# Paint prep for Interlux Brightside



## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

I just put a new front deck on my 14' skiff - fiberglass with epoxy resin over marine grade plywood. I've got everything sealed up as far as I can see. I'm going to paint with Interlux Brightside, and then put SeaDek over most of it (got the SeaDek on Black Friday for slightly less than half price). Question is, do I need to use the Interlux primer or since it's new, clean epoxy can I just lightly sand the epoxy and go with 2 coats of Brightside? How long should I let the paint cure before I stick the SeaDeck on it?


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Why are you going to use Brightside? You've spent some coin to get this far, dish out the extra loot and get Interlux Perfection. It is MUCH better. 
You will need to prime it, for sure.

The issue with Bright side is that it may or may not dry properly. And even then dried properly, it'll always be soft; it'll peel off easily if you were to peel it. A catalyzed paint, such as Perfection will dry solid. I know this from experience, as I was a professional painter at Broward Shipyard, Cigarette Racing, Motion Power Boats, Carnival Cruises, Renegade Power Boats, Princess Cruises, and painted professionally for over a decade. 

It is worth the extra coin for the Perfection. Anyway, a 'one quart' kit of Perfection becomes almost two sprayable-quarts once you add catalyzer and reducer.

I would recommend a catalyzed primer, too.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

Thanks, PIB. Unfortunately I have zero experience as a painter (and this is my first real boat mod) so I'm trying to keep it simple. I don't have a sprayer or any experience spraying, so I was planning to roll and tip. I got this boat and trailer for $750 and have spent about $350 on the deck, so trying to keep it cheap. I want it to look decent, but mostly want to get it back on the water so my fishing buddy (aka my 17 year old son) and I can fish.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

View attachment 4046


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Brightside will do just fine. Prep is the key and involves lots of sanding. For new, uncracked or crazed fiberglass, no priming is necessary. Clean the surface with the recommended solvent and sand with 220 grit. Roll and tip is far more effective in terms of paint consumption, and requires minimal masking and none of the respirators and gear necessary for spraying. If done right Brightside will give a very nice, long lasting finish. It's the way to go unless you're a professional and have access to pro gear and a generous budget.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

If your glass work is sanded properly and clean there's no need for a primer on that unfinished hull interior. Priming is primarily for filling in tiny imperfections before final sanding. If you spray the paint over raw glass it will show tiny pin holes. A paint roller or brush will force it into everything really good and make life easier.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Priming is also for having a uniform undertone for your paint layer. You can roll and tip Perfection, it doesn't have to be sprayed. You'll be sorry down the line when your SeaDek starts to come off with the paint underneath. When you use cheap product, you end up needing to use more of it, so it ends up costing you almost the same thing when you're buying two-three quarts of paint instead of getting away with one quart of good stuff. I've been down this road many times. Budget in the extra $80 to get the good stuff. You should never settle for "good enough", when it can and likely will effect your investment in the SeaDek plus the amount of time spent doing all the work.

Interlux Perfection is a DIY guy's best bet. It is not a professional type paint in the sense that it is dummy proof. The kit comes ready to mix. You pour the catalyst directly into the can of paint, as they use a taller can to accommodate for the mixed batch. And it's really not much more than Brightside. Brightside is what? $35 a quart? Perfection is $60 a quart. It's not like I am recommending you use a professional paint like Awlgrip or Sterling that would run you $180 for a quart kit. I don't know how much paint you would waste to roll and tip that skiff, I'd say to spray it, if it was primed, a quart kit of perfection should do two coats, and be sufficient. Two quart kit's would be more than enough to spray it.

I would recommend a respirator, even if you're going with the roll and tip method. Paint fumes are paint fumes. If you use a thinner (which Brightsides requires a brushing thinner), the thinner will "flash off" as it dries, releasing it's vapors into the air. You should be able to get a respirator for around $20. Maybe a little pricier at Home Depot.


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## RobA (Aug 21, 2015)

I've used brightsides and perfection with no prior painting experience and they are simple to apply. The perfection is much, much, much more durable. The brightsides has the advantage of being super easy to touch up. 

I have no experience with applying seadek, but I would be a little concerned applying it over brightsides.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

View attachment 4047



paint it black said:


