Top 5 compositions for painting an aluminum boat, how to choose and apply
For painting an aluminum boat, reliable and durable paints and varnishes with anti-corrosion properties are used. Aluminum flotation devices are popular with hunters and anglers for recreation, fishing, river and sea trips. Additionally, aluminum alloys are widely used in shipbuilding, from from which patrol boats, yachts and high-speed ships are built.
What paints are used to paint aluminum boats
The aluminum boat is a versatile floating craft. When choosing paint and varnish materials for covering the case, several factors are taken into account:
- characteristics of the waters in which the vessel operates;
- operating intensity;
- biological analysis of reservoir water.
Information! Most often, ships are painted with several compositions: the first is used to cover the bottom up to the waterline, the second is used to cover the hull above the waterline.
Acrylic
These are materials based on polyacrylates, which belong to the group of water-based paints. Benefits:
- cheap price;
- there is no tendency to yellowing;
- Various colors.
Disadvantages:
- not specially designed to cover long-term bathing facilities in water;
- influenced by the aquatic environment.
alkyd
Similar in composition to polyurethane paint materials, they are used for painting yachts, fast boats. Benefits:
- beautiful juicy colors;
- creation of a dense elastic base, taking into account additional coating with a primer mixture.
Disadvantages:
- of short time;
- may behave unpredictably if applied inappropriately.
Oil
The paints are based on drying oil and various pigments. Benefits:
- Assorted colors;
- ease of application;
- creating a durable layer.
Disadvantages:
- if there is a lead impurity in the composition of oil paint, then it is strictly forbidden to apply it to aluminum alloys.
Anti-fouling
This is a special paint that is applied to the bottom of the boat and protects the surface from the growth of marine microorganisms. Benefits:
- creates a special protective layer;
- prevents fouling of the bottom with shellfish and molluscs;
- easy to apply;
- does not require additional training.
Disadvantages:
- washed away in cases where the speed of the ship exceeds 30 kilometers per hour.
Epoxy
A special group of paints and varnishes. Benefits:
- applied in one layer;
- creates a durable coating;
- seals the created layer.
Disadvantages:
- high toxicity;
- cannot be applied to surfaces previously painted with oil paint.
Recommendations for the choice of paint materials
When choosing a paint, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of paints and varnishes.If epoxy compositions adapt perfectly to aluminum and its alloys, they can resist the effects of fresh water and sea water, then oil paints are demanding on the conditions of use. Epoxy glazes are often used as a primer to coat the underwater portion of a boat.
The main difficulty in choosing an epoxy composition is that the paints are unstable to ultraviolet rays. Therefore, they are not recommended for application above the waterline. If you coat the hull with epoxy, if you frequently dry the boat in the sun, part of the hull will discolor and become covered with a white coating. This property is called digging.
Reference! Professionals advise to combine paints and varnishes with each other, practice their seasonal variation and use high-quality primers.
For the surface of aluminum boats, it is recommended to select special polyurethane compounds, which include two-component coatings. They show greater strength compared to analogous single-component compositions. The two-component system provides a high quality finish, although the cost of this approach is much higher than using one-component formulations.
When using paints from the group of alkyd materials, it is recommended to give preference to modern compositions based on alkyd-urethane or alkyd-acrylic. Acrylates are used for coating or priming yachts, boats and speedboats. These are one-component, but powerful formulations that place high demands on the application conditions.If you follow all the rules, you can count on creating a topcoat, the service life of which will be 3-6 years.
If it is necessary to cover the metal part of the hull, located above the waterline, in order to decorate small defects, use a special primer with alkyd-urethane properties.
If we are talking about painting the bottom, then it is necessary to select high-strength enamels with anti-corrosion qualities. It is better to opt for professional marine paints, which protect the bottom from corrosion and prevent this part of the vessel from growing with shells, algae and growths.
When painting aluminum boats, it should be borne in mind that the internal parts are coated with special compounds that have decorative and protective qualities. For this, special varnishes for yachts are suitable, creating a special atmosphere inside the ship. At the same time, varnishes are resistant to moisture, corrosion and do not react to the use of household detergents.
Features of aluminum alloy boat paint
The staining process consists of several steps. Particular attention is paid to the preparatory phase. The deeper the surface is cleaned, the higher the adhesion rate between the selected paint and the metal.
Preparatory stage
At the preparation stage, it is necessary to decide which method of application to choose in each case. Air spraying allows you to paint the boat faster than the manual method.
The spray gun is generally used when painting with polyurethane paints. This method has its drawbacks and its characteristics:
- all the parts that do not require coloring with the chosen composition must be systematically sealed with masking tape so as not to cover them;
- when painting outdoors, consider wind direction and other weather conditions.
If the paint is applied with a brush, the work takes much longer. In this case, it is not necessary to additionally glue the parts and take into account the climatic conditions.
