I wonder if 95% ethanol (they still call it methylated spirits but there is actually no methanol in it) will do damage to surfboards.
I have used it many times to clean a board and never observed any problems, but I am intending to more or less soak a board in alcohol for hours. The purpose is to paint a board for sun protection, but have the option to remove the paint years later without damage to the board.
Some paints can be washed off with alcohol even years after application, but it involves extended soaking to soften the paint, and that could cause damage in case the alcohol is able to penetrate or dissolve the polyester or the epoxy resin slowly.
So, any of you chemically educated people, please let me know how impervious (or otherwise) the average surfboard is against being soaked in alcohol.
You be the guinee pig. I do know that ethanol will eat some poliester resins. Doubt anyone here has soaked a board for any length of time in anything other than seawater. I have accidently wiped a board with solvent and messed up the acrylic top coat.
I also noticed on one board that alcohol cannot be used even for a quick wipe clean. I don’t know exactly what resin was used to make the board, but it is a water based epoxy resin. The resin becomes milky when exposed to alcohol, but then it seems to dry out clear again.
DNA will remove Acylic paint from a polyester finish without damage to the Poly. Just slop it on with a rag and scrub it off with a 3M automotive pad. Keep it wet and work fast. Do not let the DNA dry. The best way to remove paint from a surfboard is to sand it off. Better to frequently change gummy sand paper than breath DNA.u
Methanol is not as good a solvent as ethanol because it’s a short molecule, but it can leach out unreacted monomer and plasticiser or other additives. This may result in the resin (surface) becoming a tad more brittle. Depends on the extent of crosslinking in the resin and presence of additives.
But, why use paint? It’s just another (mostly alkyd) resinwith additives and opaquing agents like clay. Heavy for a surfboard application.
I have an acrylic airbrushed board coated with clear UV acrylic. I can remove it with turps or thinners and a cloth without soaking or damaging the board because I’ve stuffed artwork up in the past doing just that.