Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

[xltom]

I finished applying gluvit and rustoleum paint to my hull on sunday. I took her out for a test run on tuesday(yesterday) and beat the crap out of the paint while trailering the boat. It's 95 degrees out today and the paint is still easily scratched with my fingernail..Even the wood rails on my trailer took off large amounts of paint. I will be repainting the scratches today but I don't have any faith in this stuff anymore. Everyone here seems to love rustoleum but my father (26yrs as a Naval engineer) says I need to use polyurathane paint.

How long did you all let your rustoleum cure for before putting your boats back on the trailer. I can't see how anyone could use this stuff successfully for the outside of a boat hull...as of now I would not advise anyone to use this product to paint a boat.

On the upside, the boat is now 100% leak free so I must say that Gluvit works great(providing it lasts)....

EDIT: By the way I used zincrom primer from NAPA(part#7222) so I don't think primer is the issue here.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Rustoleum takes a long time to fully cure. There is a 24 hour re-coat time. So if you applied more than 1 coat at a time it will not set up right. Once all the coats are done it takes 7-10 days to fully cure. I finished painting my starcraft a little over a week ago, and the paint is tough as nails. If you painted on sunday and took it out on tuesday then the paint was not fully cured. I would touch it up and let the boat sit for 1 week before using it again.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Also, are your bunks carpeted? If it is just bare wood, it will scratch the paint no matter what you do.

 

[starcrafter65]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Hey - for all us paint idiots/rookies/amateurs/hacks/embarrassments/hangingourheadsinshame....can a couple of you who have had good proven long time performance for painting our favorite SC aluminum hulls chime in briefly with your prep/primer/finish combinations?

Seems like their are enough knuckleheads like me and ezmobee who whiffed!

Thanks!!

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

THANKS GUYS!!,
This is the quickest response I've had yet on this forum..I was already planning to do pretty much what you're advising..I just washed the boat down with simple green again to get rid of any grease from my hands...probably was a bad idea. looks like it almost started to react with the paint. I should have used dish soap. I rinsed it off for like 20 minutes to be safe. I'll fix the scratches with primer where needed and paint over them. Then I'll be carpeting the "bunks" and also find a way to pad the v-shaped piece that holds the front/keel of the boat in place. That's where the worst damage was. Then I guess I'll wait an agonizing week for the paint to harden before fishing again. I'll do a fingernail check before trailering the boat.

I could swear that the rustoleum can said it hardened in 24 hours and certainly don't remember any mention of a week. If this stuff doesn't work after a week I'll buy some better paint.

I wish I could have found rustoleum in a flat finish. The glossy stuff really makes the gluvit drips visable.

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Another problem I had with the rustoleum was: it grabbed a LOT of fibers out of the roller and they are embedded in the paintjob. Maybe I needed to buy better quality roller pads?

 

[lakelover]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

can a couple of you who have had good proven long time performance for painting our favorite SC aluminum hulls chime in briefly with your prep/primer/finish combinations?

That would be a good thing. I've read a lot and it seems that one of the main recommendations is to stick within the same brand for primer/paint.

There's a good video at Jamestown Distributors that compares Pettit, Interlux and Epifanes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGCgZfuPb1A

I'll be at that phase next myself and info from successful painters would be valuable for sure.

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Rollers are a you get what you pay for item and will ruin an otherwise good paint job just as you describe. Depending on the stipple you want(prob not much) a good quality mohair roller cover is a great way to go. Even with high quality covers I always wrap them with blue painters tape just before I begin the paint job. It works great to pull ANY lint, loose hairs, etc out/off before you paint. I have had great results with rustoleum products, but as always you can go alot more $$ and get a better product.

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

I only used one coat of rustoleum so there's no chance of my having applied a second coat too soon HOWEVER the zincrom primer has no instructions on the can about how long to wait before applying a topcoat. It dries almost instantly so I only waited a couple of hours. Anybody know how long I should have waited?

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

A few hours should have been fine. Did you sand/scuff the primer before applying the Rustoleum?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

The ideal roller to use is a closed cell foam roller, like is used for very smooth surfaces, like cabinets and alum siding, which is basically what our boats are!

I have 3 coats of rustoleum on my boat, waited a few hours between coats...it was also dang near 100 degrees though...

Here is a pic of a crease from an accident,,,,no paint was removed..strong stuff and would use it again in a heartbeat

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

No I did not scuff the primer...I only used a light coat or heavy dusting so if I were 2 sand it at all it would be gone. Again there is a lack of information about this on the product.

Paint manufacturers should really include better instructions or create more user friendly products IMHO.

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

The ideal roller to use is a closed cell foam roller, like is used for very smooth surfaces, like cabinets and alum siding, which is basically what our boats are!

I have 3 coats of rustoleum on my boat, waited a few hours between coats...it was also dang near 100 degrees though...

Here is a pic of a crease from an accident,,,,no paint was removed..strong stuff and would use it again in a heartbeat

That's pretty impressive!!! Tell us what primer you used and how long you waited for the rustoleum to cure please!

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Yeah, you want to use a high density foam roller. They roll paint on super smooth....I used one to paint some of the ABS panels on my Apache camper. You have to get within a couple of feet to tell the rolled on paint from the factory finish.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

I could swear that the rustoleum can said it hardened in 24 hours and certainly don't remember any mention of a week. If this stuff doesn't work after a week I'll buy some better paint.

I wish I could have found rustoleum in a flat finish. The glossy stuff really makes the gluvit drips visable.

The can does say re-coat after 24 hours on it. Allow more time for cooler temps and high humidity. I would also deffinetly do more than one coat, allowing 24 hours between each coat. I did 4 coats on mine, Wetsanding with 1,500 grit paper between each coat. Came out really smooth, and durable.

They do have a flat finish in black and white. The other colors are all gloss.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Yeah, you want to use a high density foam roller. They roll paint on super smooth....I used one to paint some of the ABS panels on my Apache camper. You have to get within a couple of feet to tell the rolled on paint from the factory finish.

If you are rolling or brushing it on, use a product called penetrol. It helps the paint flow better and give better adhesion. It basically will eliminate the brush and roller strokes. Works well.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

That's pretty impressive!!! Tell us what primer you used and how long you waited for the rustoleum to cure please!

Hey Xltom

I waited a few hours between coats.It was my first ever paint job on a boat and had zero experience.
I didnt have to use any primer, as the original paint was solid, just had to lightly sand it to scuff the surface, wash it, toweled it off and rolled on the rusty..
Before and afters

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Another problem I had with the rustoleum was: it grabbed a LOT of fibers out of the roller and they are embedded in the paintjob. Maybe I needed to buy better quality roller pads?

What kind of high density foam roller has fiber's?

Yes the rusto takes about a week to fully cure where your fingernail will not touch it.

If you have enough time and paint left....give it another coat and let it cure

 

[xltom]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

Isaacm1986,

will you come paint my truck? That's a great paintjob...you can see clouds in it. mine looks terrible compared to that. Fortunately mine is just a little dingy. I just wanted to stop the leaks and protect the gluvit. It'll never be worth anything...

Before:

After:

sorry for the phone pics but you get the idea..I can pick it up by myself.

 

[waterdawg1960]

Re: Rustoleum paint job sucks!!! Bad advice?

I recently used rustoleum on my hardtop and after a week of letting it dry... no kidding... it has a real rough finish. It did not lay down well and because it took so long to dry it's a wonder every cat, dog and bird on the road isn't stuck to it!! So if your reading this Bondo it really does suck.(sorry guy)