painting stainless steel

[duckingswan]

Hi

I have a peice of stainless a ft by a ft and i want to paint it to match the white hull, what would you recomend to do this with ?



Many thanks Adrian

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I have a peice of stainless a ft by a ft and i want to paint it to match the white hull, what would you recomend to do this with ?

I'm not too sure about the best way to paint SS, but how close a match do you want? Getting the right colour will probably be a lot harder than getting the paint on.
When I made SS plates for my transom I polished them.

 

[William_H]

I would imagine the ss needs to be abraded with sand paper to take away the smoothness and give a key for the paint. Then a primer and paint of choice. Should be no problem. olewill

 

[TradewindSailor]

Stainless is VERY difficult to paint ... it usually peels off in sheets.

If you want to try, I suggest you grind the surface with 80 grit, clean with meths or acetone to degrease, then brush on a good epoxy primer AND scrub it into the surface with 80 grit wet and dry. If the epoxy coat is thick enough, you can then sand down and treat like any other primed surface.

I don't think it will last very long though. In a former life I used to inspect black water tanks ..... and the cole tar epoxy would come clean off the surface.

 

[Lakesailor]

From the horse's mouth http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=119

 

[John the kiwi]

From Lakesailer's link- "In certain environments, localised breakdown of the coating can lead to corrosion, which may be more severe than that experienced with un-coated surfaces and may result in high, localised, rates of attack."
I was taught in my mechanical engineering studies that stainless steel should be neither painted nor used below the waterline.
The reason is the same in both cases; Stainless steel relies for its non corrosion properties on the inert and tough layer of Chromium oxide that forms on the surface in the presence of oxygen (usually air)
If this layer is damaged in an environment of no oxygen such as under water or under a paint film the corrosion of stainless steel can be rapid and catastrophic!
i have seen this in practice in my working life and consequently would never contemplate painting stainless steel.

However rules only exist to make you stop and think before you break them and you don't say what the function of your ft x ft piece is or where it is and its relationship to the waterline and hull integrity.
If you know the risks of failure and its only a cosmetic piece then by all means go for it.
Good luck.

 

[duckingswan]

Thanks all ,was talking to guy cutting steel and he suggests electro polishing , taking your advice into account that painting is not the best option i might go with that

thanks again

Adrian