How to paint your deck in winter and all that jazz

MagicalArmchair

MagicalArmchair

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The published version of this article was 2k words, the original was around about 8k of waffle (and, well and detail I suppose). I’ve finally put the full text on my website. All comments, corrections and general heckling welcome as always (some of the formatting's a bit squiffy, I’ll sort that when I get a tick).

http://www.albinballad.co.uk/how-tos/paint-deck-outside-winter/

Hope this helps some other foolish soul who undertakes painting their decks...
 
Excellent blog and might encourage a go at my deck and top sides on my new to me old boat.My previous boat that I restored which had ply decks and covered with epoxy and glass and painted with International Perfection which was applied in a good spell of weather in June with no tent just waited to nearly midday for the dew to lift and not too much wind though beware insects.Two points I would not use a wire rush especially steel as you can get pin point rust spots I do know this!! However primer and top coats may stop it.The other thing I found that mixing granules at more than the recommended rate gave a less than non slip finish such that after I slipped on the deck and my crew winged badly I did it over with standard non slip deck paint both of us had decent foot ware by the way.
But a great job well done and you can admire at every sail.
 
Great write-up, Mark! I wish I'd seen the whole thing before my deck painting project this winter. This is my list of lessons learned from the work on my Sadler 32.

1. I used the same method of tent construction as you and it was fine in winds (up to 40 knots at times) but the mark 1 version was damaged by heavy rain when there was little wind. The movement of the tent in wind stopped the rain from pooling. As soon as water began to pool it got heavier and heavier and eventually collapsed the frame. I got round this with some light bendy canes to maintain a convex roof. These were cable-tied at right angles to the three longitudinal pieces of pipe (I used 9 x 3 metre 40mm water pipe from B and Q + joining sections for these.) I also included some vertical wooden struts to support the water pipe arches to increase the weight bearing. The mark 2 version used a combination of tying the tarp to the boat cradle and four 2 litres plastic milk bottles 3/4 filled with water hanging on each side to keep some tension to prevent pooling from getting a hold. (Fixed ties alone seemed to come loose, perhaps from the medium weight tarp stretching a bit.)

2. Despite one of the worst Springs for years it was possible to get suitable conditions for painting under the tent as long as there was a bit of radiant heat from weak sunshine. Mostly it was between 15C and 20C inside (and a relative humidity of 40 - 60%) even when it was around 8C - 10C outside and that is with ventilation at both ends. I used the same cheap thermometer / relative humidity meter as you, a cheap laser thermometer from ebay to check the substrate temperature and a free app - Dew Point Calcule - for working out the dewpoint. I only had to abandon painting on one day when there was torrential rain, wind and heavy cloud cover. I only used a fan heater and dehumidifier on one other dull wet day which just kept the conditions possible for painting but mostly they were either not needed or - on the worst day, just mentioned - not sufficient.

3. My worst day for conditions was last Friday when the sun finally shone. Even with the door open and ventilation at both ends of the tent the temperature reached 38C mid-afternoon. This was the one day available to me to apply Kiwigrip which I completed in just my pants constantly mopping up sweat to avoid it dropping in the paint. This gave very little drying time. I think a tent of two halves would be better to really control ventilation.

4. I used Perfection Pro for the 'gloss' areas on the recommendation of the retailer. I had to declare I was in the trade so I won't mention the name. This was a pleasure to use as it flowed on with a dense foam roller to form a smooth enamel finish without needing to tip-off. I used two coats and it seems to be a very hard great looking finish.

5. Again, following advice, I didn't use a primer on the old crazed gelcoat but just sanded it down as much as possible and used the Perfection UC followed by the Pro. The coverage has been very good with no signs of any crazing. Time will tell.

6. I had massively underestimated how long it would take - all told, including preparation, it will be 16 working days when I take down the tent tomorrow. It is also one of the most tiring jobs I have done on the boat with each coat of paint taking around 6 hours. The Kiwigrip - advertised as giving an even texture "with very little effort" - took me 7 hours and was exhausting in the heat.

I don't regret it - the boat is looking great - but I'm banking on this paint job lasting ten years when I hope the memory of doing it has faded.
 
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Poey50 said:
Great write-up, Mark! I wish I'd seen the whole thing before my deck painting project this winter. This is my list of lessons learned from the work on my Sadler 32.

