Deck paint suggestions

Max Simmons · Feb 3, 2016

I'm embarking on repairing a couple cored deck areas and then painting the entire deck when finished. Rather than try to match faded white gelcoat, I am planning on going with a tan color, which I have always liked the look of.
Any suggestion of paint brand and type? I have been cruising many (probably too many) site searches and it's all over the boards.
The existing fiberglass has a aggressive non-skid pattern so I'm not any non-skid additives.

Nomad Willy · Feb 3, 2016

We use Interlux Brightside Poly.

Should have put a small bit of anti-skid in or on it.

The light tan is Bright Side in all three pics. Same as the darker reddish tan on the cabin sides. The white deck in the first pic is old ?? but it's BS now. The green is gone. The cabin side is "Sundowner Buff". It has some red in it. It gets lots of compliments.

In the cabin I use "deck and patio" latex. Excellent wear resistance.

sdowney717 · Feb 3, 2016

To add non skid to paints, Home Depot sells a bag of non skid for about $2.
It works extremely well. Just stir into paint, one bag does gallon, it is not sand and it is not too abrasive, whatever it is, it's just right. I have used it with white paint and it is invisible to the eye.

kulas44 · Feb 3, 2016

Said he didnt need non skid. I'd use a 2 part polyurethane, but thats a lot of work taping and all, then mixing depending on temp and humidity, etc. I am not a fan of 1 part paint for exterior decks, but some folks are. Personally, I dont use latex or oil base for anything anymore, just not durable enough. I do use a lot of spray on 2 part P.U. with rubber granules added, same as truck bedliner stuff. The granules come in various sizes, depending on what surface you want. I have also used ground walnut shells. It also comes in assorted "grit". Anyway, I spray a lot of the LinerExtreme stuff. Cheap on ebay and comes with a spray gun. Never had a problem in 10 years using it. Super tuff, kinda like the spray in bedliners, oh yeah, thats what it is.

psneeld · Feb 3, 2016

Interlux interdeck...the light nonskid is nice even on moulded nonskid and it fills small holes and cracks nicely.

Pack Mule · Feb 3, 2016

We painted our deck and cabin sides last summer . We used interlux brightside . A friend gave me two gallons of white and we mixed sundown buff to get our color .

psneeld · Feb 3, 2016

That is what was nice about the interdeck...nice consistency and already flattened for deck reduced refection. Plus wears well because of the added nonskid (not very aggressive but it does work well).

sbu22 · Feb 9, 2016

Going thru the same process, Max. Practical Sailor eval @ SeaDek Review In Practical Sailor | SeaDek Marine Products Blog – Swim Platform Pads I really like what I've read/heard re KiwiGrip. One part, water base, applicator controlled texture, reasonable "grip", ability to fill minor cracks & imperfections, seems to last and look decent with typical Gulf Coast exposure. Still a ways away from that piece - interested to see what others have to say.

Panacea · Feb 10, 2016

sbu22 said:
I really like what I've read/heard re KiwiGrip. One part, water base, applicator controlled texture, reasonable "grip", ability to fill minor cracks & imperfections, seems to last and look decent with typical Gulf Coast exposure. Still a ways away from that piece - interested to see what others have to say.

Went with KiwiGrip with all deck surfaces. Very happy with it. Very very easy to apply and repairs perfectly. Feels just right under foot. Textured, but rubbery. The rubbery-ness makes it pretty darned durable when stuff is dropped on deck. The texture roller is easy to work with. If you want a specific color, you can bring a can of pure white to Home Cheapo or a paint shop for them to add pigment to your liking. Some tips on application include:
1.) Don't... apply when it is too hot (less than 80 degrees is good)
2.) Do... keep an extra roller ready and switch every 20 min or so. You will see the roller start to load up with "boogers".
3.) Always... pull the tape *immediately* after putting down a coat to avoid pulling the paint up wit hit. When I say immediately I mean pull the tape a few feet at a time as you are painting.

My only complaint is it holds dirt more than a 2-part poly with non-skid. The "trick" is... Apply Woody Wax every now and then.

sbu22 · Feb 10, 2016

Good info, Panacea - thanks! How long has your install been in service?

Panacea · Feb 10, 2016

sbu22 said:
Good info, Panacea - thanks! How long has your install been in service?

We're on the 3rd year on the swim platform and steps. There is no sign of "wear" yet. Realistically though, I don't expect to get 8 - 10 years like with a 2 part poly, but its so easy to reapply and touch up (almost... fun?) its a non-factor for me. I think you can expect to "want to" reapply every 4 or 5 years and "need to" reapply every 6 to 7 years. That's based on what I've heard though and not my personal experience.

Nomad Willy · Feb 10, 2016

I've had extremly good wear experience w "floor paint". I was given some and applied one coat on our back porch. Lasted and looked great for years. Since it's latex I only use it on the salon sole. Nice color too.
I had some (in a small area) in the cockpit but it got dirty real quick. Need to Interdeck or Brightside that.

To who mentioned Interdeck I tried to get that but they were out so we went w Brightside. That's what the guy at Harbor Marine had on his boat and he had a high opinion of it. Just an opinion but now we share it now.

sbu22 · Mar 4, 2016

I was contemplating tinting the KiwiGrip on deck surfaces to a color similar to yours, Manyboats. Really admire that.

In discussing the project with a local yard owner who is also a good friend and advisor (I can't afford his excellent work at a boatbuck or so per foot), I mentioned the color I intended. It was a sunny morning in the low 70s. He grabs his Flir thermometer, takes me outside, and starts shooting deck temps on a boat they'd just finished. The nonskid was a very light grey on a basic "white" deck. The grey was running 10-14 F higher than the white. We then went to an older Catalina (I think) that had the baby-blue nonskid. That was 12-17 F higher than the white. I expected a little difference, but was really surprised by the magnitude even a lightly shaded coating makes.

Looks like I'm going to be KiwiGripping in white. I guess I'll have to leave the attractive stuff to you guys up in the more temperate zones.

markpierce · Mar 4, 2016

Have a medium-gray deck. It's definitely warmer than my white saloon roof, but I don't notice a difference in the two interiors. The deck is over the forward cabin but not the saloon, yet there is an indistinguishable difference in the interior temperatures, perhaps thanks to insulation. (Raised forward-cabin roof is a warmer-than-white straw color too.)

O C Diver · Mar 4, 2016

Another vote for Kiwigrip. Very happy with it on my decks!

Ted

sbu22 · Mar 5, 2016

Looks great, Ted. Is it lighting, or is the KG extended up the vertical on the lazarette?

O C Diver · Mar 5, 2016

sbu22 said:
Looks great, Ted. Is it lighting, or is the KG extended up the vertical on the lazarette?

It's just on the decks, steps, and swim platform. No vertical surfaces.

Ted

what_barnacles · Mar 6, 2016

I am half tempted to use bilge paint when I get to doing my decks. I redid the paint in the stern, and was really surprised at how well the paint came out. Super glossy, and I literally just gooped the stuff out and spread it around with a $3 paint brush.

P.S. This post just lowered the market value of your boat just from reading it.

O C Diver · Mar 6, 2016

If it's truly bilge paint, I would check to make sure it's long term UV stable.

Ted

HenryD · Jan 10, 2017

O C Diver,
How is the Kiwi-Grip working out? I was at a local fiberglass supply shop and they are recommending Tuff Coat paint Tuff Coat Marine | Worlds #1 Rubberized Non-Skid
Has anyone used Tuff Coat?
Cheers

Comodave · Jan 10, 2017

I have not used Tuff Coat, but my concern with it was that it has granules of rubber in the paint. Over time my concern could be that the granules would break out of the paint. I have been using Kiwigrip and so far love it. I have put some on some small vertical surfaces and it worked out well. I used a regular paint roller so that the texture would not be as rough on the vertical surface. I will be painting all the decks with Kiwigrip. I have lots of riberglass work to do before the painting.

Irish Rambler · Jan 11, 2017

Not to go cheapo down market but a friend of mine who has a steel boat swears by garage floor paint according to him it's a great job for filling small imperfections and hard wearing.
I have no experience first hand, but I'm considering painting my decks this summer so I'm glad to follow comments here from people with practical experience.

O C Diver · Jan 11, 2017

HenryD said:
O C Diver,
How is the Kiwi-Grip working out? I was at a local fiberglass supply shop and they are recommending Tuff Coat paint Tuff Coat Marine | Worlds #1 Rubberized Non-Skid
Has anyone used Tuff Coat?
Cheers

HI Henry, Kiwi-grip is holding up great! My only comment is to play with a few squares of cardboard before doing the boat. The more Kiwi you apply and the more aggressive you are with the roller, the more aggressive the cured surface will be. There is some shrinkage when it dries. We did the swim platform first. The dried cured surface is ok, but would have liked it just a little more aggressive. Rest of the boat is great as we went a little thicker and a little more rolling.

