PDRacer - Painting Polytarp Sails

Boatmik · #1 3rd May 2008, 01:00 AM

I am soooo embarrassed!!!!

Midge and I have done heaps of research about how to get paint to stick to polytarp sails.

Polytarp is Polypropylene - and nothing is supposed to stick.

Midge painted the Oz Flag on one of our original sails and we were showered with red white and blue paint chips whenever the sails shook.

Looked great from a distance though

We even had to try and get sponsor's stickers to stay put for the Goolwa Wooden Boat show. No chance

So last weekend we were going to sail the boats at Clayton bay in the Rat Race regatta.

To race you need sail numbers.

So I grabbed a can of red paint (it turned out to be an epoxy paint) from the Duckflat paint locker and spray painted a large "123" on both sides of the sail thinking I could shake it all off and do it properly later.

Guess what?

%$&*#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

m2c1Iw · #2 3rd May 2008, 01:11 AM

So Mik are you saying it won't come off if so whats the name of the paint.

Boatmik · #3 3rd May 2008, 01:26 AM

I would like to check it next week to make sure. Last week it still had a bit of a tacky feel.

MIK

bitingmidge · #4 3rd May 2008, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatmik

I would like to check it next week to make sure. Last week it still had a bit of a tacky feel.

Probably due to it eating its way through the tarp!

P

Boatmik · #5 3rd May 2008, 01:11 PM

C'mon Midge ...

I am miserable enough about the whole thing already!!!!

MIK

PAR · #6 3rd May 2008, 04:59 PM

Try this, if it's available down there. It seems to work on most of the plastics that don't like paint.

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

A wipe with toluene (let it flash off) before painting will improve the bond, though I've never tried it on polypropylene.

Boatmik · #7 3rd May 2008, 05:34 PM

PAR

(sob, sob, sniff) I didn't want it to stick.

And did it rough because I knew it wouldn't

And it did

__________________________________________________ __
Cheers for that PAR - it might be useful for those reading the thread!

Our research did turn up the Krylon, but we decided not to go that way as a can would have doubled the sailmaking budget and we were trying to make a point about not need any fancy stuff. The sails cost us a total of $35 ready to go.

Also the plastic indoor helicopter guys found that it kinda worked ok on their polyprop fuselages.

mik

b.o.a.t. · #8 3rd May 2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatmik

I am soooo embarrassed!!!!

Midge and I have done heaps of research about how to get paint to stick to polytarp sails.

Polytarp is Polypropylene - and nothing is supposed to stick.

<snip>

So I grabbed a can of red paint (it turned out to be an epoxy paint) from the Duckflat paint locker and spray painted a large "123" on both sides of the sail thinking I could shake it all off and do it properly later.

Guess what?

%$&*#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My experience matches you blokes.

I have concluded the important thing about getting paint to stick to polytarp is "intent". Contrary swine of a material that it is, if you want it too, it won't. If you don't, it will.

The other thing I have found is that easier-to-remove-and-less-durable paints such as water-based interior matt, last far longer than durable-and-hard-to-remove-paints such as exterior gloss enamel.

What I now do when I DON'T want to paint a polytarp is spread the polytarp under some other item as needs painting. I then try to take the short-cut of full coverage & build in a single coat, using an el-cheapo-crappo interior latex. This may result in a few =unintentional= (I really must stress this point) drips & spatters onto the polytarp, especially if the cat knocks over the paint pot, or I drop the laden brush a few times.

Once it has =unintentionally= (I cannot stress this enough) dripped & splattered onto the poly tarp, I get a damp rag & wipe it off, coincidentally in the pattern which I might have wanted it to stay, had I been so inclined. Which I would not be, because if I did, it would not stick.

Ideally, one should have some urgent & pressing appointment which simply =cannot= be delayed or broken by frustrating delays of cleaning up a mess. This assists the frame of mind to not accidentally slip into a feeling of wanting the paint to stay on the polytarp, which would be a Disaster. For then the paint would not stick.

I have several polytarps which I would have preferred to stay clean but which have been fairly indelibly marked by this method.
Hope this helps.

cheers
AJ

b.o.a.t. · #9 3rd May 2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatmik

PAR

(sob, sob, sniff) I didn't want it to stick.

And did it rough because I knew it wouldn't

And it did

mik

You could always try painting over it to make it neat.
Key it well so that the top-coat sticks properly.
Take extra care to get the numbers exactly neat & tidy.
And apply the paint thickly so that it is fully opaque & looks great.

Give it a couple of days & go sailing.
Most of it will peel off for sure !!

cheers
AJ

Boatmik · #10 3rd May 2008, 10:25 PM

I am so glad that someone feels my pain.

Boatmik · #11 17th May 2008, 10:50 AM

It has stuck quite well dammit. I can scratch it off, but it is not easy.

Sigh.

MIK

PAR · #12 17th May 2008, 02:41 PM

I'm sorry I mentioned it and unintentionally created a flood for the local mental health counselor. I haven't checked, but it may be more economical to buy in liquid form and brush, roll or spray (unintentionally of course) onto the poly tarp.

Boatmik · #13 19th May 2008, 07:48 PM

Yep ... it is stuck