Best finish for swim platform

[hotjava66]

Any opinions on the best finish for a tube swim platform? Powdercoat, paint and clear, any other options? Need to redo one. Big cost difference between any of the above? I have heard powdercoat doesnt hold up much longer than paint. True/False?

[Offshore Ginger]

Any opinions on the best finish for a tube swim platform? Powdercoat, paint and clear, any other options? Need to redo one. Big cost difference between any of the above? I have heard powdercoat doesnt hold up much longer than paint. True/False?

Personally i prefer paint over powdercoat and the reason being is when i worked at Skater i seen platforms get damaged either by solvents ( acetone ) or chips from tool's ext and to be honest i do not know what it would cost to Powdercoat a platform these days and besides paint will always be my first choice .

[Bill N]

Personally i prefer paint over powdercoat and the reason being is when i worked at Skater i seen platforms get damaged either by solvents ( acetone ) or chips from tool's ext and to be honest i do not know what it would cost to Powdercoat a platform these days and besides paint will always be my first choice .

Also if you scratch it at least you can spot it in with paint.

[Trim'd Up]

I like paint too. If you chip powder coat it seems to spread quickly. I don't think it really bonds to the substrate like paint. On the other hand, with aluminum, it often does that no matter what because the aluminum will start corroding.

[cigdaze]

First thing's first. Chromium conversion coat your aluminum per MIL-DTL-5541, Type I, Class 1A. This is a corrosion inhibitor and adhesion promoter.

Then I would recommend painting. Powder coating is essentially a melted plastic coating. It is brittle and tends to chip. Swim platforms typically take a good beating, and I've rarely seen powder coat hold up particularly well on one. Paint is more flexible and will resist chipping and flaking better in this particularly harsh application.

[old377guy]

timely thread as my swim platform was next on the list; hoping I could get away with paint, thanks Nick

[SCARAB3DMC]

I shot mine with Rino liner and added the logo

[cougarman]

Personally i prefer paint over powdercoat and the reason being is when i worked at Skater i seen platforms get damaged either by solvents ( acetone ) or chips from tool's ext and to be honest i do not know what it would cost to Powdercoat a platform these days and besides paint will always be my first choice .

Ginger is correct,..............go with the paint.

Here is a quote buy a friend of mine who maintains his boat's with an open checkbook and options are endless. Pretty much sum's it up.

As far as the aluminum goes ya have to paint it, left unfinished (or anodized) any and all cleaners attack it INSTANTLY, powder coating is a waste of money on anything, it's totally inflexible and is impossible to touch up chips or cracks. All of the new paints are so durable ( and flexible) that I would NEVER powder coat anything again........it's a process who's time has passed .



Hope that helps

Jon

[Perlmudder]

I shot mine with Rino liner and added the logo

that picture just made me laugh out loud. there is something about the drawings of the three kids which is absolutely hilarious!

[251Convincor]

You can have them anodized, I am not sure of the cost involved... Seems to me that I heard Powdercoating holds up the best...
Try talking to Mark @ Blue Point Fabrication (321) 269-0073 or www.bluepointfabrication.com


Jim

[MarylandMark]

Powder coated swim platforms can be chipped too easy and are close to the water line. Once they are chipped, even in fresh water but more so in salt, game over. My bimini top hardware came loose and rubbed a spot (red circle), looks like I have to have the whole thing stripped and dipped to fix..?

Anodized- my bolsters have a few scratches from the drop down seat bottoms (yellow circle). I haven't looked too far in to getting them fixed but think I'm going to have to have them taken all the way apart and re-dipped...?

So my vote is paint. I haven't looked in to any paint ideas but has to be cheaper in the long run to keep looking good than a total re-do for a few little dings, which I'm sure will happen again within hours of being fixed.

[Chris]

Nick is correct on the conversion coating. I'd stay away from the chromium based stuff. Hexavalent chromium is pretty bad for you. These people will sell you a non-chrome coating you can do yourself. It works well and is easy to use- http://www.sanchem.com/

Powder coat is just that- ground polymer powder that melts over the base. It's bond to the substrate is purely mechanical. That's why you often see scratched powdercoat peeling off in sheets. Oxidization travels easily through the mechanical bond. Paint on the other hand bonds at a molecular level. But any paint you'd put on it is going to also be bad for you. I'd use Imron myself. You can spray it unprimed over the conversion coating.

[MarylandMark]

But any paint you'd put on it is going to also be bad for you.

? Like the fumes or long term exposure or ?

[Offshore Ginger]

? Like the fumes or long term exposure or ?

All of the above .

[MarylandMark]

I mean- if I have my stuff re-done, since it is harmful they are going to charge me out the nose to do it; but after that/once it is cured- is it safe?

Don't mean to sound dumb- I'm lost in this realm but am thinking of getting all my stuff done sooner than later (later this year) so checking my options.

[Chris]

The really durable paints are full of cyanoacrylate. It can cause instant damage to lungs in a percentage of people that have a sensitivity to it. The only way you know is if you get the damage.

[JnT]

I painted my outboard bracket 6 years ago with Duplicolor etching primer and silver wheel coat from Orelley Auto Parts. Turned out good for a rattle can job and has held up well except where I scratched it mounting the motor. I had to wet sand and buff it after I sprayed it to get it to look perfect. Wax it a couple times a year and it has really exceeded my expectations.

[cigdaze]

Hexavalent chromium is pretty bad for you.

That's why it works so well.