Owning a aluminum boat is one of the most wonderful things in the world. However, with time much of its paint will get chipped and rusty, and you’ll have no other way but to repaint it because a boat with chipped paint doesn’t please anyone.
No matter what reason you’re painting the boat, you have to put some prep work to get rid of the old flaky paint first. And if it is your first time, you must be wondering how to remove paint from aluminum boat.
Well, to be honest, the whole stripping job can be tough, messy, and time-consuming, but if you follow the instructions we provide below, things will get pretty easy, we promise.
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Why Is Stripping Paint Important?
You might be wondering, why would I need to strip the paint? Can’t I just cover up the old flaws with fresh new paint and call it done?
The thing is, ask any professional painter, and they’ll tell you, covering over old flaky paint will not yield any good result at all. In no time, the topcoat will appear flaky with several bumps here and there, no matter how good quality paint you’ve used.
That’s why before covering any surface with paint, you have to do some prep work first, and that includes getting the old paint out. Otherwise, it will just be a big waste of money and precious time.
This task is a bit tedious, and if you don’t know how it is done, your job will become more expensive and messy. So before you grab your paintbrush and slather some paint on the surface of your boat, let us show you how to get your boat prepared for it.
Different Methods on How to Remove Paint from Aluminum Boat Surface
There are multiple ways of removing paint from an aluminum boat, and you can choose any one of them depending on your need or preference.
However, in this article, we’ll be discussing the most effective methods in detail. But before that, let’s look at the major ways you can clean your boat.
Sanding:
This is the most straightforward way of removing paint from your boat’s hull. It generally removes paint in two ways. You’ll need an orbital sander to sand the boat’s surface and sandpaper with different grits to clean areas where the machine can’t reach.
The sander movement will scrape away the paint, and the sandpaper will smoothen the surface. This way, you can use two types of sanders to remove the paint off the boat.
Shot Blasting:
This method will involve a special machine that helps remove any impurities or stains from any surface. A shot blaster uses numerous tiny shots that are propelled to the aluminum surface. This helps remove the paint and other dirt from the boat’s surface.
Mechanical Scrapping:
Another way of removing paint from boats is by working and eliminating them in the traditional method using sharp and blunt tools.
This method requires a lot of mechanical work. You’ll have to use sharp tools like blades to loosen the paint then use another tool to scrap the paint from the surface.
Heat Guns:
Applying a heat gun to remove paint is a fairly modern technique and is also pretty convenient. This gun produces intense heat, which directs at the surface and melts the paint.
Heat gun makes stripping the paintless complicated and much easier. A heat gun does not produce open flames, so it is quite safe as well.
Chemical Stripper:
If you want to see the best result while removing the paint, go for chemical paint. The chemical used here is hazardous and thus needs to be used carefully.
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Steps to Removing Paint from Aluminum Boat with a Chemical Stripper
Now that we’ve mentioned the various steps of removing paint from an aluminum boat, we’ll get down to explaining the most effective and important way to do that.
Most of the methods are self-explanatory; however, using chemical stripper calls for some essential guidelines and precautions.
Step 1: Find the Right Place to Work
Paint stripping is a messy job to remove paint from a boat, and you can’t just do it anywhere. It is not practical to do it in your home and make the place cluttered. Besides, since paint is a chemical compound, its dust particles aren’t very safe for the people around.
So choose a place where there are not many people around, and you have plenty of space and ventilation.
Step 2: Decide on the Method
There are multiple methods mentioned previously, but your goal should be to remove the paint as effectively and efficiently as possible. Additionally, if you’re doing the job yourself, you have to think about the process that’s easy for you.
However, scrapping with chemical stripping is the perfect combination if you think about the most effective and easy methods. But you’ll get the best result by combining both of them.
Step 3: Gather the Tools
You need important tools before getting down to the business of stripping paint from a boat.
- Chemical Stripper:
Needless to say, without this, you can’t even remove the paint. However, make sure to invest in a high-quality chemical stripper. Getting a good product will make your work much easier.
- Scrapper:
There would be some parts on your boat which would be flaky, and removing them with strippers first isn’t a good idea since it will be just a waste. So instead of wasting costly chemicals on those easily removable paint, use a scraper instead.
- Safety Equipment:
Bear in mind that the item you’re using to remove paint is a highly powerful and hazardous mix of chemicals that instantly melts and dissolves dried old paint. That’s why being safe with additional safety gear is of utmost importance to keep yourself and the people around you safe.
Since the chemical is capable of harming your eyes and lungs if inhaled, you must be wearing goggles and a respirator mask. Secondly, while handling the chemical, ensure your skin is safe from it. Make sure to wear rubber gloves which will protect your skin. Sailing gloves will be of no benefit here.
Step 4: Remove the Flaky Paint First
The chemical strippers for removing paint contain multiple types of hazardous chemicals. And not one of them is friendly to the environment. Besides, a can of good chemical stripper is costly a well. Hence it would help if you aimed to use as few chemicals as possible.
If you notice the top paint layer of the boat, you might notice many parts are quite flaky. This means you can easily remove those flaky paint with a good scrapper manually. So, instead of wasting tons of chemicals, grab a sharp scraper to make your work cheaper.
Step 5: Apply the Chemical Stripper
It is important to read the instructions written on the chemical stripper can before using it since the application technique will depend on the type of stripper you’re using. The instruction will mostly tell you exactly how long you’ll need to wait after applying the stripper.
Now shake the can well before opening it. This will mix the contents properly and yield a better result. Take a shallow pan and pour the stripper into it. You’ll need a thick brush to coat the paint with the chemical. If the paint on the aluminum boat is thick, you might need to coat it twice.
Afterward, leave the surface for approximately 20 minutes. Some strippers won’t even require you to wait 5 minutes, and others might need 30 minutes to do their job.
Step 6: Scrap of the Paint
This is probably the most satisfying part of this entire process of removing paint. All you need to do is move the scrapper along the paint line, and it will come off just like that. Using a thin and flat scrapper makes the job easier. A scrapper with a relatively long handle will probably save you from getting the goop on your body.
You can also keep a disposable brush to remove the paint goop from places where the scrapper can’t reach. Also, have a dry rag with you for cleaning the boat towards the end and soak up the spills.
Step 7: Apply Some Finishing Touches
With all the paint, flakes, and goop gone — it is time to apply some finishing touches. Use turpentine or acid wash to wipe every bit of the boat squeaky clean and brighten up the overall tone of the boat hull.
Keep the World Clean
As we said earlier, chemical strippers are not generally friendly to the environment. Taking necessary precautions to reduce the amount of it getting into the environment is a must. Therefore you must ensure to dispose of the goop, paint flakes, rug, and disposable brush properly.
Final words
Now that you know different ways to remove paint from an aluminum boat, it will look brand new after you’re done with it. Hope these expert tips have been helpful to you for an excellent makeover of your boat.