Repainting a Aluminum Boat

[Drano]

I just purchased a 14 foot aluminum boat and was just curious about repainting it over the winter, is there any special thing a guy should know on how to do this.

Type of paint, prep work, and so on.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Drano.

[kissacoyote]

When aluminum oxidizes, it forms a layer on the raw aluminum that is non-porous, so paint won't stick to it without removing the layer of oxide. Once you have the oxide layer off, you have to paint it before another one forms. Here's a link for a pretty non technical description about how to do it.http://www.wfn.tv/experts/ask/BoatExpert/question7.html

[calgarygringo]

Yes there is a way.
I did mine 6 or 7 years ago. You can get it at the major paint stores. It is an epoxy 2 part type paint. It has a primer and main color. Was not cheap if I remember, but it has worked really well. It does smell nasty and you need to use some nasty stuff for cleanup. I have an attached garage so wife was not happy at the time. If you can't find any let me know I think I kept a bit in storage in the basement for touch ups. Should still have info on it.

[Kingfisher]

I had an aluminum cartopper years ago that needed painting. I knew nothing about aluminum oxidizing. I took a brand new green scrubber pad and scratched the whole surface that I was going to paint. I taped off what I didn't want painted and the rest I painted with Tremclad red. I put 2 coats on it and it turned out perfect. The paint never peeled, or bubbled. In fact it lasted for about a dozen more years and still looked good, at which time I sold the boat.

So get all technical if you want, or just rough it up, paint it, and be done with it.

Rob

[Hunter Trav]

Originally Posted by Kingfisher

I had an aluminum cartopper years ago that needed painting. I knew nothing about aluminum oxidizing. I took a brand new green scrubber pad and scratched the whole surface that I was going to paint. I taped off what I didn't want painted and the rest I painted with Tremclad red. I put 2 coats on it and it turned out perfect. The paint never peeled, or bubbled. In fact it lasted for about a dozen more years and still looked good, at which time I sold the boat.

So get all technical if you want, or just rough it up, paint it, and be done with it.

Rob

If your not into the manual scatchin, use a wire wheel on an electric grinder to buff it up and get rid of the shyte and old paint. I redid the inside of my 16' aluminum last year, and it cleaned it up real nice.

[sdeviation]

u say u want to repaint ...so im assuming there is paint on there already?
u can scuff the old paint without getting down to the aluminum and use that as
your base to work over,,,, ( if its in good shape )
the chemicals i would have to use r pretty nasty not really recommended for home or sumone that doesnt know about them .....

[Drewski Canuck]

Simply enough get the grease off with TSP. Get the Oxide off with CLR, repaint after dry with Tremclad. Nothing more to it. While you are at it, clean the inside the same way and get some spray on truck bed liner for the inside boat bottom. Plugs leaky rivets, ends a slippery boat bottom. looks great.

Drewski

[kissacoyote]

In the end, it's up to you

http://www.ronjoseph.com/painting-aluminum.htm

[pecker]

Originally Posted by kissacoyote

In the end, it's up to you

http://www.ronjoseph.com/painting-aluminum.htm

you got that drano. have at her.