Sealing bare wood before painting

[Merfman]

I just purchased my first wooden boat, a 14 foot Thompson Brothers of Cortland NY that needs some TLC in the transom. What's the best product to use to seal bare wood (Oak) before painting and the best type of paint to use. (I know... its a sin to paint over the oak transom but its in really rough shape and its my only alternative)
Thanks. Merfman

[Bob Cleek]

I can see you are new in town! LOL

It is nice to see somebody ask what is the "best" way to do something, instead of the "cheapest." In this case, the difference between cheap and expensive is really nothing.

Answer: After properly preparing the surface (strip, sand, fill), use Smith's Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES) and any decent quality enamel basecoat and finish coat combination on top of that. Paint is like scotch. There's cheap stuff and good stuff. Everybody has their favorite brand. If you want the good stuff, go for Kirby's, Interlux or Z-Spar and like that. If you don't want to make yourself crazy, stay away from the two-part urethane coatings and any paint with "epoxy" on the label.

[Ian Wright]

Sand 'til you are happy, two coats of metalic pink primer, fill, undercoat and sand again. Undercoat again, sand. keep going 'til you have the finish you want then one 50/50 coat half undercoat and half top coat, sand for the last time then top coat.
I don't like to mix coating types. That is to say I'm not keen on oil paint over epoxy primer though I have used International's clear primer, a cynoacrillic (super glue) coating. Works ok, but so does pink primer at a lower price.

Your choice.
IanW

[Andreas Jordahl Rhude]

If this is a boat by Thompson Bros. Boat Mfg. Co., most likely the transom is mahogany, not oak. The keelson, ribs, and stringers will be oak. If she's a strip built hull, the strips will be western red cedar (some models had mahogany above the spray rails). If she's a lapstrake hull, the planking is Douglas fir plywood and decks will be mahogany plywood. Seats and windsheild frame will be solid mahogany lumber. Have you checked out www.thompsondockside.com (http://www.thompsondockside.com) for Thompson info? Also mark your calendar for the 4th annual THOMPSON ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT RALLY being held at Marinette, WI 13-14-15 August 2004. This will mark the 100th anniversary of the formation of Thompson in 1904. It is a FUN, non-judged show. More info. email: thompsonboat@aol.com (that's me!)

I agree with the CPES for use as a first coat before painting. And I highly recommend paints by George Kirby Jr. Paint Company of New BEdford, Mass.

[Keith Wilson]

Kirby paint (http://www.kirbypaint.com/) over CPES has worked very well for me.

If you use CPES, get yourself a GOOD respirator with the best organic vapor cartridges money can buy, and use it outside. Seriously stinky stuff.

[ 12-12-2003, 10:01 AM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[Venchka]

Originally posted by Keith Wilson:
Kirby paint (http://www.kirbypaint.com/) over CPES has worked very well for me.

Same here.

[JimD]

On the other hand if you don't mind going a little crazy then consider the 2 part LPUs. They are very long lasting hard paints, just hard to apply because they tack up so quickly on application so you can't cut back into the wet areas with a brush or roller and rolling can leave bubbles and pock marks no matter how well your buddy tips along behind you. I hear its also a pain to spray but the results are excellent.