Roll and Tip paint
 

Has anyone had any luck with rolling/tipping paint? I’m trying it now, but it looks nothing like the videos and pics I’ve been researching online. I think it’s coming out looking like orange peel and fish eye, but it’s also flashing extremely fast. I’ve been using a 10:1 paint and reducer mix like TotalBoat , the paint manufacturer recommends and it’s a one part poilyurethan paint.

I have not place indoors to do this work and I don’t want to spray again because it creates a mess and the neighbors along with their pets were high for a week last time. Oops...

Any tips, tricks, recommendations?

Use a two part urethane , Interlux perfection. It's bullet proof. 90% is prepping and cleaning the surface before painting. If you are doing a larger surface area you may need help so there is not too much time between rolling and tipping. Use a foam roller and a good Badger brush. Watch the humidity level and the temperature.

Thank you. I'll give that a shot and it's sold locally at West Marine.

Use the brushing thinner/reducer. Clean the substrate with the recommended Interlux cleaner degreaser.

I do alot of varnishing on my old chriscraft. What I found was the best finish was using a 1/8 nap foam roller with no tipping. Comes out like a mirror. Just going to a 3/16 roller did not give good results. This is 3 coats just sanding with scotchbrite pads.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...1bfd273e24.jpg

Varnishing is different than polyurethanes. You do not sand the final coat of two part polyurethanes. Their chemistry allows a clear coat layer to rise to the surface as they cure. This is why they need to be tipped. The layer is very thin and is not suitable for sanding and polishing.

What happens if you don't tip? When i do tip the paint, it leaves horrible brush strokes that don't flatten out. I've done tests on spare fiber glass/gel pieces I have and it came out better with a 1/8 knapp non-foam roller without tipping.

Actually your not supposed to sand and buff varnish-it removes the uv layers that rise to the surface. My point was the short nap roller leaves a very smooth surface that flattens out very quickly. The brush strokes cause deeper grooves that must settle even further. I was shocked at the difference in finish between the 1/8 and 3/16.

So, I have single stage polyurethane paint. The foam rollers leave it looking horrible. Should I use the 1/8 or 3/16 roller for a better finish and less work on the back end of the job? Honestly, I'm looking to finish this and get out from under it.... '83 Excaliber 38

Look at the Interlux videos. You should be using a solid foam "weinie" roller or a 1/16" foam roller. Tipping is not brushing! You are just touching the air bubbles with the brush tip to let them release. There should be no brush marks. I have done four full size boats up to 28' with this method and excellent results. It is all about technique and product.

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O.k. That makes sens. Just busting the bubbles. I’m giving it a shot today. The paint looks better with a 1/8 knap roller than it does a foam roller.

Well, the flat horizontal surfaces of the decck came out looking like glass. The vertical surfaces came out looking like rough orange peel. Any ideas how to do that right?

What paint are you using? On the vertical surfaces roll horizontally and tip vertically about two horizontal feet at a time making sure to keep the "wet edge" wet as you finish one section and start another. It is normally much better to put two to three thin coats on as opposed to one thick coat. It sounds as if you are applying the paint too thick on the sides. Thin it some more and it will flow out. Glad that the deck looks good as it should. If you got the Total Boat paint from Jamestown, call them and tell them what is happening. As I stated earlier I much prefer the paints from Akzo Nobel, Interlux and Awlgrip. Bob.

I think rolling too thick is the problem, but I did thin it out to 2oz per 10z instead of 1:10. I've got some spare fiberglass pieces I can stand up vertical and try it out today. And yes, I have the total boat paint. This stuff is hard, though. Sanding with 400grit or higher doesn't even do anything. Guess I need to go much lower, smooth it out and do a very light layer. It rained really hard the past two days (cured for 5 days with no rain), so it's actually very dirty looking. i did small patches like recommended and lightly ran the brush over the surface as recommended to get the bubbles out, it looked very smooth, then dried like you see it in the 2nd pic.

https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...9b&oe=5EC1096B
https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...43&oe=5EBE1E42

Sounds as if you are on the right track. I assume that you are wet sanding, and it you are sanding between coats after the no sanding time period has passed, then wet sand with 320, wash with soap and water, and wipe down dry then wipe with appropriate reducer to totally clean the surface. Definitely practice on the vertical panels. Make sure that you are using brushing reducer not spray reducer also. Good luck. Bob.

I did sand between coats. 220 dry isn't even making a mark on this stuff. Yikes. I'm going to hit it with a more abrasive paper and then go back over with a higher grit wt sand before I do the next coat. Was going to start sanding the morning, but the weather doesn't want to cooperate here in NE FL. I'll also have to try paint next weekend if the weather is nice.

220 is too aggressive. A thin coat of paint will not fill the scratches. With 220 then 320 you are just removing paint. What you want to do is to just scuff the surface so the next coat has more to grip. Just use 320 wet with soapy water and always sand wet!

Will do. thanks

So, I think I got this roll and tip paint technique going better. You can see where I stopped (not as shiny) but I do need a 2nd coat. Gotta wait until later this evening or early morning to mix another batch of paint so it doesn't start to dry too quick. I did a test batch on the blue part of the hull and it laid out smooth for once, so I will be repainting the bottom part, too. The paint on it looked great, but I couldn't mix it flexible enough to keep from chipping.

https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1c&oe=5ED5713F
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Well, I got some of the Total boat topside pain in the color I wanted and rolled on the first coat. Not bad at all, but i did mix 10:4 paint-to-thinner instead of a 10:1 mix because of the heat. roll on with a foam roller (lightly with little to no pressure) horizontally then smooth out with another foam roller vertically that wasn't dipped in the paint.

Sanded before:
https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...01&oe=5EFD858D

First coat rolled on:
https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...82&oe=5EFCD041
https://scontent-mia3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a6&oe=5EFD3192

Pettit ezpoxy