Painting over our Wooden Boats. What do you think?
Any discussion to go along with your choice. I have found this to be a somewhat charged topic among some builders.
Mark
Paint
Paint
"The journey is the reward"- Tao saying
- Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
I use to think painting (the exterior hull) was blasphemy.
But after several years of use, it might be a way to hide the never ending and dreadfull scratch situation.
Doug
.
But after several years of use, it might be a way to hide the never ending and dreadfull scratch situation.
Doug
.
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
I have to agree with Glenn that painting the outside while leaving the inside bright looks very much like the wood canvas canoes, which I think is quite special.
At the risk of blasphemy, I find the look of unrelieved wood quickly tires the eye. Brightwork shows up best when used as a highlight.
On the downside, as others have pointed out and I've experienced, paint can hide damage in the fiberglass and wood. If for any reason there's a path that allows moisture into the wood, perhaps a deep scratch, if not caught, may result in the wood swelling and cracking the glass. A high quality paint can be flexible enough to hide these cracks, which may be almost microscopic, while they're visible through varnish as thin white lines. For this reason, it seems prudent to have at least one side clear.
On the other hand, knowing in advance that it will be painted allows some lattitude in selecting the wood and possibly even omitting the bead and cove operation by filling the gaps with a low density filler. I plan to experiment with this approach on my next canoe (a Hugh Horton Bufflehead).
At the risk of blasphemy, I find the look of unrelieved wood quickly tires the eye. Brightwork shows up best when used as a highlight.
On the downside, as others have pointed out and I've experienced, paint can hide damage in the fiberglass and wood. If for any reason there's a path that allows moisture into the wood, perhaps a deep scratch, if not caught, may result in the wood swelling and cracking the glass. A high quality paint can be flexible enough to hide these cracks, which may be almost microscopic, while they're visible through varnish as thin white lines. For this reason, it seems prudent to have at least one side clear.
On the other hand, knowing in advance that it will be painted allows some lattitude in selecting the wood and possibly even omitting the bead and cove operation by filling the gaps with a low density filler. I plan to experiment with this approach on my next canoe (a Hugh Horton Bufflehead).
Charles Campbell
I agree with Glenn - one side only, usually outside. If you are building multiple boats, as many of us are doing/have done, then you can experiment. I love the look of that white winisk on the green valley site. I don't think its on the home page anymore but many of you have seen it.
Also I think "Nymph" Nick Schades small canoe publicized in Wooden Boat a couple months ago had the paint on the inside, and it looked pretty sweet.
Moonman.
Also I think "Nymph" Nick Schades small canoe publicized in Wooden Boat a couple months ago had the paint on the inside, and it looked pretty sweet.
Moonman.
- Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada