When people start talking about porch paint, I can’t resist recounting the story of a handyman being given a can of paint and told to paint the porch out back. He was back a while later saying, “I finished the porch. Do you want me to do the Corvette as well?”
These are very compelling arguments. I like to "feel nautical" by supporting Kirby's, Marshall Cove, or a bigger paint company. But at some point that's silly (or pretentious) if there is an equally fine product for less.
What are the downsides of 100% acrylic house paint, or what are the situations where a dedicated marine paint is advantageous?
I remember reading in Woodenboat or National Fisherman that latex on the inside of a wood boat was preferred because it could breathe and it was less likely to get moldy. that was 40+ years ago and i have been painting interiors of all my boats with latex since. The new waterborne finishes like Advance from Ben-Moore, are outstanding. I have to agree with another poster that Kirby semigloss is the best for a tough beautiful topsides, and their bottom paints work much better than the national brands on our slow, hull speed, type boats.
I started using Latex back in the '90's and it was OK then but it is so much better now. I remember having to wait for 30 days for the stuff to get hard enough to take any kind of abuse. Now overnight and it is good to go.
As were Dave Carnell, Phil Bolger, Thomas Firth Jones, Renn Tolman, etc.
Chuck published this article I wrote for Duckworks Magazine in 2007, and it includes photos of a 1956 20' SKagit fiberglass boat painted with Behr latex porch and floor enamel.
When I built Jaunty I painted the bottom with standard ablative boat bottom paint. Then I painted the hull topsides and cabin with Rodda 100% acrylic 'house' paint. I was always happy with the latex paint from clean up to longevity. I scraped a dock in Lake Havasu and was able to repair and repaint from supplies available there and performed the work in the desert on the trailer. I would definitely paint another boat with latex!
Yes! I still have a Bolger Teal that I built in the early ’80s, following the instructions in Payson’s “Instant Boats,” right down to painting her with latex porch paint. That first paint job lasted a good thirty years!
Very interesting. David Lucas has been advocating this for years. His boats live in the Brackish water year round. I've had the 'Pleasure' of having to sand some of it off. It makes you believe this article.
My go to for primer is Gliddens Gripit tough it's been bought by Pittsburg and may not keep the same formulation. Over bare wood and fiberglass/epoxy it hasn't failed me yet over a dozen years and a number of boats. Finish coats are typically porch paint, I've come to prefer the polyurethane over the latex as the latex has a tendency to stain and get a little chalky. I deviated on my last build. QB is a 21' proa and I went with Total Boats marine paint primarily because they had a color I really liked. Never again, it's a really good product but glossy like a mirror; had to cut it drastically with flattener to get just a bit glossier than polyurethane porch paint which suits my 25' finish (if it looks ok from 25' its good to go).
It works well with proper prep. I typically sand with 120 then wash and dry before painting. I have also been using Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane semi-gloss Trim paint with excellent results. If you use a flocked foam roller (Lowes) the paint will lay down very nicely and give you a finish that looks as good as a sprayed finish.
Is Loctite PL S40 10 fl. oz. White Polyurethane Exterior Window, Door and Siding Sealant or Pella Installation Sealant 10.1-oz Classic White Paintable Polyurethane Caulk a good substitute for 3M 4200 Adhesive Polyurethane Sealant?
No idea if this list is a good one, but it's someone's attempt to list the most durable house paints: https://www.precisionpaintingplus.net/blog/the-best-exterior-paints-for-cold-winter-conditions/
At the time of my retirement, we had built over 100 boats at The Farley Boat Works and most were finished with Acrylic Latex house paints.
It works.
Rick Pratt
Those Farley skiffs on the Texas Gulf Coast still beautiful while experiencing sun, salt, sand, unsurpassed (and occasional hurricanes.)
When people start talking about porch paint, I can’t resist recounting the story of a handyman being given a can of paint and told to paint the porch out back. He was back a while later saying, “I finished the porch. Do you want me to do the Corvette as well?”
🫢
These are very compelling arguments. I like to "feel nautical" by supporting Kirby's, Marshall Cove, or a bigger paint company. But at some point that's silly (or pretentious) if there is an equally fine product for less.
What are the downsides of 100% acrylic house paint, or what are the situations where a dedicated marine paint is advantageous?
I remember reading in Woodenboat or National Fisherman that latex on the inside of a wood boat was preferred because it could breathe and it was less likely to get moldy. that was 40+ years ago and i have been painting interiors of all my boats with latex since. The new waterborne finishes like Advance from Ben-Moore, are outstanding. I have to agree with another poster that Kirby semigloss is the best for a tough beautiful topsides, and their bottom paints work much better than the national brands on our slow, hull speed, type boats.
I started using Latex back in the '90's and it was OK then but it is so much better now. I remember having to wait for 30 days for the stuff to get hard enough to take any kind of abuse. Now overnight and it is good to go.
Chuck is right.
As were Dave Carnell, Phil Bolger, Thomas Firth Jones, Renn Tolman, etc.
Chuck published this article I wrote for Duckworks Magazine in 2007, and it includes photos of a 1956 20' SKagit fiberglass boat painted with Behr latex porch and floor enamel.
https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/07/projects/skagit/index.htm
When I built Jaunty I painted the bottom with standard ablative boat bottom paint. Then I painted the hull topsides and cabin with Rodda 100% acrylic 'house' paint. I was always happy with the latex paint from clean up to longevity. I scraped a dock in Lake Havasu and was able to repair and repaint from supplies available there and performed the work in the desert on the trailer. I would definitely paint another boat with latex!
Sorry. Lowe’s Severe Weather Latex no longer sold. Got another to recommend?
Yes! I still have a Bolger Teal that I built in the early ’80s, following the instructions in Payson’s “Instant Boats,” right down to painting her with latex porch paint. That first paint job lasted a good thirty years!
Great information for painting most anything. Thanks
Very interesting. David Lucas has been advocating this for years. His boats live in the Brackish water year round. I've had the 'Pleasure' of having to sand some of it off. It makes you believe this article.
My go to for primer is Gliddens Gripit tough it's been bought by Pittsburg and may not keep the same formulation. Over bare wood and fiberglass/epoxy it hasn't failed me yet over a dozen years and a number of boats. Finish coats are typically porch paint, I've come to prefer the polyurethane over the latex as the latex has a tendency to stain and get a little chalky. I deviated on my last build. QB is a 21' proa and I went with Total Boats marine paint primarily because they had a color I really liked. Never again, it's a really good product but glossy like a mirror; had to cut it drastically with flattener to get just a bit glossier than polyurethane porch paint which suits my 25' finish (if it looks ok from 25' its good to go).
How well does the latex house exterior paint work on fiberglass?
It works well with proper prep. I typically sand with 120 then wash and dry before painting. I have also been using Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane semi-gloss Trim paint with excellent results. If you use a flocked foam roller (Lowes) the paint will lay down very nicely and give you a finish that looks as good as a sprayed finish.
Is Loctite PL S40 10 fl. oz. White Polyurethane Exterior Window, Door and Siding Sealant or Pella Installation Sealant 10.1-oz Classic White Paintable Polyurethane Caulk a good substitute for 3M 4200 Adhesive Polyurethane Sealant?
Yes but they don’t have the UV inhibitors so will yellow if not topcoated.