Painted Plywood

[Biggles]

Hello All

 

I want to do the bulk of my interior in a contemporary style using painted ply which seems very popular these days. I like it anyway.

 

What I want to know is the best way of doing it. Boat builders I have spoken to say they spray it, but they never say what with. My guess it would be some sort of eggshell paint.

 

Has anyone here done it.

 

Biggles

Edited September 12, 2010 by Biggles

[NB Alnwick]

For dry interior use you can use ordinary DIY emulsion paint - try and get a colour that is close to your chosen top coat. Emulsion dries quickly, is water based - so easy to clean brushes etc., it works well on ply as a combined primer and undercoat, and, as long as it is sealed afterwards with a good oil-based top coat or two, it will be as good as anything you buy at twice the price.

 

For areas that may be exposed or exterior work, then West System Epoxy works best but that is expensive.

[Biggles]

Would all that paint cover the natural grain of the wood? The ones I have seen still retain some grain texture.

 

I agree emulsion is very durable especially satin or silk. I have 35 flats painted in it and even the dirtiest tenants can't grime it up beyond cleaning.

 

So your suggestion is 1 or 2 coats of emulsion then a sealing coat of an oil based sheen paint?

 

Biggles

[sueb]

We lined our boat with Far Eastern Ply. We then brushed very wet polyfilla over and sanded down. Bathroom/kitchen type emulsion finished it off. No problems just a repaint every few years.

Sue

[Biggles]

I have been experimenting with various types of paint. Silk , and satin emulsion, water and oil based egg shell. So far the results have been disappointing. I have applied by foam roller, with brushing out and spray.

 

The best example of the finish I am looking for was on a Northwhich Boat at crick. I did for them off a cheeky email, asking how they did it, and what paint they used but so far I haven't had a reply. Would be nice, but I understand they might want to keep it to themselves.

 

So I am still open to suggestions.

 

Biggles

[Batavia]

All our boat interiors for the past 30 years have been painted (T&G in the early days, ply for the past 20 years) , using water-based primer and undercoat (several coats, most of which need to be sanded off to get a decent finish) and then an oil-based eggshell.

 

Our current favourite for eggshell is the Dulux Trade Oil Based one (available in a wide range of colours, including non-Dulux ones, as the formualtions are common to various other "paint manufacturers"), as it is easy to apply and is physically robust. Beware of some fancy eggshells (Sanderson William Morris and Farrow & Ball come to mind), as they can be very soft and are easily marked.

 

Chris G

[andywatson]

I have seen the interior of Batavia (Chris') boats and very nice they are too so heed his opinion.

 

I would add that Johnstones paint centres are licinced to and can mix their own paint to Farrow and Ball colours.

 

WRT to Biggles' comments. I have been told by a decorating shop that supplies all types of paints that they don't really rate water based stuff as is is more brittle and chips more easily than oil based paints.

 

Has it crossed anyones mind that the modern water based quick drying paints may not penetrate the substrate so well as a solvent based paint which dries slowly?

Edited October 7, 2010 by andywatson

[Batavia]

I have seen the interior of Batavia (Chris') boats and very nice they are too so heed his opinion.

 

 

Thanks, Andy, the fiver is in the post.

 

I forgot to add - we have always used brushes, rather than rollers, but that is probably more to do with our lack of roller competence rather than brushing being inherently better.

 

Chris G

[Bat & Frog]

Hi Biggles,

We wanted the interior white with the grain retained. Asked around and the best advice we could get was from Dulux trade centre. We sprayed all the boards for the ceiling and sides using an MDF primer and then a Diamond-hard white topcoat (not the cheapest on the shelf but seems pretty tough!). These are both waterbased, can find the type later if needed. We wanter waterbased as didn't want the fumes of oil based which can linger.

 

Edit. spraying oilbased paints is not recommended anymore due to the fumes

Edited October 9, 2010 by Bat & Frog

[nb Innisfree]

We wanted a washable matt finish so Dulux recommended their Trade Flat Matt, no undercoat or primer, straight on to WBP ply, we just did a temporary single coat but it covered so well we left it at that. Still good after 5 years and lots of wiping down with a wet cloth, can be mixed to any of their colour range.