Can gelcoat be painted over? Yes gelcoat can certainly be painted over, but there are certain things you need to take into consideration before you undertake such a job.
Things like the right kind of paint for instance.
Painting over gelcoat isn’t something I normally recommend except in extreme circumstances like when the gelcoat has been so badly neglected that even sanding and polishing won’t bring it back or the gelcoat has been previously sanded and compound and it’s beginning to go thin.
That being said painting does have its merits especially if you want to change the colour or the boat is on the larger side and re gelling just isn’t financially viable.
Table of Contents
The Problem With Painting
The main problem with paint is durability. Boats operate in a harsh environment and are subject to scrapes and knocks. Gelcoat is much harder than paint and applied in a much thicker layer which is more suitable to withstand the day to day rigours of boating.
When you do get the inevitable scratch or chip, gelcoat can be sanded and polished and look like new, paint is a totally different kettle of fish.
And if you’ve ever had to get your car repaired for even the smallest scratch you’ll know it can be very expensive.
Type of Paint
What type of paint you choose is very important, even though I have seen boats that have been painted with household gloss paint I really wouldn’t recommend it!
There are types of specialized paints available such as International, Epiphanes and Hempels or Awlgrip, but you can also use 2k car paint.
Preparation of the Gelcoat
The finish you achieve will depend on the surface of the existing gelcoat. Any imperfections will need the appropriate filling and fairing.
It’s worth it at this point to carefully inspect the entire area to be painted for any cracks in the gelcoat. Any that are found will need to be properly repaired prior to painting.
If you are not familiar with how to repair cracks or holes then this post here and here will help you do it.
You have to remember that paint is quite thin and it won’t cover like gelcoat so you need to be happy with the surface because that is basically what the finish will look like after painting.
The whole surface will need keying up so the paint sticks to it, you don’t want any shiny spots. p240 on a da sander will make light work of an otherwise tedious, but necessary job, but before that it’s best to wipe the entire area with a degreaser like acetone.
Each paint is different and you will need to refer to your chosen paint regarding primer.
Types of Application
Once you have everything nicely sanded with no shiny bits, any imperfections filled and faired and any cracks repaired you need to start thinking about how you are going to paint it.
To get the best possible finish you need to spray it on, especially after the hard work prepping it you want it to look the best it can.
Using a roller and laying off with a brush can be used with certain paints, but if you want top notch then spraying is the way to go.
The trouble with that is the average boat owner doesn’t have the skills needed to spray, let alone the actual equipment, so that is a job best left to the professionals.
It really does depend what you want from the finished project and of course, budget.
Where To Paint It
If you are doing the painting in a boatyard you’re going to need to think about overspray on neighbouring boats, so you’re more than likely going to need to tent your boat.
If it’s a professional job then they would obviously take care of that for you.
Circumstances might dictate what form of painting you undertake and applying by brush might be the only option.
You will need to choose a day where there is a low chance of rain and is best to get it done mid morning or early afternoon so it has time to dry without risk of it getting damp but you also don’t want it too windy with the risk of debris blowing onto your freshly painted surface.
My Choice
Can you paint over gelcoat? yes, but painting over gelcoat might seem the easy option and yes you can save yourself some money, but in my opinion it’s not the way to go.
I’m actually in the middle of a renovation at the moment and after all the fairing has been done I’ll be spraying that and it won’t be with paint, it’ll be with gelcoat.
It’s all a case of horses for courses.
I hope this post has helped in some way and I wish you good luck with your project.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me here, I’ll help you in any way I can.