Calling all paint experts - advice needed...

[Privilege]

I'm in the process of redecorating the main berth of my catamaran. The wall and ceiling is covered in vinyl but it is too damaged to repair and too much work to replace. I therefore want to paint the cabin once I have removed the vinyl. The trouble is, the walls are bare fiberglass and the weave and imperfections will show through any normal thin paint. I'm therefore looking for a thick paint or something similar, which can be applied with a trowel or textured roller that will adhere to fiberglass and will provide a finished surface. The local hardware store sells a thick latex paint but my experience is that this is unlikely to stay put on bare fiberglass.

Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.

[model 10]

Swimming pool paint. Concrete paint etc?

[SeaRunner25-414]

Any ideas, then ok, here goes. If you have time and artistic tendencies, it would be imaginative to combine decoupauge images integrated onto canvas sections that had been custom precut to fit your interior surfaces, and then applied with an adhesive. You could dream up just about any scheme of interior that 'floats your boat.' Let your imagination run wild! Some ideas of example thought provoking images can be Googled, for instance
https://goo.gl/N5byQU

[Delancey]

With appropriate surface prep and primer a latex enamel is fine for a boat interior. Dries quicker and cleanup is easier than with polyurethane. You can purchase a biocide additive that will inhibit mildew growth.

Painting it will not make the bumps go away, to do that you need to fill in the low spots. On the high end can use WEST epoxy thickened with low density filler that is easy to sand. On the low end you could use car bog. Either way, getting a nice smooth surface will require sanding which will be messy.

Please wear eye protection, especially when working overhead.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by Privilege

I'm in the process of redecorating the main berth of my catamaran. The wall and ceiling is covered in vinyl but it is too damaged to repair and too much work to replace. I therefore want to paint the cabin once I have removed the vinyl. The trouble is, the walls are bare fiberglass and the weave and imperfections will show through any normal thin paint. I'm therefore looking for a thick paint or something similar, which can be applied with a trowel or textured roller that will adhere to fiberglass and will provide a finished surface. The local hardware store sells a thick latex paint but my experience is that this is unlikely to stay put on bare fiberglass.

Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.

Paint isn't going to cover that weave. But I think you'll be surprised at how good a clean coat of paint looks even on it, even if the surface is full of imperfections.

(My personal preference is to start with interlux 2 part epoxy primer, it softens the weave a bit, and has great adhesion. Then I follow with their 1 part poly. That may be too shiny for some folks taste.)

[JPA Cate]

Using a matte paint will minimize the visual effect of the weave. When we painted our gelcoat, we wiped it with acetone before painting, and then used latex paint on it, and it adhered well.

Another alternative would be to replace the vinyl with more, if that would blend in with the boat better, using a color that is obviously intentionally different.

Ann

[Reefmagnet]

We're doing the same on our boat at the moment, with the same exposed fibreglass and remaining glue. For a perfect job I think you'll either need to fare it first or cover with a thin laminate plastic instead. In our case we are going with a waterproof lining normally used for shower areas, which is thicker than the laminate. The attraction of this system is that the edge mouldings and joiners to suit are readily available.

[JPA Cate]

Reefmagnet mentioned glue. You'll have to get glue off. Once off, flo-coat could be used. Might cost more than regular paint, and i don't know about availability here in Oz. Or cover it with something similar to what covered it before. Sorry.

Ann

[UNCIVILIZED]

Delancy, good tip on the biocide. That's one that's easy to forget, but very very handy.

Another option that may, repeat, may work, is vinyl wraps. As I saw that one gent did his entire 45' Kurt Hughes catamaran with the stuff, in lieu of painting. But I've zero experience with it... or it's removal, if/when it comes to that. Like when the material starts to get long in the tooth. Though when I asked about removal, over on Sailing Anarchy Forums, I was told that when the stuff gets worn, you put on another coat, as with paint. And that it wears similar to LP, "in theory".

[FREDDYJ]

Roll-on bed liner would help hide imperfections and leave a durable textured finish. They are available in white.

[Scaramanga F25]

On one of my boats I had top to bottom, underdeck to mattress, storage bags next to the hull.
The Sunbrella hid the glass and was very practical for t-shits, socks etc.

[reed1v]

The hulls flex a lot, which is why liners are used to cover the roving.Fillers will most likely pop off after a while. Just cover with a self adhesive cloth or flexible liner. Could also attach slates to give it a more woody feeling.

[chris95040]

Originally Posted by reed1v

The hulls flex a lot, which is why liners are used to cover the roving.Fillers will most likely pop off after a while. Just cover with a self adhesive cloth or flexible liner. Could also attach slates to give it a more woody feeling.

I'm no boat manufacturer, but I'd guess liners are used because fairing a surface is way too much effort (among many other reasons in the ease-of-manufacturing vein.)

And I'd also guess hulls that flex enough to pop (properly prepped) fairing are pretty rare.

But you are right that wood battens look awfully nice, and a covering/liner of some sort would be the easiest route.

[LooseGoose]

You might find some excellent commercial (54" wide....apply orientation to minimize seams} textured vinyl wallpaper of the type used in office buildings and hotels, to be the perfect solution to allowing and complementing print through with embossed texture.

[knockabout]

flowcoat/epoxy or polyester both are designed for what you are asking about and can be tinted usually comes in white