This paint will have a natural high gloss that’s very durable and abrasion-resistant. Most manufacturers make their two-part poly specifically for DIY marine paint applications.
How to Paint a Canoe | Step-By-Step Guide
Using your canoe season after season with general wear and tear can eventually take its toll on the original finish of the canoe. What was once a shiny and slick-looking new canoe is now a faded, scuffed and worn canoe. There is hope though. Painting a canoe can be a tedious process, but knowing how to paint a canoe and following the right set of steps can have it looking like new again in a short period of time.
- Prep the Painting Area
- Remove Parts Not to Be Painted
- Tape Off Any Areas Not to be Painted
- Wash and Clean the Canoe
- Repair and Sand the Canoe
- Wipe Down the Canoe After Sandingwith Acetone
- Paint the Canoe
- Apply a Clear Finish Coat
- Wait For the Canoe to Dry
- LightlyClean and Wax the Canoe
Why Would You Want to Paint a Canoe?
- Scuffing and Scratches: When launching and landing your canoe, you’re bound to get some scuffs and scratches along the way from use. Gouges or scratches are especially common on the hull or belly of the canoe.
- UV Damage: Chances are your canoe is going to get a lot of direct exposure to sunlight through normal use. Over time the original color can fade. This is especially true with plastic canoes.
- Increase Value: If planning on selling the canoe, a fresh new coat of paint will go a long way.
- Extend Life of Canoe: Letting scratches, scuffs and deep gouges go year after year can make the canoe more prone to failure. Patching these areas, and sealing with new paint will extend the life of the canoe.
- Marine-Grade, Epoxy or Plastic Paint
- 120 and 80-grit Sandpaper or a Scotch Brite Pad
- Tarp or Paint Drop Cloth
- Dish Soap and Bucket of Water or a Degreaser Spray
- Acetone
- Rags
- Painting Mask
- Marine Wax
- Painting Brushes, Foam Roller, Spray Gun
- Saw Horses
- Painter’s Tape
- Plastic Wrapping
How to Paint a Canoe
The process of painting a canoe is similar no matter what the canoe material is. Be sure that the paint you choose will adhere to whatever canoe material you have. Whether it’s aluminum, fiberglass, or some other composite material, the paint should be specific to that material.
Of course, a wood canoe should have no problem accepting paint as long as the proper steps are taking beforehand to prep the canoe for paint.
Here are the steps to painting a canoe properly:
1. Prep the Painting Area
It’s best to paint the canoe outside on a calm day with little wind. If in an area with very high humidity or very cold weather, it’s possible to paint a canoe indoors too. If you choose to paint the canoe indoors, make sure you have a well-ventilated area.
You can either set the canoe down on the tarp or drop cloth for painting, or set it up on sawhorses for better paint coverage when spraying.
2. Remove Parts Not to Be Painted
If using a spray gun to paint the canoe, you’ll have less control over where the paint goes. Be sure to remove all canoe parts that you don’t want to be painted. This should include any plastic or removable metal, ropes, handles, trolling motor, and other mounting hardware.
Make sure to set these aside somewhere out of range of the paint over-spray (if using a paint sprayer).
3. Tape Off Any Areas Not to be Painted
There will be other items mounted on the canoe that you might not be able to remove. Some handles, gunwales (if not paintable), straps/ropes, or other accessories should be taped off if they can’t be removed. The entire cockpit opening should be covered with plastic and taped to avoid getting paint inside the canoe.
4. Wash and Clean the Canoe
Cleaning the canoe is very important to proper bonding and adhesion of the paint, so don’t skimp on this step.
It’s recommended to use dish soap and a bucket of water to clean the entire canoe. Thoroughly cleaning the canoe will ensure that all the dust, dirt, and any other debris have been removed. It’s also a good idea to use a degreaser spray after you’re done cleaning the canoe.
Remove any decals or other stickers on the canoe for painting, taking special care that they can be re-applied in case they are for registration or licensing.
5. Repair and Sand the Canoe
After cleaning the canoe, inspect all surfaces that look uneven have scratches or gouges. Using a medium to fine grit sandpaper (80 or 120 grit and higher depending on the depth of scratches and gouges) sand down areas that are damaged, uneven, or scratched.
If painting a fiberglass canoe, use a Gelcoat repair to fill in any deep scratches or gouges. When finished continue to sand until smooth. Use 80-grit sandpaper on fiberglass to remove scratches.
Lastly, using a Scotch Brite pad, go over the entire canoe to dull the stock finish for better bonding with the paint.
6. Wipe Down Canoe After Sanding with Acetone
After the canoe is cleaned, degreased, repaired, and sanded down as needed, wipe down the entire canoe with acetone to remove any dust and other dirt.
The canoe may look and feel clean, but using the acetone as a final step will ensure that grease, dirt, or oil from your hands is removed.
Bonus Tip: Using an adhesion promoter at this step can help paint to stick to plastics that can flex and see abuse from general use (like a canoe). If you choose to use the adhesion promoter, applying it at this point, right before painting is best.
7. Paint The Canoe
Now is the time to put on gloves and a mask before starting to paint. For the best-looking finish, with full coverage and no brush marks, it’s recommended to use a spraying technique. A foam roller or a paintbrush can be used, however for a more even and clean application a spray-on method will be best.
Use a long sweeping motion at least 6 to 8 inches away from the canoe as you cover each area. You don’t want to over-spray an area and cause the paint to run.
