Boot-top Paint Finish

[robmurray]

I have been painting my boot-top with International Toplac enamel and a good quality brush. No matter how careful I am I cant get rid of brush marks. Should I be finishing with wet'n'dry or is there some other technique? Any advice most welcome

 

[sailorman]

paint possible too thick & or weather too cold.
try warming the can in a paint kettle with hot water in it or a little thinners or both.
i always warm varnish as above as u get a full bodied coat rather that thin-out the varnish

 

[alienzdive]

Extract below copied from International toplac data sheet.

But first:

The manufacturers specification sheet reecomends that the Toplac container and product is not heated above 35deg. Thinning by 10% with the thinner below as well as the correct preperation will make a big difference. Marine and industrial paints are generally heavy, or high in solids. Stiring is imperative to get a homogoneous consistency. The finish by brush will usually have some visible brush marks due to the inherant thickness of the product. By following the manufacturers recomendations you can usually minimise this. However a brush finish will never be as good as a spray finish. GOOD LUCK!

INTERNATIONAL SAYS

Method Sand the undercoat smooth with 320-400 grade (grit) wet or dry paper. Remove dust with a dust wipe. Apply 1-2 coats.



Hints Mixing Stir well before use.
Thinner YTA800,YTA063 Thinner No.1 (Thinner No.10 for spraying)
Thinning In warm or windy conditions up to 10% of thinners may be added to ease application.
Cleaner YTA800 Thinners No.1
Ventilation and Humidity Control Apply in dry, well ventilated conditions. Avoid applying late in the evening as condensation can cause a loss of gloss overnight.
Conventional Spray Thin 10-25% with Thinners No. 10 to a viscosity of 18-22 secs (BS4) or 16-20 secs (DIN4). Pressure: 3-4 bar. Tip Size: 1.1-1.4 mm. NOTE: Pre-Kote undercoat MUST be aged a minimum of 14 days before application of Toplac.
Other For lighter colours, mix the first coat of finish 50:50 with the undercoat to improve the depth of colour and opacity. For best results when applying by roller, smooth off with a pad or brush.



Some Important Points Toplac may discolour if used at temperatures above 80°C. Not suitable for permanently immersed surfaces. Do not use below 5°C. Ambient temperature should be minimum 5°C/40°F and maximum 35°C/95°F. Product temperature should be minimum 15°C and maximum 35°C. Substrate temperature should be minimum 5°C/40°F and maximum 35°C/95°F.

 

[snowleopard]

apply the paint with a gloss roller then finish with vertical strokes using a jenny brush (foam plastic brush - no bristle marks). ideally one person rolls and another brushes immediately afterwards.

 

[Vara]

Or don't worry about it as the only person who will get close enough to the boot top to see the brush marks is the painter.

 

[anglo_saxon]

Using a foam pad will never give as good a finnish as a good quality brush.
I have tested many types of brushes and finnishing tools over the years and found the Purdy range to be the best by far.
Preparation is the key to a good finnish.
It is possible to get a finnish as good as a spray finnish on a flat surface but conditions (wind,temperature) can affect this.
Access to the full lenth of the hull is important, stepladders are not a good idear scaffold boards are, set at the right height for brush work.
Most brush marks are not caused by the top coat but by the base coat. This should always be thinned out more than it states on the tin. Toplac is a great product and lays off well but still needs a bit more thinners. The down side is it may require a further coat or two. You can mix 50-50 undercoat and top coat and use as a base coat. This helps the undercoat to lay off and also creates a base coat colour closer to your finnishing coat aswell as a slight sheen which help will show up any imperfections which oly become apparrent when your glossy finnish is applied.
Remember, with all one part finnishes, allow plenty time to cure, the longer the better.