Thread: Refinishing small Jon boat

Well in the past I have usually ended up using stripper and wire brush. If the paint is not peeling I would just lightly sand it 320 or 400 grit and repaint over the existing paint. If you take it down to bare aluminum you should prime with etch primer for good adhesion. Stripper followed by pressure washer and then repeat finish with wire brush on a side grinder...but keep it moving. Good Luck.

Flintcreek is exactly right. Just rough it up and paint it. If you take the old paint off, it's really hard to get the new paint to last.

THank you both for the recommendations! You rock!

If you're painting bare aluminum, even in patches, you must use and etching primer or it will come off. Treating the aluminum with muriatic acid will also work but I don't know the process. Aluminum pores are too small to hold paint, even after sanding, which is also something you don't do to aluminum. Scotchbrite pads in different grit are commonly used. Red is coarse, green is more medium and white is fine. Done right that paint will be there for a long time. If you have an auto paint supply nearby it would be a good idea to pick their brain about the newer products. Some paints are designed for aluminum and will etch themselves.