1. I used the same method of tent construction as you and it was fine in winds (up to 40 knots at times) but the mark 1 version was damaged by heavy rain when there was little wind. The movement of the tent in wind stopped the rain from pooling. As soon as water began to pool it got heavier and heavier and eventually collapsed the frame. I got round this with some light bendy canes to maintain a convex roof. These were cable-tied at right angles to the three longitudinal pieces of pipe (I used 9 x 3 metre 40mm water pipe from B and Q + joining sections for these.) I also included some vertical wooden struts to support the water pipe arches to increase the weight bearing. The mark 2 version used a combination of tying the tarp to the boat cradle and four 2 litres plastic milk bottles 3/4 filled with water hanging on each side to keep some tension to prevent pooling from getting a hold. (Fixed ties alone seemed to come loose, perhaps from the medium weight tarp stretching a bit.)

2. Despite one of the worst Springs for years it was possible to get suitable conditions for painting under the tent as long as there was a bit of radiant heat from weak sunshine. Mostly it was between 15C and 20C inside (and a relative humidity of 40 - 60%) even when it was around 8C - 10C outside and that is with ventilation at both ends. I used the same cheap thermometer / relative humidity meter as you, a cheap laser thermometer from ebay to check the substrate temperature and a free app - Dew Point Calcule - for working out the dewpoint. I only had to abandon painting on one day when there was torrential rain, wind and heavy cloud cover. I only used a fan heater and dehumidifier on one other dull wet day which just kept the conditions possible for painting but mostly they were either not needed or - on the worst day, just mentioned - not sufficient.

3. My worst day for conditions was last Friday when the sun finally shone. Even with the door open and ventilation at both ends of the tent the temperature reached 38C mid-afternoon. This was the one day available to me to apply Kiwigrip which I completed in just my pants constantly mopping up sweat to avoid it dropping in the paint. This gave very little drying time. I think a tent of two halves would be better to really control ventilation.

4. I used Perfection Pro for the 'gloss' areas on the recommendation of the retailer. I had to declare I was in the trade so I won't mention the name. This was a pleasure to use as it flowed on with a dense foam roller to form a smooth enamel finish without needing to tip-off. I used two coats and it seems to be a very hard great looking finish.

5. Again, following advice, I didn't use a primer on the old crazed gelcoat but just sanded it down as much as possible and used the Perfection UC followed by the Pro. The coverage has been very good with no signs of any crazing. Time will tell.

6. I had massively underestimated how long it would take - all told, including preparation, it will be 16 working days when I take down the tent tomorrow. It is also one of the most tiring jobs I have done on the boat with each coat of paint taking around 6 hours. The Kiwigrip - advertised as giving an even texture "with very little effort" - took me 7 hours and was exhausting in the heat.

I don't regret it - the boat is looking great - but I'm banking on this paint job lasting ten years when I hope the memory of doing it has faded.
Click to expand...

Well done and apologies I didn't publish this sooner! I've done some corkers of jobs on boats in my time, but painting the deck was by far the hardest, most stressful but also the most satisfying and worthwhile.

I suffered the same problems with my tent - heat was a big factor too. The pipe would warm up and them become more 'bendy', less weight bearing and would would flex. Each coat took me circa six hours too, give or take, depending on the coat!

Dashing about in your pants made me chuckle! I remember the half days I took from work, where I got changed in the office, dashed down to the boat at break neck speed, suited up into my PPE looking like something out of breaking bad, dived up the ladder, mixed a batch up, popped back down the ladder only to get collared by retired folk (you lucky, time rich retired folk you) in the yard who wanted a natter. Normally I love having a natter, little better than having a chat about boats other than fiddling with them (forget about this sailing rubbish), but with my mega expensive paint going off aloft, and the precious seconds ticking by, I took to just not going down the ladder at all, even to if I had a call of nature - it all had to wait!

Photos man! We need to see Photos!
 
MagicalArmchair said:
Photos man! We need to see Photos!
Click to expand...

Mark 2 tent


Before - note the crazed gelcoat above the gas locker.


After - from a different angle. Mediterranean White International Perfection Pro against off-white Kiwigrip. Note the slats reflected by the paint.


PPE for Kiwigrip when temperature north of 35C


Now free to good home ... (or a really bad one).
 
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Poey50 said:
Mark 2 tent


Before - note the crazed gelcoat above the gas locker.


After - from a different angle. Mediterranean White International Perfection Pro against off-white Kiwigrip. Note the slats reflected by the paint.


PPE for Kiwigrip when temperature north of 35C


Now free to good home ... (or a really bad one).
Click to expand...

Good work! Your deck tent was far better constructed than mine! I always struggled with my cobbled together boat hook support shuffling it around whilst I painting under the bugger - there was many an expletive let loose!

Nice effort (apart from the briefs!)
 
Well done Mark. Respect. I have to live looking at my easier, lazier efforts (I did my deck same time as you) which I can live with. But I admire yours....
As I said to someone next to me in the yard today I prefer the view from my boat .........
 
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