Thread: PDRacer - Painting Polytarp Sails

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

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

MIK

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

C'mon Midge ...

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

MIK

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.

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

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

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

I am so glad that someone feels my pain.

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

Sigh.

MIK

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.

Yep ... it is stuck