Latex enamel.

[Wild Wassa]

I just don't understand these US paint terms.

What is a 'latex enamel'?

I'm about to use Anvil's Gorilla Grip anti-skid (someone's anti-skid request for their boat) which is to be applied over a well keyed 'latex enamel'. These are the manufacturer's recommendations.

The terms latex and enamel conflict with my understanding of painting, paint types and paint bases (in reference to the binders).

Thanks in advance because no matter how hard I try to guess what is meant by latex enamel, I can't guess.

Is an 'enamel' just a fancy generic US word for any paint type, or a glossy paint or a plastic paint type, rather than the correct use of the word enamel for an enamel?

Even the term latex is foreign. I presume latex is an acrylic based matrerial? if so an acrylic enamel doesn't make sense.

Warren.

[ 12-26-2005, 05:26 AM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Stiletto]

Hi Warren, it seems you and I are the only ones around at the moment, I've used a Dulux acrylic enamel on the cabinsides of my boat after a two year trial on the transom of my dinghy. The paint company calls it that, I have seen them referred to as a waterborne enamel.

They are not really an enamel as you say, but are called that because their performance once dry is similar.
I think of latex as a somewhat more rubbery acrylic that is used on house sides.
All very confusing, but three coats in a day and less chalking in my experience make it worthwhile where gloss is not too important.

Back to the race and then off to bed for me, it's nearly midnight here. When was that southerly supposed to hit?

[Gary Bergman]

anything wot reads 'latex' from here has rubber innit, mates.....I skip anything with that title, except where I use a latex sealer on leaky areas, then enamel(oil based) over that. Dunno who started the 'latex enamel' deal, but here's mislead me a few times when I just 'grab and run'...'

[Wild Wassa]

Stiletto and Gary, thankyou Skippers.

The Southerly didn't hit the fleet last night it just didn't arrive. The conditions stayed soft all night. It is now predicted that the wind will remain as a Northerly increasing during the morning to 35 knots.

I might talk the owner out of using Gorilla Grip because I think he thinks 'Gorilla Grip' is something else, like anti-skid pads. He said, "I want the floor 'gorilla gripped'," so after lookin up Gorilla Grip on the web, expecting to find anti-skid pads, I came up with the dodgy result of dodgy paint terms.

Thankyou for your replies, I'll relay the info to the owner and suggest 'Tredgrip' if it is paint he is after. Tredgrip is a water based cross linking pulverized rubberized anti-skid made by Dominion Plastics. Both Stiletto and I have used Tredgrip in the past. I still like it.

Warren.

[Stiletto]

I wonder if your client is thinking of those grip patches that look like wet and dry sandpaper that are used on surfboards and the like. Dunno what they are called though.

[Wild Wassa]

Stiletto I'll photograph what needs doing this afternoon. I'm going to see the boat today and I'll post the photos this evening. The anti-skid is soft anti skid foam sheeting that is needed and is also called 'Gorilla Grip'.

Unfortunately I'm dead in the water except for making templates until the suppliers open. This time of year is called the silly season ... and very silly, if you need supplies.

Warren.

[Brian Palmer]

I have a coatings textbook that defines a latex as "a dispersion of high molecular weight polymer particles in water."

Here in the USA, a latex generally means a waterborne coating, commonly used for interior and exterior house paint, although the polymer particles could be of different types of resin for different properties.

-- Brian

[Wild Wassa]

Thankyou Brian. Spot on. Often I will read latex on this site and not have a clue what type of paint base Forumites are writing about.

This is the job, the anti skid is to be replaced. This blue stuff was layed by a professional. If you can believe it? ... I can't.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/p4729523d6494c4eb597d78dd0d28eec1/f0e37c5c.jpg

The anti skid will be the corregated stuff but in grey and black. I'll make the templates using a good stiff artist quality 'craft paper'. Just pretent they are wooden boats that you are looking at. This is the only shot that I have of this type of corregated anti-skid.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid153/pdd68040fe9d4bcba98db5fc7267b57a8/f5a0581b.jpg

Warren.

[ 12-27-2005, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]