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SML Boat Restoration Project

We get our hands dirty and learn what our customers have to go through.

Product Comparison tool

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Paint Area Calculator For Boats

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Frequently Asked Questions


COLOURS


Q. Can I email you a photo to colour match? 
A. We are unable to match to colours on a screen. Please send us a physical paint sample through or provide us with the colour code and name over the phone. 

Q. Can you send me a colour chart?
A. As we can tint to almost any colour (including free colour matching) Jotun don’t produce a colour chart of their own. BS and RAL colour charts are available for sale under the accessories section. 

Q. What colour can I get my paint in? 
A. A full list of ranges and colours is available under each individual product on our website. Can’t see the colour you want? Give us a call! 

Q. Do you supply sample pots or sachets? 
A. We have too many different types of paint to be able to supply sample pots. Some of our paints come in .75 and 1 litre sizes so we recommend ordering a smaller tin before commiting to a larger quantity if you are unsure.

 

DELIVERY


Q. I live in the Scottish isles/Ireland, are you able to ship to me?  
A. Currently, we are unable to offer shipping to these locations due to carrier restrictions regarding ferries (unless the island is connected to the mainland via a bridge). 

Q. When it comes to shipping, what is classed as a ‘working day’?
A. Monday-Friday are classed as working days. For example, if you place a next working day order before 2pm on a Friday, you could expect delivery on Monday. Bank holidays are not included in working days.
 
Q. Can I request ParcelForce to ring me on delivery?
A. ParcelForce drivers are not supplied with work mobile phones. Calling customers is at their own discretion and not guaranteed. 

Q. I live in France, can you deliver outside of the UK?
A. In accordance with our distributor agreement with Jotun, we are unable to ship outside of the UK

Q. Can I ask ParcelForce to leave my order in a safe place? 
A. If your delivery doesn’t include paint or is made up of all water based products, we can request the carrier to leave your order without a signature. 

Q. Who do I contact if I have a query about my delivery once it has been dispatched? 
A. You can use the tracking information provided by ParcelForce to keep an eye on where your delivery is or to rearrange delivery etc. 

 

PAINT QUERIES


Q. I want to start painting but I’m unsure what the existing coating is. How can I find out compatibility?
A. Send us a request for some free paint test sachets. This will indicate the best paint system to use. 

Q. How long can I leave between coats? 
A. Check the application guide (under ‘guides’ on each product page) for dry times etc. 

Q. Can I apply a two pack over a single pack product?
A. Unless it states otherwise (e.g. Ballastic Epoxy) we do not recommend applying a two-pack product over a single pack. A single pack paint over a two pack, however, is fine. 

Q. Do you sell non slip paint? 
A. We sell Anti-Slip Beads and Anti-Skid Additive which are used in conjunction with our products to provide a ‘non-slip’ surface.

Q. I don’t need 5L of paint. Is there a smaller alternative? 
A. Take a look at our Shield and Lustre range of primers and topcoats (available in 2.5L/1L). 

Q. Can I paint over Sikaflex or similar sealants? 
A. This is a source of much frustration as Sikaflex says you can but as far as we can tell you can't. Most solvent based paints will simply not dry/cure over Sikaflex. We would not recommend painting over Sikaflex or similar sealants.

Q. What is the coverage of the paint in sq. metres per litre?
A. This depends both on the type of paint and the method of application.  Using a brush or roller, coverage will be around 8m² per litre per coat for the primers and 10m² per litre for the topcoats. 

Q. The data sheets refer to a “Volume Solids” percentage.  What does this mean?
A. Paint comprises solid matter held in suspension by liquid in the form of solvent.  When the paint had dried and all the liquid has evaporated, the dry film thickness will be the wet film thickness multiplied by the volume solids.  For example, a paint with 60% volume solids applied at a wet thickness of 100 microns (typical if you’re using a brush or roller) will have a dry thickness of 60 microns.

Q. What’s the difference between a “single pack” paint and a “two pack” paint?
A. A two-pack paint requires two components to be mixed together prior to application. Once mixed, a chemical reaction starts that causes the paint to cure and harden.  Epoxy paints are examples of two-pack paints.  If you don’t mix the two components together, the paint won’t cure.  Araldite is an example of a two-pack epoxy (except it’s glue, not paint!).  Two-pack paints are much more durable than single packs, but they are generally much less flexible than single packs, so they are only suitable for application to certain surfaces.  They also contain strong solvents which may cause other paints (particularly single packs) to blister.  See other question on Can I apply a two pack over a single pack product?

Q. How long will the paint take to dry?
A. This depends on the type of paint and the surrounding temperature.  Refer to the data sheet for the particular paint you are using.  This gives details on drying times at various temperatures.

Q. What is the shelf life of the paint?
A. Typically four years in a tightly sealed tin.  The main exceptions to this are the antifoulings, all of which have a shelf life of between 6 and 18 months.

Q. How many coats of paint should I apply?
A. It depends on the circumstances and the paint you are using. 
Primers - For primers protecting bare steel, wood or GRP, the more coats you apply, the better the protection will be.  There is no such thing as a paint that is impermeable to water: what you are doing is putting up a barrier to water – the thicker this barrier the longer water will take to get through it.  Two-pack primers will last at least twice as long as single packs when applied at the same film thickness. Using a brush, for lasting protection the minimum number of coats below the waterline should be three.  Above the waterline apply a minimum of two coats.  It is a good idea to alternate colours between coats as this helps ensure more even coverage. If you are painting over a surface that is already painted and in reasonable condition, then two coats should be sufficient.
Topcoats - Two-coats will be sufficient if using a brush or roller.

