Thin The Paint?

[mspring]

Does everyone thin their paint? It seems to me you would be taking away from the paints protective qualities by thinning.

Also when I paint the bottom of my fiberglass 20 footer what paint? I fish saltwater in southwest Florida but trailer my boat after every trip.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Thin The Paint?

trailering no need to paint, other than cosmetics. just a good wash down after each use. we spend August in the keys, boat in water, every evening the a good rinse is given, before the cover goes on. keeps it clean and not salt sticky.

thin with what the mfgr says to use.

 

[mspring]

Re: Thin The Paint?

Yes cosmetic. The sides of my hull are a little chalky. Right now I had to take off my outboard so the whole hull and topside have been stripped down of its accessories and equipment. I figured while I have the motor off I will paint everything. Of course I found a soft spot in the deck so I have to repair that and check the stringers, transom is fine. What bottom paint?

 

[drewpster]

Re: Thin The Paint?

What you use to thin the paint, when to thin, and how much depends completely on what the manufacturer recommends. Generally thinning is done to improve application of the paint if less than ideal conditions exist or if special equipment is used.
Some paints require thinning as a step in using the paint.
As long as the correct thinner is used in the correct ratio, the durability of the paint is unaffected. However if you use the wrong thinner or are careless with your measuring, it can cause big problems.

 

[impman]

Re: Thin The Paint?

thinners and reducers, serve one purpose, to move paint from point a to point b. It can slow it down if you are in a warm situation