Give the canoe 3 to 5 coats of paint when spraying to get full coverage. If using a roller or paintbrush, you’ll be on the lower end of around 3 coats.
A higher-quality sprayer could be only a couple of coats. Spray paint can require many more coats.
Wait several hours between coats of paint, to make sure each coat has completely dried before starting the next. Follow the recommendations of the paint you choose for dry times in between coats.
When you’ve got the canoe looking just how you want, leave it to dry for 12-24 hours.
8. Apply a Clear Finish Coat
When all the coats of paint are dry, apply a clear coat to finish. The clear coat will act as a protective layer over the paint. The clear coat will protect against UV rays, scratching, and weather exposure without damaging the paint underneath.
Krylon and Rustoleum both make clear coat sprays for plastic materials that are clear. Applying several coats is for the best, since canoes come in contact will all kinds of different abrasive surfaces, you’re going to want all the protection you can get.
9. Wait For the Canoe to Dry
Let the clear coat completely dry before starting to re-assemble all the pieces you removed in step 2. Typically, it’s best to wait 24 to 48 hours before re-assembling or moving the canoe, so it has plenty of time for the clear coat to finish drying.
10. Lightly Clean and Wax the Canoe
Finally, use a small amount of warm water and dish soap to wipe down the canoe. Then apply a marine wax to the surface. The marine wax is another way to help protect the paint and finish on the canoe from the elements and scratching. Plus, it will give the canoe a shine that looks great.
How to refinish a Souris River Epoxy Kevlar canoe
Did we mention our canoes are true Ultra – lights? Souris River Quetico Kevlar Canoes, Canada’s best tripping canoe!
Photos of our marine epoxy “West System” process
Souris River Quetico Red 17′ canoe being re-conditioned
Our 2014 fleet is so well re-conditioned, they are for all intents and purposes, new canoes.
Prepped for epoxy.
Sanded and Prepped for epoxy.
Eric – rollin .. rollin
Eric – rollin .. rollin
I can straight arm this Quetico – Karen rollin .. rollin
I can straight arm this Quetico – Karen rollin .. rollin
Fast Eddie – long smooth strokes
Fast Eddie – long smooth strokes
Tipping Tom – marine epoxy to a mirror finish
“Tipping’ Tom – marine epoxy to a mirror finish
Final inspection – check for drips in the shadows.
Final inspection
Tom’s Triple header – tuffer than new! – a fine job!
Tom’s Triple header – tuffer than new! – great job!
Like new again
Like new again
Where is all the great camping gear?
Where is all the great camping gear?
High gloss Chris
High gloss Chris
Miles to go before I sleep.
Miles to go before I sleep.
Kayaks too.
Kayaks too.
Well stocked shop – everything we need to “I fix!”
Well stocked shop
All sold in 2013
All sold in 2013
Looking for a good home. 2014
Looking for a good home. 2014
Shop Boss “Joe” 15 years and counting . “I Fix”
Shop Boss – “Joe” – he coined the phrase “the great Killarney canoe wars” . Joe’s favorite saying: ” I fix”
How to refinish a Souris River Epoxy Kevlar canoe
“Flock foam” disposable foam roller. (for the epoxy) http://www.padco.com/default.cfm?PID=1.1.6
4″ or 3″ disposable foam brush, for the “Tipping” “a good one”
Good quality “Lacquer thinner” for surface prep/clean. MAKE THE CANOE AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE! after sanding, No greasy finger prints left behind!
Use plain white paper towels for cleaning, do not use rags that have soap residue, or ink designs on the paper towels.
A few pairs of Disposable Latex Gloves.
What to do:
Give your canoe a great bath, hot soapy water, get rid of all the suntan lotion, oils, wax and bug dope. A good rinse – pressure wash if you can.
A light sanding, 220 grit or sometimes 120 grit, smooth out any deep scars, a light sanding. (an orbital sander works great.)
Get rid of the dust, we use a pressure washer at close range with max pressure.
Let the canoe fully dry. (heat gun or hair dryer if in a hurry)
Tape off the gunnels with painters tape.
Clean well with the Lacquer Thinner, liberal amounts on the paper towels, there should be “0” evidence of grim on the towels when you finished. DO NOT DO THIS INSIDE – LAQUER THINNER HAS A VERY POWERFUL SMELL – BE WELL VENTILATED!! – USE GLOVES.
Do not saturate the Souris River Logo’s and stickers with the Lacquer Thinner, it will dissolve the stickers glue and ruin them.
Mix the epoxy, room temp. in a very clean container. Mix and mix. USE DISPOSABLE GLOVES.
Mix 2 small batches of epoxy, you have about 15 – 20 minutes of working time, the epoxy over laps very well.
If you mess it up, don’t worry … after 24 hours, just sand smooth the drips, clean again and re-apply epoxy using the foam brush on small areas or a roller etc. if needed. The epoxy is very forgiving.
PS, it took us some time to make this work. The key is surface preparation, if you don’t get the hull clean, “fish eye craters” appear in the epoxy finish.
If you wish to coat with polyurethane/spar varnish instead, as we did for years…, we recommend: “sikkens” door and windows exterior clear gloss; http://www.perfectwoodstains.ca/view-product/cetol-door-window ; A quart will do 6 -8 coats. Almost as glossy as epoxy, not near as tuff, not even close.
Survivors of the “Great Killarney Canoe Wars!
