vessel Name
GITANA
Vessel Make
Sea Ranger 47 Pilothouse
It's getting time to repaint the decks on my fiberglass flying bridge, boat deck, and forward trunk cabin deck. I plan to do it myself with the roll and tip method. I'd appreciate suggestions on an economical and durable paint, and/or other possible deck coverings. Thanks!
 
Interdeck by Interlux...non-skid is very fine but effective (doesn't hold dirt as bad)...very even coating..easy to touchup if you block off your deck into manageable sections.
 
Do you mean short term economical or total cost of ownership economical. For the latter, hard to beat AwlGrip. You can roll and tip it, though spray is best, and their little glass beads mixed in are available in various sizes depending on how coarse a non-skid you want. The swim platform, flying bridge, boat deck and sun pad/trunk cabin top of my boat were all done with AwlGrip over the past 7 years. Starting with the FB/BD 6 years ago, which has held up to a ton of year around use. There are various tutorials on the web and in boat forums on how-to. There's a guy on the Hatteras Owner's Forum, Jim Rosenthal, who did his whole 36ft Hatt on his own last year, came out pretty nice.
 
We did our decks 16 months ago and so far it's been wearing great and easy to clean. We used AwlGrip 73013 non-skid which is their course material.

We first taped off the non-skid area, sanded with a random orbital sander, then wiped with a solvent. We rolled on one coat of Awlgrip with a 6" varnish roller. Using a styrofoam cup, with tooth pick holes, in the bottom, we went over the painted areas with the 73013, then rolled on one more coat of Awlgrip. That's it and we never touched a brush. The decks had been painted before so other than filing a few divots, sanding was the only prep.

I did practice with the cup, tooth pick holes and non-skid on a prepped, non painted area first. It was fairly easy to get the right amount of non-skid down with a little practice.

The 73013 was $40 for a quart and the paint was $140. I can't kneel on the deck with out taking skin off but you can walk on it comfortably in bare feet. Two of us did the side decks and foredeck in less than 1 day. If you have some narrow areas a 4" varnish roller will work.
 

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Looks really good Larry! We used the finer stuff, I am not 100% sure if it was the very finest, on the swim platform which got a lot of use, as well as the FB. No one ever slipped even in wet bare feet.
 
caltexflanc said:
Looks really good Larry! We used the finer stuff, I am not 100% sure if it was the very finest, on the swim platform which got a lot of use, as well as the FB. No one ever slipped even in wet bare feet.
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Thanks. We did the same when we did the swim platform using AwlGrip's 73012 which is the fine particles and love it. Good non-skid! Prep was a little more involved since the non-skid area on the platform wasn't raised as it is on the foredeck.

AlwGrip also makes an extra course product (73237). After using the course, I can't imagine the need for this on one of our boats.
 

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I'd be inclined to go w Interlux Interdeck because it's a product for decks.

15 years ago my neighbor (worked for ParkerPaint) gave me some "deck paint" for our back porch. Put on one coat and it seemed to last forever. Now I'm convinced floor and deck paint actually is special and should be sought out.

Bought some cheap stuff in AK for Willy and that was a mistake.

So Scott I'm very interested in the Interlux. Is it one part? Poly or what?

Makes me wonder what's special about bilge paint too.
 
It's a one part poly like Brightside ...a little different formulated with non skid from what I can tell.

Last year I never got around to applying non-skid...just had the Interlux Pre-kote generic primer down and it was pretty non-skid too. Never slipped on it in a 2200 mile round trip to the FLA line and back to NJ...even with icy decks.

I have had my fill of non-skid that scrapes you up...totally not needed for anything but a big deal blue water boat. The Interdeck isn't even as rough as 200 grit and yet with my typical deck shoes...work boots, Walmart slip-ons or generic walking sneakers...I have never slipped an inch in the last 2500 mile in weather most here wouldn't travel in.

As far as it being a low cost alternative to "total cost of ownership" we gee wiz....I can dance the numbers with the best of them.

I don't own a yacht and never will...I don't have a heart attack when dropping something on my deck and chipping the paint...I could care less if my guests wear golf shoes aboard....but that's me...I maintain a boat for constant use...not constant care.

All paint needs to be redone, sooner or later and touched up at some point...if I can do a section in 1/2 hour and be done with it...so be it...even if it is every couple years.

Expensive stuff doesn't hold up any better to hard use...just yachtie use...and that's not me.
 
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Hendo78 said:
Kiwigrip
Click to expand...

Kiwigrip has a very good reputation and the preparation is not much different than any of the polyurethanes. A neighbor just finished using it. His only warning was to make sure the decks aren't to hot or it will start to set up before you are done rolling an area.
 
Larry M,
Is that a manual anchor winch I see on your foredeck in post #5?

You must be a very strong man. I've even got a capstan for pulling mostly small anchors on my Little Willard. In those southern waters one could work up a sweat pulling anchors by hand. How heavy is your rode?

Thank you Scott. I agree about the coarse anti-skid. Got to paint my decks fairly soon.
 
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Many thanks to all for the advice. Excellent insight. It's the kind of stuff I find most valuable in this forum! Cheers to all!
 
I'm a full year into my experiment with Rust-o-leum marine paint on our foredeck. It's holding up great so far and dirt cheep at Home Depot
 
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far…

I fixed it for you Mark.
 
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psneeld -"I maintain a boat for constant use...not constant care". [/QUOTE said:
Excellent plan, I care for my boat by keeping it clean and having it ready to go anywhere I want anytime I want. I've seen others with more wax on them but they hardly ever go out, look good sitting at the dock though.
Click to expand...
 
psneeld said:
Interdeck by Interlux...non-skid is very fine but effective (doesn't hold dirt as bad)...very even coating..easy to touchup if you block off your deck into manageable sections.
Click to expand...

That's my experience of it also, and what I would use...
 
Larry M said:
Kiwigrip has a very good reputation and the preparation is not much different than any of the polyurethanes. A neighbor just finished using it. His only warning was to make sure the decks aren't to hot or it will start to set up before you are done rolling an area.
Click to expand...


Yep I love it. Used it on my go fast and it's great! ... Early morning or late afternoon is best for application. Another word of caution is get the tape off as soon as you've rolled it. For the same reason as you've listed.

AXE will get the KIWIGRIP treatment when the time comes.


Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
>We first taped off the non-skid area, sanded with a random orbital sander,<

Needing to refinish no skid is common.

Using SAND is a really bad idea as sanding sand is rather painfull.

Many no skid compounds are ground walnut shells , far reaier to remove than sand.

Folks stuck with sand paint to refinish need to go to the supply house for floor sanding machines,

their > sandpaper< is silicon carbide , not aluminum oxide , and will sand , sand.
 
This is what's on mine . I don't know what is but the nonskid is tough as hell . You can't hardly grind it off. The paint is not that great it's kinda flaking off in places but what is under it is almost like ceramic bits are something .60 grit won't grind it off.The PO said he coated it with garage floor epoxy from Home Depot . If I can get all the loose paint off I'm going to prime it and paint it with a 1 part from Total Boat . This was a work boat first and I think the nonskid was put on then .
 

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caltexflanc said:
Do you mean short term economical or total cost of ownership economical. For the latter, hard to beat AwlGrip. You can roll and tip it, though spray is best, and their little glass beads mixed in are available in various sizes depending on how coarse a non-skid you want. The swim platform, flying bridge, boat deck and sun pad/trunk cabin top of my boat were all done with AwlGrip over the past 7 years. Starting with the FB/BD 6 years ago, which has held up to a ton of year around use. There are various tutorials on the web and in boat forums on how-to. There's a guy on the Hatteras Owner's Forum, Jim Rosenthal, who did his whole 36ft Hatt on his own last year, came out pretty nice.
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I second that emotion. We have 6 years on our Awlgrip deck (with flattening agent and non skid) and it looks the same now as when it was first applied.
 
Pack Mule said:
This is what's on mine . I don't know what is but the nonskid is tough as hell . You can't hardly grind it off. The paint is not that great it's kinda flaking off in places but what is under it is almost like ceramic bits are something .60 grit won't grind it off.The PO said he coated it with garage floor epoxy from Home Depot . If I can get all the loose paint off I'm going to prime it and paint it with a 1 part from Total Boat . This was a work boat first and I think the nonskid was put on then .
Click to expand...


Better put that beer in on a tether line PM. Don't want the fish pigs complaining about the too LOL



Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
 
psneeld said:
Interdeck by Interlux...non-skid is very fine but effective (doesn't hold dirt as bad)...very even coating..easy to touchup if you block off your deck into manageable sections.
Click to expand...


I have chosen Interdeck to redo all the nonskid areas on the Last Tango after the cabins and fly bridge are complete. Deck prep is almost complete. Removed all the old Berliner junk the PO had put down. I plan to roll the Interdeck out. My Interlux guide only says to use a mohair roller.

Any recommendations for nap thickness?

Thanks!
 
I used cheapo foam rollers as it's designed to be pretty thin...not aggressive...it works though unless your soles are slick and the deck is wet.

Good news is it is bare feet friendly.
 
Last Tango said:
I have chosen Interdeck to redo all the nonskid areas on the Last Tango after the cabins and fly bridge are complete. Deck prep is almost complete. Removed all the old Berliner junk the PO had put down. I plan to roll the Interdeck out. My Interlux guide only says to use a mohair roller.

Any recommendations for nap thickness?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Depending on the solvents, foam will dissolve. As noted above I have Awlgrip, but what looks like a very durable alternative is described here: Trawler Forum - View Single Post - System Three LPU water based long term product review

I don't know whether System Three has a matting agent, but I would assume so (nice for decks), and crushed walnuts word great for non skid (had them hold up fine for 20 years on our sailboat). If you want application tips on the System Three, let me know. It will outlast the single part Interdeck by years. I believe that to be true because I used Interdeck on that sailboat's cabin top and re-coated every three years to keep it looking decent.
 
We just painted our foredeck and side decks w Brightside. We have a FG deck that is textured and have never had a traction problem.

However as the paint name implies it's glossy. The Brightside may in time prove to be too "bright" and then we'll probably overcoat it w Interdeck. We looked into gloss reducers after the first coat but decided not to.

I'm sure glad Chris wanted to two tone the larger anti-skid areas w the borders. We've got a light brown (tan) on the textured larger areas and dark green for the stripes and borders. I really like the look.

I use domestic floor paint in the salon.
 
My thoughts on some boat areas...paint it as simple as you can...because for all kinds of reasons the surface gets discolored, marred, chipped, etc...and taping off a couple areas any nice day, pop open a can, roll on another coat in an hour or less....bingo...done.

That to me beats the butt off of worrying about high priced paint and time intensive prep/worry.

I've done it both ways and like my system..but obviously there are others...
 
Everything exterior (decks, hull, cabin, etc.) on Sherpa is Awlgrip paint. Amazing stuff and most durable. It has held up very well to intense Florida UV.
 

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I too am ready to re-paint. I presently have baby blue paint on decks. Likely two coats of it. Im considering repainting with a beige. My concern is that some of the old paint is chipping and coming up (by diesel fills on back deck-Probably not prepped properly). This fact predetermines that I need to scrape off paint where I can to get to a good sub-strait. Will either AwlGrip or Interdeck effectively fill in where needed? Will changing to a different color be a concern for possible later chipping?

As far as using inexpensive paint, I enjoy Thomas Jefferson's quote: "There is no economy in using cheap paint".
 
Any of you have any advice on how to apply deck paint to a textured fiberglass deck??. Brush, roller, spray ??? ImageUploadedByTrawler Forum1426804313.824792.jpg
 
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