Tweet
Using West Marine Epoxy Finishes
Cut West Systems marine epoxy mix with acetone until it is nice and thin for a first seal coat (about one part mixed epoxy to two or three parts acetone -- bare wood will soak the epoxy in better with a thinner mixture ratio; test your mixture on a sample piece of wood.) Cut old finishes down to bare wood where you can. Use camping stove white gas and professional auto paint surface cleaner to clean all surfaces that you believe may have contamination and/or oily residues on them (be careful, white gas is VERY flammable!) Be sure to use good quality latex gloves to protect your hands as the acetone will collect in your body and harm you from too much skin exposure. Use a good respirator (3M painter mask or equivalent) for breathing and brain cells protection. Make sure the work area is well ventilated and acetone fumes do not enter your home living quarters. I use those cheap 1 or 2 inch wooden handle utility brushes to apply the epoxy sealant mixture (I buy them by the box from Harbor Freight). I pull on all the bristles before using the brushes to remove any stray, loose bristles. I use the sponge applicators for smooth epoxy top coats and the special West Systems hardener catalyst for clear coats (if you choose epoxy as the final top coat.) Apply in thin, even coats and then sand the dried epoxy surfaces (I wait 24 hours) with fine 3M sanding pads before painting with automotive paints or using a clear or tinted finishing epoxy as a final overcoat. The dried epoxy sealer has an oily surface residue that will interfere with your top coats if you don't rough it up by sanding it evenly. I have always specified or applied automotive paints (enamels, lacquers, and epoxies) over West Systems epoxy sealer coats with great durability and a good finish quality. I hope this added info helps you.
Al
Cut West Systems marine epoxy mix with acetone until it is nice and thin for a first seal coat (about one part mixed epoxy to two or three parts acetone -- bare wood will soak the epoxy in better with a thinner mixture ratio; test your mixture on a sample piece of wood.) Cut old finishes down to bare wood where you can. Use camping stove white gas and professional auto paint surface cleaner to clean all surfaces that you believe may have contamination and/or oily residues on them (be careful, white gas is VERY flammable!) Be sure to use good quality latex gloves to protect your hands as the acetone will collect in your body and harm you from too much skin exposure. Use a good respirator (3M painter mask or equivalent) for breathing and brain cells protection. Make sure the work area is well ventilated and acetone fumes do not enter your home living quarters. I use those cheap 1 or 2 inch wooden handle utility brushes to apply the epoxy sealant mixture (I buy them by the box from Harbor Freight). I pull on all the bristles before using the brushes to remove any stray, loose bristles. I use the sponge applicators for smooth epoxy top coats and the special West Systems hardener catalyst for clear coats (if you choose epoxy as the final top coat.) Apply in thin, even coats and then sand the dried epoxy surfaces (I wait 24 hours) with fine 3M sanding pads before painting with automotive paints or using a clear or tinted finishing epoxy as a final overcoat. The dried epoxy sealer has an oily surface residue that will interfere with your top coats if you don't rough it up by sanding it evenly. I have always specified or applied automotive paints (enamels, lacquers, and epoxies) over West Systems epoxy sealer coats with great durability and a good finish quality. I hope this added info helps you.
Al
Comment