Instructions for preparing and cleaning the vessel:
- the aluminum boat must be turned over and fixed in such a way that it remains immobile during the repair period;
- after fixing, the bottom is protected from corrosion, peeling of the old coating, dust, dirt;
- the next step is the cleaning or degreasing of body parts.
Particular attention is paid to corrosion spots, which often appear on various parts of the case. If the rust is not removed, it can further affect the quality of the new coating. To remove stains, use special washes. The damaged parts of the container are treated with the substances, left for 30 minutes, then washed with water and the surface is left to dry completely.
Primer and putty
Priming is an important preparation step. Violation of bait conditions and requirements may cause the boat to lose balance after launching. Therefore, at the preparatory stage, it is important to correctly calculate the required amount of the primer mixture, to choose the method of application depending on the characteristics of the material from which the container is made.
The base of the primer mixture can be a polymer resin mixed with a solvent.After evaporation of the solvent, the resin forms a thin layer of polymer on the surface. This topcoat provides a high quality bond between the metal and the exterior enamel.
Most often, aluminum or duralumin boat flooring is chosen from 2 options:
- component-based aerosol;
- two-component primer
Reference! An important condition when choosing a primer mixture: the composition must be combined with the paint chosen for the main finish. Lead, red lead or titanium white pigments are not used to paint an aluminum boat.
Dye technology
You can paint the boat yourself, while you must follow the basic rules:
- They start painting only after the ground layer is completely dry.
- Before painting the body, it is necessary to cut out a stencil to apply the number to the side or central part of the body.
- First, the bottom of the boat is painted up to the waterline.
- Then they start painting the upper part of the case.
- Each of the layers must be dried, checked "to the touch".
- During work, it is recommended to use a protective respirator, use special clothes and cover your hands with special gloves.
Under production conditions, the painting of an aluminum floating device is carried out by one of the following methods:
- Powder coating. This is a technique when the paint is applied using special devices, inside which pressure is exerted.
- Anodizing. It is a technique of creating a film on an aluminum surface by electroplating. The result of the application is the creation of a uniform matte finish.
With us, it is quite difficult to achieve a perfectly smooth surface on an aluminum ship hull.
Protective coating
To protect the created finish, a special varnish is used to increase the quality of the created coating. For protection, varnishes based on glyphthalic resins are used. They are products of the polycondensation of glycerol with anhydride. Varnishes are produced in a modified form, most often they are transparent with a slight brownish tint.
Glyphthalic varnishes ensure good protection of the bodywork against wear and contribute to the stability of the coating created. The protective layer on the aluminum hull of the boat is the fourth in a row, its thickness does not exceed 35-50 microns. If the layer is densified, it can affect the qualities of the flotation device after launching.
Boat Bottom Paint Features
The bottom is part of the water transport, which has an increased load. The bottom is exposed to water, salts settle there. The underwater surface wears out faster than the different parts of the hull.
It is better to select shipbuilding enamels with high anti-corrosion properties for painting the bottom. They are applied after the preparatory phase to the hull up to the waterline.
It is important to choose the right mixture of special primer that matches the selected enamel and ensures good adhesion between materials.
The last layer when painting the bottom is the application of antifouling paint.It is created on the basis of special substances that prevent the formation of plaque.
Recommendations from the masters
During the work, it is necessary to observe safety rules. Tinting is carried out in protective clothing with additional covering of the respiratory system with respiratory masks.When carrying out procedures indoors, the mode of ventilation must be observed, the ventilation openings must be open so as not to harm health due to the toxicity of solvents.
An important condition for painting aluminum boats is the correct installation of the vessel, with reliable fastening. Also, experts speak separately about painting ships with the old factory coating. Tips and tricks:
- When the old film is firmly attached to the body and does not come off under the influence of force, then it makes sense to leave it as a primer for subsequent painting.
- If the film peels off on its own, it must be removed with a spatula or knife.
- If the container is coated with enamel of unknown origin, completely dissolve the old film using converters.
- To speed up the "work" of washing, the applied layer is covered with plastic wrap and left for 30 minutes, then the residue is scraped off with a sharp instrument and washed off with a high-pressure water jet.
- After completely removing the old coating, the surface is additionally treated with sandpaper. Surface roughness provides the best adhesion between boat material and enamel or primer.
- Experts advise washing off dirt and removing old coatings from the aluminum body with a sandblasting gun, if possible. This device makes it possible to remove the old layer before the anodic coating in the event that this is required by the regulations. A blast gun can be purchased at a hardware store or rented for a period of time.
- It is advisable to pay special attention to small details. Dirt often accumulates under them; in hard-to-reach places it is difficult to remove the old coating.If you skip small sections, then later when creating a new finish, such oversights can cause the entire base to lose stability. Cracks may appear under the small rivets and extend over the surface of the case.
It is advisable to carry out conversion, cleaning or painting work in the fresh air. Such a technique will protect the person working with the materials, save him from poisoning or harm.