I’ve researched and read almost everything on this topic, but I have not found an answer to this specific situation.
I’m finishing up repairing the old surfboard (8’3) of a friend, that had many digs, dents and a big delamination (it’s mor like a restoration than a repairing! ) and to finish, I wanted to paint the botom of its original color (white).
I tried to use pigment in the hot coat but it got ugly. The color is not uniform, even after sandig. Can I paint with spray (and what kind of spray paint) and then apply the gloss coat on top? Or what alternatives do I have to paint and apply the gloss on top?
All I found is about epoxy resin, but this is polyester. And I really want to give it a gloss coat and polish.
I know it can be done. My first board back in the 80s from the factory had its entire bottom airbrushed on top of the sanded hot coat and then was glossed over that.
I’ve used krylon matte and rustoleum matte rattle can paint under polyester. It sketches me out every time, but it works. Make sure you wait 24 hours or more for the paint to dry. Be careful sanding the gloss coat, you’re almost guaranteed a sand through.
The only waterbased spray paint I found, had solvent in it.
The board is nice and flat. After repairng each ding, delamination and dent, iI gave it one layer of 4oz on each side, and hotcoat. The deck is realy fine, but on the botom and rails it’s easy to see the diferent colour of the repairings.
I’ve read about similar situations in the archives, but abaout epoxy or sugestions to spray a clear coat on top of the paint.
And now I read about resin panels :-). On the hotcoat I didn’t add enough pigment so it was not realy opaque like I wanted. I was seeing other lighter options like the spray paint, but I also think it will be stronger with pigmented resin.
The hotcoat stage is not the right time to be adding pigment to your resin for the effect that you are after. Sand your hotccoat dead flat to 120 grit. Then you mix up a super opaque batch of gloss resin and brush it over the board as an opaque resin panel. you will have to tape of the areas where you dont want the resin panels to be. If you want full covergae, you have to tape of along the apex of the rail. lay your opaque gloss resin down on the bottom of the board over your sanded hotcoat. Brush it on the same way tou do the hotcoat. Kick it hot! pull the tape right when the resin shows its first sign of gelling. Let it fully harden, Flip the board and repeat. You can lay a piece of tape over the stringer when you do this if you want the stringer to show. Dont brush it on too thick or it will sag on the rails. Been there. Then sand your resin panels to remove the shine and so that the full gloss coat will stick. But dont sand through them! Just rough them up. then do a full gloss over the whole damn thing. This process will add weight to the board but is better than using paint in my opinion.
I agree…after all I’ve read, I gave up spray painting it.
I won’t do it on the deck. though. It had just 1 ding and the delamination, but the original image is still good, and I love the hibiscos on it! The bottom and rails had most of the repairings.