> Priming is also for having a uniform undertone for your paint layer. You can roll and tip Perfection, it doesn't have to be sprayed. You'll be sorry down the line when your SeaDek starts to come off with the paint underneath. When you use cheap product, you end up needing to use more of it, so it ends up costing you almost the same thing when you're buying two-three quarts of paint instead of getting away with one quart of good stuff. I've been down this road many times. Budget in the extra $80 to get the good stuff. You should never settle for "good enough", when it can and likely will effect your investment in the SeaDek plus the amount of time spent doing all the work.
> 
> Interlux Perfection is a DIY guy's best bet. It is not a professional type paint in the sense that it is dummy proof. The kit comes ready to mix. You pour the catalyst directly into the can of paint, as they use a taller can to accommodate for the mixed batch. And it's really not much more than Brightside. Brightside is what? $35 a quart? Perfection is $60 a quart. It's not like I am recommending you use a professional paint like Awlgrip or Sterling that would run you $180 for a quart kit. I don't know how much paint you would waste to roll and tip that skiff, I'd say to spray it, if it was primed, a quart kit of perfection should do two coats, and be sufficient. Two quart kit's would be more than enough to spray it.
> 
> I would recommend a respirator, even if you're going with the roll and tip method. Paint fumes are paint fumes. If you use a thinner (which Brightsides requires a brushing thinner), the thinner will "flash off" as it dries, releasing it's vapors into the air. You should be able to get a respirator for around $20. Maybe a little pricier at Home Depot.


My problem is access to, and experience with, a sprayer. Other than Krylon paint of some DIY shelf projects at home, I've never sprayed anything in my life. I've already bought the Brightside, but based on the sum total of comments I've gotten, I'll take the Brightside back and get the Perfection kit. Would it be OK to paint only the areas that will be exposed, and let the SeaDek adhere directly to the epoxy surface? About 95% of the deck, and 100% of the walking/standing areas, will be covered with SeaDek.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

Battfisher said:


> View attachment 4047
> 
> 
> 
> My problem is access to, and experience with, a sprayer. Other than Krylon paint of some DIY shelf projects at home, I've never sprayed anything in my life. I've already bought the Brightside, but based on the sum total of comments I've gotten, I'll take the Brightside back and get the Perfection kit. Would it be OK to paint only the areas that will be exposed, and let the SeaDek adhere directly to the epoxy surface? About 95% of the deck, and 100% of the walking/standing areas, will be covered with SeaDek.


I've filled in the gap between the deck and the rolled gunnel with epoxy thickened with milled fiberglass, and will fair that a little bit with a small fillet between the deck and the gunnel.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Battfisher said:


> View attachment 4047
> 
> 
> 
> My problem is access to, and experience with, a sprayer. Other than Krylon paint of some DIY shelf projects at home, I've never sprayed anything in my life. I've already bought the Brightside, but based on the sum total of comments I've gotten, I'll take the Brightside back and get the Perfection kit. Would it be OK to paint only the areas that will be exposed, and let the SeaDek adhere directly to the epoxy surface? About 95% of the deck, and 100% of the walking/standing areas, will be covered with SeaDek.


You will have great results using the roll and tip method using Perfection. And yes, you should be fine just painting the areas that will be exposed, I'd leave a "bleed area" though; meaning paint a little bit into the area that will be SeaDek'd, just to make sure you don't miss an area when you lay the SeaDek down.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

I am practically color blind - is Perfection Matterhorn White what a layman would call "light gray"? Platinum looks a bit dark. My SeaDek is Snow Camo, which is whites and grays in a camo pattern.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

Matterhorn White is essentially an "off white" that throws a gray hue, instead of throwing a dated yellow hue. It's a nice color, I had my skiff Matterhorn white with Snow Camo SeaDek, and will do the same on my new skiff being built.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

paint it black said:


> You will have great results using the roll and tip method using Perfection. And yes, you should be fine just painting the areas that will be exposed, I'd leave a "bleed area" though; meaning paint a little bit into the area that will be SeaDek'd, just to make sure you don't miss an area when you lay the SeaDek down.


I've watched this forum for about 5 years and read many of your posts and wish I could have bought a few of your boats, so I truly appreciate your input and guidance.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

My first stab at fairing - the joint around the deck perimeter. Using Quikfair. Goes on easy, as advertised - but a lot harder to sand than I'd thought. Ended up taking the orbital sander to it which seemed to work fine. Have to go back and fill in the low spots resulting from my inexperience.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Surface preparation is key, don't skip any steps or you will regret it later whether it be $5 rattle can or $500 worth of high end paint.


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## Battfisher (Jan 18, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Surface preparation is key, don't skip any steps or you will regret it later whether it be $5 rattle can or $500 worth of high end paint.


Good call. My kids are out of school for 2 weeks and dying to go fishing, but we can wait an extra day or 2 to make it right. I finished the little bit of fairing I'm doing - which looks more like "needs improvementing".


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

The priming coat will take a few more hours and and a couple more dollars for materials, but will do a lot more than just help the top coat adhere.
It will help the topcoat flow out and lay down smoother, and it will also give a more consistent surface which will result in a more consistent finish.
I'm in a similar situation...I JUST WANT TO GET THAT FINAL COAT ON TO SEE HOW PRETTY MY BUILD WILL END UP! But, like you, a lot of hours went into the glass work sanding and fairing, so why not put down a prime coat and give the top coat the chance to perform its best.
I just laid my first primer, and it really settled my fears. The painting is so much easier than all the prep work. Good choice to upgrade to the two-part perfection.


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