Glen-L.com

Hello fellaz

Just wondering is i can add some white pigment to the epoxy mix and use that for the bottom instead of painting. Has anyone done this?

Cheers
Zane

It, as most anything can be done. I recently posted some info in the epoxy section where an individual who does kayak building for a career investigated and tested epoxies and bottom coats, you should be able to look in the epoxy section and find the links I posted in my thread there.

The comeuppance of it was that Interlux VC Performance Epoxy topped straight epoxy with white additives, as I recall he ran into color or dirt streaking with the white additive. I did my bottom with VC Performance Epoxy and love the finish. It does NOT come out gloss, more satiny. Mine looks a little closer to gloss since I buffed the entire paint job. As a caveat I had the stuff sprayed on by a professional, experimented with it and didn't feel confident trying to roll and tip, and since it sets up so hard didn't want to risk having to try and sand it off. With age comes a little less stubborness to do it all yourself.

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This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

Isn't this the epoxy section??

The epoxy ill be using is west systems with west systems white pigment.... never tried pigmenting the epoxy. The only reason I'm thinking of this was i thought it would be less work... as i lay the fiber ill pour the pigmented epoxy and wetout the cloth with it.

Am i just better off just painting it white?

Apoloogies,I just use the 'View Active Topics' button on the top left of the screen and didn't realize in which section you had posted. I also erred in that my previous thread I referred to was in 'Paint' and NOT in 'Epoxy'. The title of the tread is "Epoxy and Clear - Articles & Musings" and if you go to that thread you will find the links I referred to and you may make your own decision.

From my experience I sanded off, I would say, over half of the epoxy I applied in the fairing of my hull, seems a waste to be sanding off all that pigment. Once my hull was faired I had the Interlux VC Performance Epoxy professionally sprayed and it came out smooth.
There are others here who have used tinted epoxy, one I recall used black for the deck stripes, but had some issues with differential expansion rates between the wood and epoxy, which wouldn't be much of a problem on the bottom of a hull. One of the articles I linkied to much preferred the VC Performance Epoxy to the tint method for longevity, durability, hardness and overall satisfaction.

PS: VC Performance Epoxy IS a genuine 2 part epoxy and can be applied directly on top of the encapsulation/fiberglass epoxying with NO need for a primer.

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This is my first, last and only boat build.

http://www.gdzipbuild.blogspot.com

I think it would be better to wet out the cloth with clear so you can see any dry spots and then add the pigment to the filler coats.

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Malahini, SEAN-NÓS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6vkPjEy4U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDVzcVpdhc
crackerbox build http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx17 ... =slideshow

The West System Product Guide states that none of the coloring additives provide UV resistance to the cured epoxy, so their use should be limited to areas not exposed to sunlight unless additional UV protection is applied. See page 24 under Color Pigments.

I believe Kens used black graphite powder on his Double Eagle. Maybe he can chime in with a Long Term Use Report.

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Paul Kane Chelsea, PQ

Building the Glen-L Hot Rod : http://www.boats.chelseacoachworks.com

Ok great.. ill look at these articles, but already feel painting would be a better option! I am planning 2-3 coats of epoxy followed by 6-7 coats of automotive clear coat sprayed in a booth.

Fergal... thats good advice!! Wet out clear then follow with pigmented if thats the route ill go.

Cheers
Zane

I been watching this for a day. Pigmented epoxy does not cover like paint. I tried white pigment and it only gets milky looking. We all know that paint is a compatable topcoat, but, there is other ways.
Gelcoat. Polyesther is compatable with epoxy and gelcoat has been used sucessfully as a top finish for epoxy. I have not done this personally but the local yard has many examples of it long term. They just sand the epoxy with 80grit and mop on the gelcoat. It looks nice.
Yes, I used graphite powder in epoxy for a black finish. This way I dont have any paint on the bottom. Other fillers can be used for different colors. Copper powder can be used to look like copper anti fouling paint. Aluminum powder would look silver. And so on.
Last year at G4 I got home with a faded look to the bow areas. It was in the water for 3 days and had what looked like a bathtub ring about the bow. I think it was the river weeds leaving a residue.

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God Bless our Troops; especially our Snipers

I would say no.. pigmented epoxy needs a clearcoat or something to protect from UV discoloration/degradation.

If you simply want it white, paint is a better option.

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Ian (aka Iggy)
My Malahini Build