Paint Rolling & Tipping ?

[conks01]

Hi,

I'm to paint the hull (topside) and I have Epifanes yacht enamel which is a high gloss albeit I've been told I should roll & tip.

When you roll does the brush sit in a pot of thinned out paint to ensure it doesn't get clogged / dried up and if so what mix ratio etc ?

Thanks.

 

[Tranona]

There should be no need as it is a continuous process best done by two people, one rolling, the other following on tipping. If you are on your own you might be better just using a brush which enables you to keep a wet edge by adjusting the area you paint at a time.

 

[Quandary]

Lots of folk on here think it is a one man job but having been involved with thee topsides of a couple of fairly large boats and a few smaller ones I am convinced that you get much better results with two people regardless whether you tip off with a foam brush or a decent quality large bristle one. So my method would be that the more skilled painter does the tipping off, following close behind the roller, allowing only enough time for the micro bubbles to form before stroking them just once and very lightly, a clean rag which has been slightly damped with thinners can be used to remove excess but you should not get this, the tipping brush should not collect paint if stroked lightly enough; may be sexist but some women are very good at this.
The other important thing is to have good access, you get a poor job working off ladders.

 

[TQA]

Key factor relating to getting a good finish is the amount and type of thinners. If hot you need a slow thinner often called brushing.

Mix a small trial batch [ keep track of the ratio ] and roll it on to clean pane of glass which is near vertical. If the paint sags too much thinner, no sag but does no flow out not enough thinner, no sag and flows out you have it right.

NB wipe off paint and reuse glass.

WIth a light color the finish achievable is comparable to a professional spray job.

 

[gus]

Only amateurs use a roller and you finish up with an orange peel finish. A decent brush and paint at the right consistency to give a good 'slip', apply by painting one area at a time, across, up and down, diagonally and finish off with light vertical strokes. You paint more by feeling the paint. Thin areas will be stiff and thick areas sloppy. Done properly you will have no runs, no holidays, no joins and a mirror finish with no brush marks visible - all over. Basically it is just practice but you have to work the paint.

 

[Quandary]

I think perhaps the OP is an amateur, that may be why he asked the question.
If, like me, he is, he will get a finish that will please him using the roll and tip technique and the advice that he is getting here.

I agree with TQA regarding paint consistency, though I add Owatrol rather than thinners, it does help us amateurs though it seems perverse that the paint makers can not out perform it straight from the tin.

 

[Stemar]

As a "bricoleur" of many years experience, I have to say that Gus appears to be a far better painter than me; I've yet to master the skill of brush painting to get more than a reasonable finish if I'm lucky.

When I painted my topsides, I did all the prep and got a painter to help with the painting. I rolled, he tipped. I wouldn't say there are no brush marks, but from 10 feet away, you wouldn't know it hadn't been sprayed. When the time comes to do it again and, after nearly 10 years, it's getting close, I'll do the same again.

 

[gus]

Using a brush to paint is not rocket science. All you have to do it concentrate on one 'square' area and spread the paint evenly over that area in a thickness that will cover without running or sagging. The amount that your brush will lift will determine how large or small an area. Work the paint over it evenly and finish off with light vertical strokes. Having the paint at a consistency that allows you to paint without dragging makes it much easier.

 

[TQA]

A brush is so SO SLOW compared to a roller. Yes a pro with a brush can get as good a finish as a couple of amateurs using roll and tip but we will be finished and having a beer while the brush wielding pro is still half way up side one.

 

[Marine Reflections]

A brush is so SO SLOW compared to a roller. Yes a pro with a brush can get as good a finish as a couple of amateurs using roll and tip but we will be finished and having a beer while the brush wielding pro is still half way up side one.

 

[pmagowan]

Roll and tip is the way forward and the best of both worlds. A good roller lightly loaded with paint will spread the paint much more consistently and then it is a simple job to tip off with a high quality brush. The brush does not get paint on it almost at all. It simply gets rid of the micro bubbles and gives the perfect surface. You do need a good paint consistency and a good calm day to apply with not too much heat or direct sunshine for best results but I good pretty good results In the middle of winter with almost all the wrong conditions. I did it all on my own and did not find it too arduous. Preparation is the key. You will not fix bad prep later!

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've only tried it once with limited success. I rolled and Julian tipped. We found that the tipping made the finish worse, probably due to the consistency of the paint. (We didn't try the
consistency test described earlier). I felt I had no other choice than complete the rolling phase as best I could and it didn't look too bad in fact quite acceptable unless viewed closely.
The other mistake was not rubbing down the undercoat well enough, it had small bubbles from being rolled on that I expected would magically disappear with the subsequent top coat - needless to say, it didn't.
So, not quite the mirror finish that I'd hoped for and that others achieve but it did cover up all the scrapes and dings and it was only a cheap tub anyway.
I hope my experience helps anyone trying it.

 

[Poey50]

This won't help the OP who already has his paint but I recently used International Perfection Pro with a four inch high density foam roller only. It gave an excellent finish with no tipping.