Ted

HenryD · Jan 11, 2017

Ted,
Thank you for the information. I am going to the dealer on Friday to see what my options are. We are going with a barely grey color.

Comodave · Jan 11, 2017

I would second the idea of practicing before you paint. We wanted a fairly smooth surface on the top of our sundeck hardtop so I used a regular 3/8" roller and got a little nonskid texture but not really aggressive. On the swim platform, we did the regular 3/8" roller around the edge and then taped it off and went with the regular Kiwigrip roller in the main area. It was very easy to apply and I think it looks great.

slowandsteady · Jan 14, 2017

My cockpit deck needs painting badly. The problem is that when I did my swim platform last winter I used Awlgrip and it came out spectacular. Yes, it's pricey and I did it in a controlled atmosphere and it's toxic, but I will regret using something else when I step onto my platform and then onto a lesser product on my cockpit deck. The bridge needs it too.
I'm not saying that all the above products aren't good enough. But I would like a consistent look throughout. Oh yes, the foredeck needs painting too.

O C Diver · Jan 14, 2017

slowandsteady said:
My cockpit deck needs painting badly. The problem is that when I did my swim platform last winter I used Awlgrip and it came out spectacular. Yes, it's pricey and I did it in a controlled atmosphere and it's toxic, but I will regret using something else when I step onto my platform and then onto a lesser product on my cockpit deck. The bridge needs it too.
I'm not saying that all the above products aren't good enough. But I would like a consistent look throughout. Oh yes, the foredeck needs painting too.

Not sure what you mean by toxic, it cleans up with soap and water. A quick check from where I purchased it, $126 a gallon including a 4" roller cover and free shipping. For 80 sqft. of coverage, I think that's pretty reasonable.

Ted

boatpoker · Jan 14, 2017

Panacea said:
Went with KiwiGrip with all deck surfaces. Very happy with it. Very very easy to apply and repairs perfectly. Feels just right under foot. Textured, but rubbery. The rubbery-ness makes it pretty darned durable when stuff is dropped on deck. The texture roller is easy to work with. If you want a specific color, you can bring a can of pure white to Home Cheapo or a paint shop for them to add pigment to your liking. Some tips on application include:
1.) Don't... apply when it is too hot (less than 80 degrees is good)
2.) Do... keep an extra roller ready and switch every 20 min or so. You will see the roller start to load up with "boogers".
3.) Always... pull the tape *immediately* after putting down a coat to avoid pulling the paint up wit hit. When I say immediately I mean pull the tape a few feet at a time as you are painting.

My only complaint is it holds dirt more than a 2-part poly with non-skid. The "trick" is... Apply Woody Wax every now and then.

Put Kiwi on my decks last September and it does everything you say but I will not use it again as after only a few weeks it looks years old and holds dirt like nothing I've ever seen and is impossible to get clean. I've heard about the Woody Wax thing but after spending that kind of money on a deck paint I don't think I should have to wax it.

slowandsteady · Jan 15, 2017

Maybe toxic was the wrong word. Respirator needed, I'll be doing the work in a small enclosed space. I'm one of those guys that follows every manufacturers suggestion and buys the compatible product to ensure the result will be as intended. I tipped and rolled, so I bought, pre cleaner, additives, reducer, converter, primer, non skid, etc. With that being said, I had a few issues that required corrective measures before I arrived at the final product. O C Diver, is that the price of the custom tinted color, or the straight white?

O C Diver · Jan 15, 2017

slowandsteady said:
Maybe toxic was the wrong word. Respirator needed, I'll be doing the work in a small enclosed space. I'm one of those guys that follows every manufacturers suggestion and buys the compatible product to ensure the result will be as intended. I tipped and rolled, so I bought, pre cleaner, additives, reducer, converter, primer, non skid, etc. With that being said, I had a few issues that required corrective measures before I arrived at the final product. O C Diver, is that the price of the custom tinted color, or the straight white?

Are we talking about the same product?

Prep is lightly sand the surface, wash with soap and water, tape edges as required, apply Kiwi and roll to desired texture. Kiwigrip comes in 5 colors, not aware of being able to custom tint it. The price is the same for all of the available 5 colors.

Ted

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