Paint, Gelcoat Repair & Marine Paint Restoration
3M Marine provides quality solutions for a quality finish to ensure that your boat is fully prepared for painting to create a finish that lasts.
Before attempting any fibreglass repairs it is important to ensure, like other boat repair tasks, that the surface you are working on is clean. For further information on cleaning view our Boat Maintenance Guide here.
Surface Preparation
As soon as the hull is out of the water, remove any sea grass, barnacles and any other particles with a marine specific boat wash. Next using a heavy duty protective tape or alternatively multiple layers of painter's tape, mask all stripes to protect them when sanding.
Suggested Product: 3M™ Scotch-Blue Painters Tape for multi-surfaces 2090
Sanding the Bottom Paint
If a thick layer of paint has built up over the years or new paint is incompatible with the old the paint on the surface will need to be removed through sanding.
When sanding off the old bottom paint the grit of abrasive used and number of steps required will vary depending on the material being sanded. To help you select the right product for your application we have put together a guide to 3M fibreglass repairs, gelcoat repair and paint restoration.
Begin with a coarser grade abrasive moving onto a finer grade to create the perfect painting surface.
If the surface is in good condition a good clean followed by a gentle sanding will prepare the surface for a fresh coat.
It is also important to remember that when sanding exposure to hazards means that the correct personal protective equipment should be worn. For more information see our Occupational Health & Safety site.
Applying paint
Except for the type of paint being applied, topside painting is the same as painting the hull and the same principles apply to the preparation, masking and priming. For best results always follow paint manufacturer recommendations
Masking
Because the effects of sunlight on adhesives varies between tapes, when selecting which tape to use it is important to consider how long it will be left on for, whether it will be used indoors or outdoors and the type of paint being applied.
For more information on boat restoration contact us.