Q. Can Jotun paint be sprayed?
A. Primers - yes, but only using high pressure airless spray.  The paint is too thick for conventional airspray.  Airless spray is the best method of application as it is possible to lay down high film thicknesses in a minimum of coats.
Topcoats - Very good results can be achieved using conventional airspray.  For high quality work, airspray is preferable to airless spray as the spray mist is finer and the finish will be smoother.  In cold weather it may be necessary to thin the paint by 5-10%.

Q. How ultra violet resistant is the paint?
A. Epoxy paints are not ultraviolet resistant and will “chalk” when exposed to UV light for a period of time.  This chalking is a white powdery residue that comes to the surface of the paint.  It is cosmetic only and will not affect the performance of the paint.  This is one of the main reasons why epoxy primers are overcoated with a topcoat – for better cosmetic appearance.  Two-pack polyurethanes are the most UV resistant and will retain their gloss and colour for at least twice as long as the best single pack topcoats.
 

ALUMINIUM QUERIES


Q. What is a typical paint system for an aluminium vessel?
A. If painting on to new or completely sanded aluminium we recommend using Penguard HB  or Jotacote Universal as a primer. Then a topcoat or antifouling can be applied depending on whether the area to be painted is above or below the waterline. For information and advice on the most suitable paint system please contact us.

Q. Is it okay to use copper based antifouling on an aluminium vessel?
A. Because the copper will react with the aluminium hull causing galvanic corrosion the recommendation is to only use grey and white as these colours contain no copper and so will not damage the vessel. 

Q. What is galvanic corrosion?
A. Galvanic corrosion is an electrochemical process that occurs when one metal corrodes when connected to another and immersed in an electrolyte (saltwater). It occurs because different metals and alloys have different electrical potentials, and under the right conditions one will transfer elections to another. The electrical potential of various metals and alloys can be found here.

An example of galvanic corrosion would be an aluminium hull connected to a stainless steel propeller shaft. In this case aluminium is more reactive and will act as what is called an anode and the less reactive stainless steel will act as a cathode. In a conductive solution like saltwater the electric potential will cause ion migration from the anode to the cathode causing anode to "dissolve".

This sort of reaction can be incredibly useful (for example it is used in many batteries), however on the hull of a aluminium vessels it is certainly not desirable. The easiest way to prevent galvanic corrosion is to insulate the two metals as without electrical contact there can be no ion migration. Another option is to use sacrificial anodes. These are reactive metals which will preferentially corrode and are typically made from zinc, magnesium or aluminium.

 

GRP/FIBREGLASS QUERIES


Q. What is a typical paint system for a GRP/Fibreglass vessel?
A. If painting on to a new substrate or to a clean gelcoat we recommend using Penguard HB as a primer both above and below the waterline. In order to prevent osmosis a dry film thickness (DFT) of at least 300 microns should be applied. Then below the waterline apply Vinyguard Silvergrey 88 as a tiecoat followed by antifouling. Above the waterline then a suitable topcoat/deck paint can be applied.

Q. How can I prevent osmosis in my GRP vessel?
A. Osmosis is recognised as the main enemy of fibreglass boats. It occurs as a result of water vapour and humidity transmission through the gelcoat layer which in turn affects the fiberglass laminate and its structural resistance. One way of preventing osmosis occurring is to use Penguard HB (as mentioned above) which is a high build epoxy coating that is much more waterproof than the gelcoat.
Note: Moisture content of the hull has to be less than 1% before application of any coatings.

 

STEEL QUERIES


Q. What is a typical paint system for a steel vessel?
A. If painting on to shop primed steel or to old steel that has been thoroughly cleaned we recommend priming the surface with a product from Jotun's Jotamastic Range. If painting below the waterline Vinyguard Silvergrey 88 should be used as a tiecoat before the application of antifouling. Both single (with the exception being Pilot II) and two-pack topcoats can be applied directly onto any of the Jotamastic products.

Q. How long will my Jotun paint system last?
A. This is dependent on several factors. The two most important are the standard of preparation and the dry film thickness (DFT) of paint applied. If the standard of preparation is high (ideally steel should be shot-blasted to Sa2.5 or hand prepared to St2.5) and you apply Jotmastic 90 with a DFT of 350 microns we would expect the service interval to be at least 10 years. If you increase the DFT to 400 microns then the service interval increases to over 15 years. More advanced paint systems will include a aluminium flake epoxy as the first coat to steel as this provides further corrosion protection. 

Q. Is it okay to use copper based antifouling on a steel vessel?
A. Yes. There is no adverse reaction between the copper and the steel hull.

 

ORDERING


Q. Can I place an order over the telephone?
A. Due to the high number of calls we are receiving; we urge customers to place their orders through our website to avoid disappointment regarding cut off times. 

 

RUST CONVERTERS


Q. Should I apply a rust convertor prior to painting?
A. We advise against using rust convertors or inhibitors as they tend to react when being overcoated. Please see our page on RUST for more information.

 

ACCESSORIES


Q. What type of roller should I use? 
A. Our Blue Stripe rollers are best suited to antifouls and primers, whereas the SuperSmooth and SuperFine rollers are best for topcoats. 
 


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