Sand Art Crafts

How to safely remove paint from an aluminum Boat.?

Not sure if I should sand it, I would not think so. Is there a stripper I can buy that won't eat the aluminum? I was also thinking of getting the inside of the aluminum boat sprayed with truck bedliner, white in color of course. Would this be a bad Idea? The boat is and old Dura-Craft 14 ft V-hull made of aluminum. Thanks for your time and concern with this question.

Public Comments

1. if you do a google search for "aircraft paint stripper" you will find a lot more info on this stripper designed to remove paint from aluminum. there are several manufactures and some feature more environmentally friendly products. bed liner coatings have been used in floors of alum. boats in the past. if this is the look you want then it should not be a problem. coatings usually come in either a smooth or rough finish. when you work with chemical strippers be sure to follow all safety instructions including wearing chemical resistant gloves. i had good results by placing my boat over a big poly( blue or gray) tarp to catch the old paint residue. this makes clean up easier. you can also use plastic scrapers to help remove the stripped paint (to prevent scratching your alum. hull) hope this helps
2. Soda or dry ice blasting is very safe on the alloy, very effective and gives the best possible start for an A1 paint job - but it is not cheap. There are plenty of strippers that will have no effect on the alloy, although if you have a two pack finish you will find they are much tougher to attack chemically. If you have a two pack finish in fair order you are best off getting any repairs done, lightly sanding, using an etch primer on any raw alloy, using a high build epoxy primer over the lot and then a couple of coats of two pack for a long term fix. These products require a professional attitude and safety gear to be used at all times. Bedliner in an alloy boat can look o.k. and seems cost effective - but corrosion can occur underneath it that requires a lot of work later to try and fix. Adhesion to alloy is difficult without correct etching and priming, and once you have done that you may as well finish the job properly. A similar preparation and treatment as the outside of the hull will give a much longer term fix. Here's a trade tip - use sugar liberally on the last coat inside for grip with two pack. Hose the surface down when fully cured to dissolve the sugar and leave a very effective but soft on the clothes and knees grip pattern. The grade of sugar makes the grip fine or course. Good luck.