Above Deck Refit.
In June we began the work of giving Bananas a face lift above deck. Two years ago we hired a professional to paint the deck of Bananas with Awlgrip. As you can see by the pictures at right the results were less than satisfactory. Please contact us before choosing this product.
We searched for paints that were user friendly and companies that were customer service oriented and would help us work through any problems we might encounter. We chose Interlux's new paint “ Perfection”(highly recommended); for the smooth surfaces and Durabak for the non-skid (again, highly recommended and available on our website). Both of these products are designed for the do-it-yourself individual and the companies were very helpful when we contacted them about their products and their applications.
We began by removing the peeling paint. We thought since the paint was peeling we could lift it off with a pressure washer. We found this not to be true. All it would remove was the loose edges. We then explored the possibility of painting over the remaining paint. Again, this process failed when the paint began coming loose around the edges. We ended up sanding the paint off.
Once that work was complete, we grooved out all the stress cracks with an xacto-tool and filled them with Formula 27. We removed all the deck hardware and hatches and sent them to the local glass shop for new Lexan. Once the hardware had been removed from the decks we finished sanding. With the surfaces properly prepared we primed with “Interlux's Epoxy Primekote” using the mini foam rollers. (we liked them because they work well in tight areas). Then we sanded with the greatest sandpaper we have ever found, 3M's Gold Roll Stikit 216U 320 grit. This paper just keeps on working. When it seems to have worn out just clean it and keep on using it. It leaves a very smooth surface to apply a finish to.
Next we applied two coats of to all the smooth surfaces on deck. “Interlux Perfection” is a two part polyurethane that requires sanding between coats with the 320 and using the roll and tip method. Again, we used a mini foam roller and a very high grade of china bristle brush. We frequently changed the roller as they break down from the two part paint. We tried the rollers made for the two part polyurethane's but found the mini foam roller easier to use in tight areas. They work great but you must change them when they show signs of becoming soft. You will need to experiment for yourself and find what works best for you. (tip: be sure to wipe your surface down with Interlux brushing reducer just before you paint.) We painted early in the morning because of the summer heat. We also provided shade over the areas we were working to keep the paint from setting up too fast and giving it time to flow out.
With the smooth surfaces complete we were ready to tackle the non-skid surface which is the largest part of our deck. For this project we chose Durabak which is known by most of you as truck bed liner. After doing extensive research on non-skid and the various methods that can be used for a boat deck we settled on this product for the following reasons:
Ease of application.
Durability
Ease of repair if damaged
Its inherent ability to stick to anything especially itself
Its non-skid properties
Premixed
Can be over coated in approximately one hour
Because we had previously prepared all of the surfaces we were ready to start painting.
We broke the non-skid areas into 3 sections and painted one section each day. We masked off the smooth areas which had recently been painted with Perfection. We purchased 2 gallons of the paint mixed with the non-skid mixture and 1 gallon without. We painted the first coat using their special Stipple Roller. It is a must to use this roller to achieve the proper results. In approximately two hours we applied a second coat of paint without the non-skid granules. We found this necessary because the finish with the non-skid mixture was more aggressive than what we wanted. Applying a coat of the paint without the non-skid mix also reduces the aggressiveness of the finish.
The company recommends removing the tape as soon as the painting has been completed. We often had to wait until the next day to remove tape with an xacto-knife to remove areas that did not want to release. Looking back, I would recommend working with smaller areas or having someone working with you to remove the tape if you choose to work with larger areas.
Once the painting was completed all of the hardware was replaced one piece at a time. Each piece was inspected, cleaned, re-lubricated and re-bedded back into its original location. Once that process had been completed the work began on the outside teak components. Staying true to our desire to find products that are easy to use and easy to reapply with the least amount of preparation we chose a product named TeaQua.(highly recommended and available on our website). The teak was stripped, sanded and cleaned with teak cleaner. Three coats of TeaQua were then applied.
Next we re-installed the teak that had been removed and re-bedded it. This product leaves the teak looking new (see pictures at right) and maintains the non-skid properties of natural teak. TeaQua claims that you can go two years between applications but we have found this product is so easy to use that we reapply when the teak first shows signs of deterioration. We simply clean it with soap and water, allow it to dry and reapply. We have found with each application the time between coats is extending itself. Clean up is with water so taping is not required when you want to recoat. You can cover all of your teak in an hour or so. We apply with a foam brush and then rub in with a soft rag to achieve a very nice, near gloss finish. We have tried many of the others including Cetol, Bristol, Sterling and Varnish, but we recommend this as the best and easist to use. If you are like us you want easy and fast so your boat will look good but you can spend more time on the water and not working on your boat. The last phase of Bananas refit was new canvas. While we are the ultimate do-it-yourselfer's, some things are better left to the professionals. By the time we factored in the cost of a commercial sewing machine as well as the materials, we decided it was worthwhile to hire a professional. We moved the bimini hardware from the deck to the stern rail (see pictures at right and I might mention that the stainless steel hardware can be purchased in our ship’s store) . This cleaned the deck up making it easier to get in and out of the cockpit plus provided more shade for the warm Florida summers. We have other projects scheduled for next year and will update our site as we go along. These two projects completed our major refit for Bananas.
Above Deck Refit.
In June we began the work of giving Bananas a face lift above deck. Two years ago we hired a professional to paint the deck of Bananas with Awlgrip. As you can see by the pictures at right the results were less than satisfactory. Please contact us before choosing this product.
We searched for paints that were user friendly and companies that were customer service oriented and would help us work through any problems we might encounter. We chose Interlux's new paint “ Perfection”(highly recommended); for the smooth surfaces and Durabak for the non-skid (again, highly recommended and available on our website). Both of these products are designed for the do-it-yourself individual and the companies were very helpful when we contacted them about their products and their applications.
We began by removing the peeling paint. We thought since the paint was peeling we could lift it off with a pressure washer. We found this not to be true. All it would remove was the loose edges. We then explored the possibility of painting over the remaining paint. Again, this process failed when the paint began coming loose around the edges. We ended up sanding the paint off.
Once that work was complete, we grooved out all the stress cracks with an xacto-tool and filled them with Formula 27. We removed all the deck hardware and hatches and sent them to the local glass shop for new Lexan. Once the hardware had been removed from the decks we finished sanding. With the surfaces properly prepared we primed with “Interlux's Epoxy Primekote” using the mini foam rollers. (we liked them because they work well in tight areas). Then we sanded with the greatest sandpaper we have ever found, 3M's Gold Roll Stikit 216U 320 grit. This paper just keeps on working. When it seems to have worn out just clean it and keep on using it. It leaves a very smooth surface to apply a finish to.
Next we applied two coats of to all the smooth surfaces on deck. “Interlux Perfection” is a two part polyurethane that requires sanding between coats with the 320 and using the roll and tip method. Again, we used a mini foam roller and a very high grade of china bristle brush. We frequently changed the roller as they break down from the two part paint. We tried the rollers made for the two part polyurethane's but found the mini foam roller easier to use in tight areas. They work great but you must change them when they show signs of becoming soft. You will need to experiment for yourself and find what works best for you. (tip: be sure to wipe your surface down with Interlux brushing reducer just before you paint.) We painted early in the morning because of the summer heat. We also provided shade over the areas we were working to keep the paint from setting up too fast and giving it time to flow out.
With the smooth surfaces complete we were ready to tackle the non-skid surface which is the largest part of our deck. For this project we chose Durabak which is known by most of you as truck bed liner. After doing extensive research on non-skid and the various methods that can be used for a boat deck we settled on this product for the following reasons:
