convince me to roll and tip, instead of spray

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by teneicm

Either 1) You saw the work of a Michelangelo-esque artist who got lucky and put down the closest to perfection roll & tip job ever, or


2) You're needing some new glasses.



If getting a perfect roll & tip job was so easy, the pros would be doing it and not spending all that time on taping and prep. I've tried both, had paint pros show me their results with both. You can come close and get "good enough" for most with roll & tip, but proper spraying will always result in a better finish.

It will result in a better finish in some situations, especially when there’s inside corners, hard to reach spots etc. but on a flat surface like a hull, rolling can be superior to spraying. It’s all there to see in places like Youtube or paint manufacturers websites.

Alexseal now has an additive that eliminates the tipping requirement, something I didn’t have to do with white Awlgrip anyway. Most cases of comparing spray being better than roll involve either professionals fearing jobs lost to diy or a high end spray job vs amateur one-part paint roll job or even using a paint designed to be sprayed with a roller. If you roll a specialized product from Awlgrip or Alexseal on a nice smooth surface like a hull side and did it properly, then there are no signs of brush strokes, roller stipple or anything else.

[s/v Jedi]

Diy roller job, no tipping, in Awlgrip Insignia white, with 545 primer. Not distinguishable from spraying and this was may be the 3rd time I did a paint job like this.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by theller

Fully tented boat - all 42' of it. Ability to control environment through the winter w/ a 200k btu kerosene heater. Using AlexSeal

My favorite old head painter in the yard keeps telling me to roll and tip. Says that the low time involved compensates for all the blocking and wet sanding to get a glass finish after roll and tip. Talks about the cost of time to setup for spraying being high.

My deep core tells me that I'm gonna get the best finish with the least amount of post paint work (wet sanding) with a spray finish. Also, I've got a lotta hours behind a gun, so I'm not afraid of it.

Talk me out of spraying?

I would say you can't go wrong either way. But it would seem roll and tip would be just as fast with less prep work and perhaps less costly than spray. Most of us do not have a spray set up.. But a roller and brush can be bought anywhere.

[teneicm]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

... but on a flat surface like a hull, rolling can be superior to spraying.

Odd topic to double down on... I don't think anyone ever, in the history of... well, everything, has tried to say rolling is superior to spraying.



Good enough? Sure. Easier to do? Sure. Just as good? Well, a few. Better than spraying? You're the first.


Looking at examples on youtube or websites won't help. These are small imperfections that only show up at the right viewing angle and, unless they're shooting 4k, probably won't be able to pick up the amount of detail that the human eye can see.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by teneicm

Either 1) You saw the work of a Michelangelo-esque artist who got lucky and put down the closest to perfection roll & tip job ever, or


2) You're needing some new glasses.



If getting a perfect roll & tip job was so easy, the pros would be doing it and not spending all that time on taping and prep. I've tried both, had paint pros show me their results with both. You can come close and get "good enough" for most with roll & tip, but proper spraying will always result in a better finish.

Come to Florida and you see pros doing both. Spraying large yachts is an overspray problem in most yards and the roll tip method is so good people think its sprayed. Tipping stopped being used yrs ago as fine foam rollers and modern paints have appeared.

Either method requires some knowledge of the paint and process to get a pro finish. Technique is everything. In the case of the OP I would say spray because he has experience with it and zero experience roll n tipping. Even asking the question tells me which method is best for him.

[SuW]

In my cockpit, the difficulties of spraying, for me as an amateur, with the amount of prep, masking (both the work object, and me) are insurmountable.

We are talking about confined space, small areas, lots of complex shapes, locker lids etc.

I have been very pleased with Interlux Brightside For this. The topsides I did with 2-part but the deck, cabin top and cockpit with 1-part. All the non-skid with Kiwigrip. Once you consider the non-skid, there really aren't any large horizontal flat surfaces to paint. Mostly the Brightside is confined to a 6- to 10-inch margin between the non-skid and some fitting, woodwork or toe rail.

I like it so much that I use it on my house too. Garage doors, house doors, window and door frames, trim. Very shiny. If you have a perfect surface, like a metal door, and you thin properly and work in small sections, it looks perfect. (After using it inside, we sleep on the boat).

Like I say, try it on a small project first. Two-part paint is better for abrasion resistance and I used it on the pedestal, but Brightside looks great for the cockpit and deck, around the non-skid.

I wouldn't pressure wash it though!

[anotherT34C]

Mostly it depends on the yard/environ. If you're near other boats and overspray is a possibility, R+T. The other place I'd give R+T the edge over spray is if your hull has the fake wood look (ex: Hans Christian, Baba). These are almost comically easy to R+T vs dealing with all the inevitable runs of spray.

Otherwise, convince you? No, don't really care, thanks.

[gonesail]

i have seen roll and tip totally botched. depending on how good you are just get a good brush and make sure the paint is not too thick. sand between coats .. same as varnish.

[MistyCat]

We planned to roll and tip our 1980 Niagara 35 with Alexseal after thorough prep including 2 coats of their high build primer. As it turned out, no tipping was necessary. Done in a covered shed with diesel heaters, May in Nova Scotia. After 4 years we continue to get compliments and many people assume it was sprayed.

[JBsurfin]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

10 foot rule -

If you only look at the finish from 10 feet or more away, spraying isn’t necessary. Otherwise, ….

I have a 1981 sailboat. I too go by the 10 ft rule..

[captchetco]

Originally Posted by theller

Fully tented boat - all 42' of it. Ability to control environment through the winter w/ a 200k btu kerosene heater. Using AlexSeal

My deep core tells me that I'm gonna get the best finish with the least amount of post paint work (wet sanding) with a spray finish. Also, I've got a lotta hours behind a gun, so I'm not afraid of it.

Talk me out of spraying?

1. Paint loss by spraying $200+/gal paint is excessive.

2. Condensation while using your heater can hinder any system to some extent, but will be worse when spraying.

[myketch42]

I have had a boat professsionaly sprayed and one professionally rolled and tipped, both were non white colors , prep was much less on the roll and tip , both jobs were awl grip and the appearence as to mirror finish and gloss were identical , I will have my next boat rolled and tipped for the overall cost saving .

[Shaneesprit]

Originally Posted by theller

Fully tented boat - all 42' of it. Ability to control environment through the winter w/ a 200k btu kerosene heater. Using AlexSeal

My favorite old head painter in the yard keeps telling me to roll and tip. Says that the low time involved compensates for all the blocking and wet sanding to get a glass finish after roll and tip. Talks about the cost of time to setup for spraying being high.

My deep core tells me that I'm gonna get the best finish with the least amount of post paint work (wet sanding) with a spray finish. Also, I've got a lotta hours behind a gun, so I'm not afraid of it.

Talk me out of spraying?

Why paint when you can Gel coat?
And I think the idea of you can tip properly, less sanding - I can’t though.

[slacker]

How about a recommendation for roller covers for use with two part non tipped paint?

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by slacker

How about a recommendation for roller covers for use with two part non tipped paint?

I use 4” wide high density foam rollers for the smallish areas I have painted. I also have 6” wide at hand in case a larger surface comes up.

I have found even the cheap ones produce perfect results.

I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Foampro-165-1.../dp/B000W9WSBI

Edit: for Awlgrip, let me add the secret: use brushing converter and brushing reducer. Where instructions say something like “reduce up to 25%”, replace that with “reduce to at least 40%” and go from there.

Also, these rollers fall apart with the epoxy primer. I use the larger diameter roller covers for that.