How To Ensure Your Boat Deck Paint Lasts Longer Than The First Voyage

The integrity of your boat is key to a safe voyage. The integrity of deck paint is key to a safe budget. While painting your boat deck might seem straightforward, the way you approach it can make a difference between a long-lasting coating and needing a refresh every month.

If you want to make sure your boat deck paint lasts longer than the first voyage, make the right choices at the paint-choosing stage.

1) Picking The Right Paint

If you want the deck paint to stay intact for many years, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

Anti-slip properties – if you want to ensure user safety in wet conditions, deck paint should be non-slip in high-risk areas.
Durability – high traffic deck areas need special paint to avoid premature fading or wear and tear.
Salt resistance – salt can quickly strip away the deck paint coating on a sea borne vessel. Make sure to choose a paint with enhanced corrosion and salt resistance.

When you think about all the elements the deck faces - including direct sunlight, precipitation, and foot traffic - you should consider opting for a more hard-wearing paint, such as polyurethane enamel.

2) Prepping The Surface Properly

The most important part of deck painting is prepping the surface. The effort you put into this stage will determine the longevity of the deck paint. It’s important to get rid of all salt or paint residues, degrease the surface and wait for it to dry. In order to ensure proper preparation and painting, it’s important to keep the boat protected from weather in the lead up to painting.

3) Applying The Paint

Spray, brush or roll? Spraying may be a good idea for large areas of the deck if you are outdoors. However, brushes and rollers are the instruments of choice when it comes to painting the edges, or if you are painting the deck in an enclosed space.

4) Drying The Paint

No matter how well you paint your deck, if you don’t let it dry properly, it won’t look that good. Make sure to check the instructions on the can or talk to the distributor before you start the process. Plan to keep the boat off open water for about a week while the paint thoroughly dries.

Marine paints from TA Paints

At TA Paints we sell a variety of durable deck paints for your boat. Don’t hesitate to contact us today and get free delivery on orders over £200.