Metal paint - which brand

[bloke]

hi,

I am about to start repairs to the paintwork of my steel narrowboat on the UK canals. She was painted with an unknown primer & top coat (maybe skip paint?) 10 years ago, and now the roof needs attention. While I am doing that, I intend to re-paint the sides as well.

I have got some tercoo rotating scabblers and will also get a DA sander to bring the existing finish into good order. I am also planning to use 'Fertan' rust thing on the prepared surface.

I am wondering what paint system to use. My ideal shopping list is:

Easy to apply (roller, finished by brush, outdoors in the summer)
Good lifespan (corrosion protection in particular)

My list of candidates so far is:

Jotun AlkyldPimer and Pilot II
TA Industrial Paints boat primer (http://www.taindustrialpaints.co.uk...il.php&product_id=94582&cID=24912,52132,52303) and Enamel Top Coat (http://www.taindustrialpaints.co.uk...t_detail.php&product_id=91038&cID=24912,52131)
Dulux unknown primer (not sure what is recommended) and Dulux Metalshield (or Weathershield - I have seen reports of both being used) as the top coat

We live aboard with a mooring so do not travel all the time, but she does go on relatively regular cruises and get the odd knock from locks and so forth.

Cheers,
Patrick

 

[alahol2]

Bump. You got left behind.

 

[PeteCooper]

I contacted Dulux to ask about Metalshield and got a reply back saying that none of their products are suitable for boats.

 

[GHA]

Download this book, masses of real world info.

http://www.lulu.com/gb/en/shop/scot...it-yourself-guide/ebook/product-17463809.html

 

[rotrax]

Riveted Iron narrowboat hulls with 3 inch elm bottom planks usually had most of the hull covered with black bitumastic-painted is hardly the word.

The top foot or so of a owner/captains boat would often be decorated and would be painted with an old fashioned oil based gloss in black before the decoration was applied.

Now Steel craft are in the majority the same applies-the lower hull in bitumastic or a special " Hull Black " which does not have much gloss.

The upper foot or so-usually above a rubbing strake-in gloss black. Cabin top in whatever you like.

In my experience high cost specialist brands like International are not cost effective.

They are designed for the rigors of saltwater and the Inland Waterways present a different challenge.

I would suggest sneaking into a busy yard and try to spot what they use.

Failing that, I am having excellent results with " Blackfriars Black Metal paint. I am brush painting a Veteran Motorbike-there was no spray painting before 1928-and with it thinned to the correct consistency I am getting very good results.

It is advisable to avoid reds, unless you like pink within a year or so-reds fade badly.

We used Tecaloid Coach Enamel on our wooden topped Narrowboat in the early seventies.

Good Luck.

 

[KellysEye]

>I am also planning to use 'Fertan' rust thing on the prepared surface...Good lifespan (corrosion protection in particular)

Having owned a steel boat rust killers don't work for long. The only way to stop corrosion coming back is to get back to bare metal and use two coats of Zinc rich epoxy paint.

 

[duncan99210]

These folks make specialist paint for narrowboats http://www.narrowboatcolours.co.uk no idea how good or bad they are, just found them by doing a google.

 

[Redshank Evo26]

These folks make specialist paint for narrowboats http://www.narrowboatcolours.co.uk no idea how good or bad they are, just found them by doing a google.

I have had good results on out door things with Blackfriars Metal paint. I even painted the yacht washboards (plywood) with it as I couldn't see any other white gloss "in stock" at home, it has been brilliant, 2 years so far, still stuck on and still shiny! Colours are rather imited although you may be able to get light colours tinted from white.

Anything intended for garage doors should work pretty well on a canal boat?