The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

Chapter 26 – Interior Construction 335
choose a varnish that is easy to apply and which dries
to a high gloss.
As we discussed in Chapter 15, experience with a
specific product is perhaps the largest single factor in a
successful paint job. If you have used one system many
times, you will be able to predict its reactions to temperature
and humidity. Always test a new product in an
inconspicuous spot to be sure that it is compatible with
the cured WEST SYSTEM epoxy surface. To gain experience
with any paint or varnish, begin by coating the
forepeak, under bunks, and other inconspicuous areas.
Sponge rollers deposit the right amount of coating faster
and better than brushes, so use them for painting and
varnishing whenever you can. Cut roller covers in half
to reach nooks, crannies, and broken surface areas more
easily. As you roll on a coat, go over the surface with a
high-quality brush to smooth it and remove any air
bubbles. It’s important to do this as soon as possible
after rolling the paint on so that it will flow naturally
and produce the smoothest surface. Use a brush to
paint areas you cannot reach with the roller.
Painting with a brush is a skill which must be learned.
<strong>The</strong> object, of course, is to get the proper amount of
coating onto the surface and smooth it out so that it
will self-level and produce an even, fine-textured
coating over all surfaces. This is most easily done on a
flat surface. <strong>The</strong> inside and outside corners of stringers,
frames, and other obstacles present coating problems
which you must overcome. Corners become natural
collection points for excess paint and are a major source
of paint runs.
A good brush is of primary importance. We advise
investing in a good badger hair or fine bristle brush.
<strong>The</strong>re has been some success with foam brushes, and in
some cases they appear superior in controlling coating
thickness. However, they also seem to have a short life
span, doing a good job at first but getting progressively
worse as the foam begins to break down.
It often seems impossible to control dust as you varnish,
but you can take steps to minimize the problem. First,
do everything you can to remove all dust and dirt from
the interior before you begin varnishing. Do not let
anyone else perform any operations that might create
dust in the shop as you work. We go so far as to spray
water on the floor around the boat. If the exterior of the
boat is still dirty, cleaning the interior isn’t going to help
much—if you sit down on the dusty exterior, the back
of your pants will be contaminated and you’ll carry dust
down into the interior. This will also happen with shoes
and anything else that becomes contaminated before
going into the interior.
Just before coating an area, give it a final wipe with the
tack rag. Keep the rag in your shirt pocket at all times.
As you paint, you may discover contaminated spots.
Stop and remove them before varnishing because
contamination will both spoil the paint or varnish in its
immediate area and affect the brush and coating
material. Enough dust and dirt will give your finish a
“non-skid” effect.
Time is important when you apply varnish. After rolling
it on, you may have a very short period in which to
play with a coating before it loses its solvents and starts
to dry. Drying times vary, as do application conditions.
In hot weather some paints will only give you a few
minutes for corrections; others will provide 15 to 20
minutes of grace for touch-ups. Since it will give you
more time in which to fill in places you’ve missed and
to fix runs, we advise varnishing in cooler temperatures
and the use of slower-drying coatings.
In all cases, we recommend following the coating
manufacturer’s instructions. If you are in doubt as to
whether a given coating will work over an epoxy base,
test the coating on an epoxy-coated piece of scrap
lumber or in an inconspicuous area of the boat.