Non-Skid Paint recommendations?

[Still Afloat]

I bought a new Lowe L1448M for a small jet boat project. This is the newer model without a center seat. I’m adding an aluminum deck. Diamond plate is Ok for the lower deck but, I prefer smooth aluminum over diamond plate for the upper casting deck.

Does anyone know of a good non-skid paint? I want something with a gritty texture but, not the rubberized stuff.

 

[LDUBS]

Take a look at how TinBoat member Thill created his non skid deck. Here is a link to the thread:

1969 Starcraft Mariner-V 16 project

 

[Still Afloat]

Thank you. That’s interesting but, it looks thick like wall texture. The stuff that I’m thinking of is pretty thin. If you have ever been in a North River aluminum boat that‘s the type paint I’d like to find.

 

[DaleH]

You can always put on a paint and then dust fine sand on top and once dry just sweep off any excess sand. Any craters in the paint give you the non-skid.

The only problem with this is you have to be do it every few years.

 

[airshot]

In past years I have made my own anti skid paint. Spray is to thin, my best sucess has been with a paint roller to apply the enamal paint then use a sifter to shake the sand onto the paint. The roller seems to leave the right amount of paint and the sifter drops the right amount of sand. I used rustoleum exterior enamal because they have spray paint to match the brush on cans. I rolled as much as I could, then used a brush to get areas the roller couldnt reach then added sand, in some areas some additional light coats from a spray can to makevthe sand stick. Yes it will wear over time, but it is easy to recoat. Good luck !!

 

[Still Afloat]

Sounds lIke some interesting ideas. Using roller makes sense and a sifter also makes sense for even distribution.

A contractor friend suggested non-slip epoxy concrete floor sealer and this led me to another product.
It‘s Rustoleum Anti-Skid Additive which it basically aluminum oxide grit that suspends in the paint. They claim the grit doesn’t wear out and it’s compatible with epoxy, latex and oil paints.

So if I go this route I’ll need to determine what aluminum primers are epoxy compatible.

 

[AlanT]

An expensive option, but good stuff, is TotalTread by TotalBoat (Jamestown Distributors). Grips well and not rough.

https://www.totalboat.com/products/totaltread-non-skid-deck-paint

 

[kazzer]

Search results

Grip-Strip¨ Coarse Clear Caswell Grip-Strip™ Non-Skid Coating is a unique two part epoxy coating that is easy to apply, fast curing, chemical resistant, highly durable and cost effective way to apply a non slip coating to: Concrete Ceramic Tile Checker/Diamond Plate Aluminum Steel Wood Fiberglass It is ideal for many applications, including: Steps High traffic areas Boats Ramps Platforms Ladder rungs Swimming Pools Decks Fiberglass boat decks

Grip-Strip™ Non-Skid coating will withstand solvents, gasoline, ethanol, oil, muriatic acid, sulfuric acid and chlorine.

It is available in a fine grade for indoor applications or a coarse grade for outdoor applications. Using a long lasting aluminum oxide abrasive ensures that the non-skid coating does not wear down, unlike sand or rubber. The aluminum oxide grit actually breaks when abraded, creating another sharp non-skid edge.

The Grip-Strip™ Non-Skid System contains enough materials to create approx 180 feet of 1 inch wide strips, or 90 feet of 2 inch wide strips, or 60 feet of 3 inch wide steps (approx 15 sq ft)

 

[thill]

For what it's worth, the non-skid I did can be installed thin or very thick, as desired.

In the thread above, I made it very thick, using multiple layers, as this boat will likely be a duck-hunting boat, and I wanted the finish to be very heavy. I did not sift the sand on purpose.

Run the sand through a window screen first, and you can make a beautifully fine finish. In my center console you can't see any visible texture, but it's still grippy from the embedded texture within the paint. Much better looking, if you want a smooth finish.

Of course, there are many ways to accomplish the same end result, but this one has been very satisfactory for numerous years.

 

[Still Afloat]

Thanks, Alan, kazzer and thill. I appreciate the recommendations and follow up. I think epoxy is the look that I want. The aluminum oxide filler sounds like it will hold up longer than sand.

kazzer, I didn’t see the grip strip on the Caswell website but, they mentioned that aluminum oxide can be mixed with their gas tank sealer (phenol novolac based epoxy ) to acheive the same thing. One interesting note is that is adheres best to rough or rusty surfaces. I can rough up the deck prior to application.

Color is also a concern and I will try to match the Lowe dead grass green. Also, need to consider the amount of gloss as a duller finish is preferred.

 

[kazzer]

Thanks, Alan, kazzer and thill. I appreciate the recommendations and follow up. I think epoxy is the look that I want. The aluminum oxide filler sounds like it will hold up longer than sand.

kazzer, I didn’t see the grip strip on the Caswell website but, they mentioned that aluminum oxide can be mixed with their gas tank sealer (phenol novolac based epoxy ) to acheive the same thing. One interesting note is that is adheres best to rough or rusty surfaces. I can rough up the deck prior to application.

Color is also a concern and I will try to match the Lowe dead grass green. Also, need to consider the amount of gloss as a duller finish is preferred.

Here is the link to Grip-strip = Hunter Green. Grip-Strip¨ Coarse Hunter Green Yes, the Aluminum Oxide is extremely hard and will never round off like soft sand does. Also, I'd suggest laying this down in strips 1-2" wide. These will be raised up a little from the actual floor and will grip into your shoes/feet more. You can always paint in between the strips with a green paint. The strips need to be about 3" apart so if you step sideways, your foot pattern will always hit a strip. Put the strips down onto the base before you paint it. The epoxy will stick better than paint. I hope this helps. See the application instructions. http://support.caswellplating.com/i...ew/312/19/grip-strip-application-instructions (Just checked the link, and the file is missing. It should be available later today.)

 

[Still Afloat]

Cool. Thanks, kazzer.