If you paint or varnish your boat, and why?
Yay! You have now completed the construction of your boat! Good job for sticking to it! Now you're wondering if you should paint your boat, varnish or perhaps a combination of both.
Painting seems to be a much more durable substance than varnish. Varnish is doing a good job to hide the rough, but the paint is more likely to protect the epoxy and wood the best, which should ultimately be your goal.
If you find yourself torn between the two, then it might be a good idea to polish the inside of the boat and paint the exterior.
If you plan to store your boat in a place that is protected from the elements, then varnish your boat is always a viable option. However, if your boat is outside and unprotected from Mother Nature, I would stick to painting again because of its durability.
It is obvious that I am a proponent of the use of lacquer painting. If you're still not sure, find and talk to other boat builders and owners and what they do, as a way to achieve peace of mind.
Whichever way you go, always follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly for best results.
The key to building a solid building, is to have a solid foundation. The same can be said here. The key to having a great looking boat is very dependent on your homework. Your planking area should be as smooth as possible, so sand as you've never sanded before! It's better if you use a very fine steel wool to do.
Because you will be a little sanding, make sure to use a high quality primer that is able to withstand all the sanding. If you will not be spray painting your boat, your best alternative is to use rollers. Stay away from using a brush on larger surfaces, and then maybe keep for small alterations or retail jobs.
Why? The reason being that each layer of paint should be very smooth and thin. Use a brush counterproductive since brushes tend to hold too much paint and you will have less smooth and thick layers, which again is not what you want.
Remember, the secret to maintain and keep your boat at its best is to store and protect against the elements!
Do not be in a rush to get things done, doing things the right way and reap the rewards of your hard work for many years to come!.
Yay! You have now completed the construction of your boat! Good job for sticking to it! Now you're wondering if you should paint your boat, varnish or perhaps a combination of both.
Painting seems to be a much more durable substance than varnish. Varnish is doing a good job to hide the rough, but the paint is more likely to protect the epoxy and wood the best, which should ultimately be your goal.
If you find yourself torn between the two, then it might be a good idea to polish the inside of the boat and paint the exterior.
If you plan to store your boat in a place that is protected from the elements, then varnish your boat is always a viable option. However, if your boat is outside and unprotected from Mother Nature, I would stick to painting again because of its durability.
It is obvious that I am a proponent of the use of lacquer painting. If you're still not sure, find and talk to other boat builders and owners and what they do, as a way to achieve peace of mind.
Whichever way you go, always follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly for best results.
The key to building a solid building, is to have a solid foundation. The same can be said here. The key to having a great looking boat is very dependent on your homework. Your planking area should be as smooth as possible, so sand as you've never sanded before! It's better if you use a very fine steel wool to do.
Because you will be a little sanding, make sure to use a high quality primer that is able to withstand all the sanding. If you will not be spray painting your boat, your best alternative is to use rollers. Stay away from using a brush on larger surfaces, and then maybe keep for small alterations or retail jobs.
Why? The reason being that each layer of paint should be very smooth and thin. Use a brush counterproductive since brushes tend to hold too much paint and you will have less smooth and thick layers, which again is not what you want.
Remember, the secret to maintain and keep your boat at its best is to store and protect against the elements!
Do not be in a rush to get things done, doing things the right way and reap the rewards of your hard work for many years to come!.