Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I am going to paint my toons. Do I use an etching primer for aluminum? Or is there a different primer I should use.

The primer I used was an aluminum primer but it didn't say anything about being a self etching primer. Old aluminum is so dirty it can be tough to weld let alone paint. I would really recommend acid cleaning and the sand it. A good mechanical etch will work. I would trust a chemical etch alone.

That is my plan a good cleaning and sanding to get all trash off. Then a good primer and then paint. I plan on wet sanding between coats also. Just dint know what kind of primer to use. I know it can't have copper in cause copper and aluminum don't mix

When I started researching marine paint there was a few options that came up. Without getting into a paint that cost a fortune the stuff I used (rustoleum marine) kept coming up and the reviews were good. A little background I have worked into the wood floor business for 20 years so I have experience with different coating products. I looked up the tech specs on a couple paint /primer systems before I made my decision. What ever you choose just follow their instructions and you should have a good outcome. I have fixed so many floors where the professional assumed they knew what to do and broke from the manufacturer's instructions. I talked to one of our floor finish reps who had worked for axo nobel and ppg in the coating industry before I made the decision to add enamel hardener. That stuff was never mentioned in the instructions on my paint cans. What ever brand paint you choose ,use their primer. Most paints have instructions for covering different materials. Follow the aluminum instructions and your off and painting. The cool thing about paint is you can tint it to any color you want. My base color was oyster white but I mixed it to match the color of vinyl on my seats. Good luck with the project , post some pics when you're done!

Liquid asset
Thanks and I will post pic once I am done. My plan is to get with the auto paint company in town and talk with them. Explaining what I am painting and what I want then use what is recommended by them.

Thanks for your help

Here is the method I used... pressure clean the pontoons... let dry... then I machine sanded with 320 grit ...then wipe down with acetone.... then sprayed the black primer which is a two part fast drying and needs no sanding before spraying top coat... I was very impressed with this primer as it lays down very smooth... then spray the final two part topcoat in my case dark brown... so far I am very happy with the results... I got a good bite and I have been out on the water a few times no problems whatsoever ...I can see no problems with this down the road..



I use a black primer because of the dark brown topcoat I was using but this primer also comes in white and gray to be used according to what your top coat color will be.. I hope you found this useful

Thank you kc