# Painting a 10' aluminum jon boat



## fishwendel2

I have a 10ft jon boat and was entertaining the idea of painting it. Nothing fancy but it would be nice it looked decent in and out of the water. Is it worth taking on a project like this for a couple hundred dollar boat? If not that big of a deal is there anyone in Central Ohio that does this or would be interested in the project? Thanks!


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## lang99

i painted my jon boat for around $20 with green olive rustoleum spray paint. i just washed it before and put multiple thin coats on it. It came out real good, looks like new and still does after 2 years of use.


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## fishwendel2

Thanks for the reply. Not storing the boat in the water so didnt think I needed any high grade marine paint.


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## oarfish

lang99 said:


> i painted my jon boat for around $20 with green olive rustoleum spray paint. i just washed it before and put multiple thin coats on it. It came out real good, looks like new and still does after 2 years of use.


I second that!
That will work just fine but I'd like to add that rolling it on straight from the 1 gal. can will work even better and you dont have to apply multiple layers of the thinned down canned spray paint. Oil based Rust oleum is great on aluminum boats. Get it while you can because they are fazing out all oil based paints and oil rustoleum jumped in price recently. I bought a few gallons while it was still under $20 last year at Home Depot.


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## Sculpin67

Go to Lock Stock & Barrel's web site, and they have directions on how to paint alum boat. He's a duck hunting guy and his paint is know nation wide. He's located of Detroit, Mi, and will be at the Westlake decoy show, which is the 3rd weekend in March. Don't be afraid to call him.

The most important part of painting the boat is to apply thin layers. When I did mine, I think I put on 6 coats. I made the mistake once of putting on a thick layer, and it never dried and was soft.


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## oarfish

Sculpin67 said:


> Go to Lock Stock & Barrel's web site, and they have directions on how to paint alum boat. He's a duck hunting guy and his paint is know nation wide. He's located of Detroit, Mi, and will be at the Westlake decoy show, which is the 3rd weekend in March. Don't be afraid to call him.
> 
> The most important part of painting the boat is to apply thin layers. When I did mine, I think I put on 6 coats. I made the mistake once of putting on a thick layer, and it never dried and was soft.


To me oil Rustoleum worked well straight from the can, one heavy coat. It was done 2 years ago and still looks like new. Takes a few weeks to dry well.
It will dry faster if left out in the sun. Completely cures or hardens in about a month. I frankly did not have the time and money to mess with a bunch of spray cans, and the fumes etc.


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## krm

As long as you're not going down to bare aluminum, you'll be fine with Rustoleum. If you have any bare aluminum, clean it with vinegar, rinse, and immediately hit it with some self-etching primer.

Several years ago, I bought an old 15' Starcraft, and stripped it down to the bare aluminum. I ended up using two-part epoxy primer, and then sprayed it with Sherwin Williams Industrial Alkyd Enamel. It's been three years, and is holding up great. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to do it again. Next time, I'll scuff up the paint, and hit it with Rustoleum. 

Another option that works really well, and is pretty durable, is Parker Duck Boat paint. http://www.cabelas.com/waterfowl-blinds-concealment-parker-duck-boat-paint-gallon-7.shtml


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## oarfish

There is a following orthodoxy about the "self etching primer" especially on Iboats.com.
My personal experience is fine without it on bare weathered aluminum and I can prove it with hands on experience. If you want to use the primer, by all means do it. It will help adhesion. To me it was too much extra work for nothin'.


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## morning jigger

I would say its definatly a project worth doing. I'm in the process of prepping my 10 ft sea nymph for paint myself. Everything I have read says using a self-etching primer is the key to good adhesion. As far as top coat it seems like as long as you have a good primer there's alot of options out there. I think I'm going with the Rustoleum forest green camo. Good luck!


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## Eric E

On my 16ft deep v I cleaned it, used self etching primer, then parkers duck boat paint. Turned out great.

sent from my HTC evo


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## JimmyMac

http://www.ehow.com/how_4471563_paint-aluminum-jon-boats.html


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## morning jigger

what is the color you used oarfish? I have been looking for a desert tan with not much luck


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## oarfish

Buy a gallon of white and buy quarts of green yellow and red. I bought the hunter green in a gallon because I used it straight out of the can for the top half of the boat.
Add the colors slowly little at a time to the white to achieve the desired final color.
If you have a house painter friend he will mix it for you to match the exact color chip sample you picked. With those rainbow colors you can mix any color other than black. Hurry because they are pulling all the oil paints off the shelves and the prices already doubled on oil based rust oleum. Use the satin if they still have it. It hides the dings better.


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## oarfish

Used the Rustoleum Hunter Green oil for the trailer as well. It has been a couple years and the paint looks really nice still. People thinks that I have a newer boat while the 14' Mirrocraft is 35 years old.


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