-spray or detailed pen artwork can be done overtop glass (no risk of repel as glosscoat can)
-speed of production
-does not show-up pressure dings ilke a gloss/polish will (looking like a surfboard/golfball hybrid!!)
and may i ammend your “drawbacks”
-lasts for the entire life of a board ( some of our boards 15+ years old would occasionally surface in our factory, clearcoat; as good as new.
-cannot ‘chip’ ( it is only a matter of ‘microns’ thick, and not brittle)
-does not discolour in any way. (the bleaches in the blank may, and do, fail over time-going yellow. the pro finish remains transparent)
… our coast where i live, eats boards and people alive!! why waste time and energy on heavy non-performance glossed boards that may only last a few weeks?
trust me i do love the look, and admire the workmanship of a gloss finish. in fact we did many at our factory- mainly for the older crowd who were perhaps occasional surfers, concerned with asthetic etc. But for surfers as myself (i go through a board every odd week) it is just not an option.
i would
further add that the finish i was capable of achieving in just a few
minutes with the airbrush, is more appealing than a gloss/polish…
For my epoxy kiteboards, I have been using exterior waterbourne polyurethane “varnish” from the hardware store.
I use the satin finish, two to three thin coats and buff it with a scotch brite pad for a nice looking sanded finish. You can even apply it with a brush, but then you may have to sand lightly with 220 before buffing in order to get any brush marks out.
Waterborne polyurethane varnish drys fast, very clear with a hard surface and the exterior grade contains uv inhibitors to protect the epoxy underneath. Probably it will protect your foam from yellwing too. I’ve never had the stuff chip off.
For my epoxy kiteboards, I have been using exterior waterbourne polyurethane "varnish" from the hardware store.
Just talked to guy at local paint hq and he was shocked I’d consider polyurethane for surfboard coating. Said it would stain from salt water. If you painted it on table and left spill on it, would leave stain…???
There are quite alot of boat varnishes based on polyurethane, I doubt they stain from water…
In all fairness they are supposed to be used over the waterline, but I figure as long as you don’t leave the board floating around in the sea, it only get’s wet for a few hours a day, not much worse than over the waterline of a boat.
I do live on/near Lake Michigan (which is fresh water if you don’t know), but I have used my boards on the ocean down in Floridia and North Carolina w/ no problems after a few weeks using them in saltwater.
One thing I have noticed, If you leave it wet for a very long time (as in, throw your wet suit on top of your board and leave it in a pile in your garrage for a week or two), the clear coating can turn a bit milky. I have done this a few times; my experience has been that it always turns clear again and looks good as new as soon as it gets a chance to dry out.
Products I have used successfully include Varathane Diamond Finish, Zar, and General Finishes “EF High Performance Polyurethane Top Coat”[/url] (my current favorite, see www.generalfinishes.com).
You can get these at Ace Hardware in the US or at any good paint dealer. I prefer to use the waterbourne varieties which are usually a modified oil-based product emulsified in water. They dry faster, clean-up easier, cost more, and seem to give a harder surface than than the regular oil-based stuff.
I work as a painting contractor. My experience is that frequently the guys working at the paint store don’t have a freaking clue. Especially if it’s a Sherwin Williams store. Probably the guy was relating his experience with an interior finish. Make sure you get an exterior grade. Check the label for the words “exterior” and “contains uv inhibitors” The interior grades will not hold up.
As mentioned by the other poster these types of finishes (clear polyurethane) are frequently used in marine applications “above the waterline”. From my experiences above you can maybe see why they usually are not recommended for permanant submersion.
Thank you all. And yeah about the paint store guy…talked to another one today just for fun and asked him if polyurethane is water proof and he said, “Oh yeah! It’s the best!” So there you are…
Herb put me onto the idea of “grout sealer” via pm. Went shopping and found SurfaceGard Penetrating Sealer from Tile Lab/ Custom Building Products. Has Teflon in it! And “20 year guarantee (harsh cleaning, sun and weather exposure will effect wear)”.
Question comes to mind: Anybody know if the Teflon will prevent deck pad from sticking? I’m going to do the deck as well as bottom as I want to seal any pin-air. Maybe better stick pads on first and work around them?
Called tech at Custom Bldg Products and the guy is a surfer on the phone. Said the sealer would not adhere well to non-porus surface i.e. sanded glass job. At least that product. He though polyurethane or acrylic was the way to go.
Didn’t say acrylic on it, so not sure. Just said water based. And no UV protection. So anyhoo i returned it and picked up the super duper polyurethane w/ UV blocker from General Finishes. Looking forward to the newie to put it on. A double-bump swallow from Mandala for small surf. Yummmmm