While I was checking the winter covers on my trawler, Puffin, I was painfully reminded that her deck paint was in dire need of renewing.
Puffin was built out of wood in 1966, and she is a far cry from your typical fiberglass boat with non-skid areas molded into its walking surfaces. Puffin has real bulwarks, teak caprails, and her decks depend on paint with non-skid properties to provide both traction and protection from the elements, which need periodic maintenance.
So, I thought this was a good time to review non-skid coatings. Puffin is 47 feet long, so she does not fit into my shop, which means I can’t renew her deck paint in a warm and dry environment. Her decks will have to be refinished outdoors in a grab bag of weather conditions, so it will have to be done in a local boatyard that frowns on any method other than hand applied finishes, and have a fast cure time.
There are many other factors to consider: First, non-skid performance and maximum protection from the elements; second, ease of application; third, ease of maintenance, both in terms of cleaning and repair; fourth, appearance; and last, durability.
There are numerous non-skid finishes on the market. The first option is to repaint the non-skid pattern that is typically molded into the deck of fiberglass boats. Molded non-skid works reasonably well, generally lasts a fair amount of time and can be repainted with non-skid paint to renew the traction. But Puffin is a wooden boat with fiberglass overlayed plywood decks. She never had a molded non-skid surface, so these paints are not a great option.
The second option is to use a paint supplemented with additives that can make the surface rougher and give it the desired non-skid qualities. Common additives are silica sand, ground pumice, finely ground walnut shells, or finely ground rubber particles. You can buy finishes that already have the non-skid particles added into the mix, or you can buy normal topside paint and either mix the additive into the paint or sprinkle the additive onto a wet, freshly painted deck to give the desired texture. The latter technique would require another coat of thin paint over the top.
The third option is to use an acrylic polymer paint, which relies on the application technique to get the desired amount of non-skid performance. These are thick coatings that are coaxed into a rough texture with special rollers. The advantage of these coatings is that they do not rely on any additives for their non-skid qualities, so they cannot be ripped out of the substrate as the coating is worn down by foot traffic, the elements or scrubbing.
The fourth option is one that I have used in my own shop on new construction for about 20 years. They are called tinted truck bed liner paints. They are two-part urethanes that can be tinted to just about any color. The thickness is very good, so you get good protection out of them; the non-skid qualities are also good—in wet conditions they seem to get even stickier; and you can also throw additives into them to make the coating even more aggressive in high traffic areas. So, why don’t I simply put truck bed liner on Puffin? The answer is that although TBLs can be hand applied, that is not their forte. They like being sprayed, and since outdoor spraying is not an option for me, I would have to pick a non-skid paint that can be hand applied.
To figure out what hand applied paint would work best for Puffin, I tested four brands of non-skid coating systems from my local marine chandlery.
The first was Interlux Interdeck, a single part, oil-based, non-skid paint that already has the texture additives mixed in and can be brushed or rolled. All non-skid coatings with added texture additives must be constantly stirred during application to keep the non-skid particles in suspension or you won’t get a uniform look or adequate non-skid performance. Interdeck provides a very modest non-skid, but the appearance is good. For a fiberglass boat with textured gel coat, Interdeck might be a good option, but I wanted a more aggressive non-skid for Puffin.
The second paint was Pettit EZ-Decks, another single part, oil-based paint, which also requires paint thinner for clean-up. It can be brushed or rolled, but I found it easier to brush it. I had to apply two coats to get a uniform non-skid appearance and there was quite a bit of ‘tape creep’ at the edges of the test sample. The coating was thin enough to creep under the edge of the masking tape, leaving a rough outline. I found this to be a problem since removing masking tape quickly during deck painting is virtually impossible. You’d have to use a rag with thinner to fine line those edges, which is tricky and more work.
The third sample was Pettit Tuff Coat, a relatively new, water-based, single-part finish, which has a proprietary primer system that is part of the application process. In appearance and non-skid qualities, Tuff Coat is very similar to EZ-Decks. Tuff Coat also required two coats to get a somewhat uniform surface. There was some ‘tape creep’ but nothing like the EZ-Decks product. Using water to clean up was a refreshing change, although cleaning up grit coatings from brushes and roller tools is always difficult.
The last paint I tested was Kiwi-Grip. It is a single-part, acrylic polymer paint that can be cleaned up with soap and water, has no additives, and relies on applicator technique to give it the desired non-skid texture. Using a 3/8-inch nap roller gave a nice, uniform, relatively smooth, non-skid texture. But the special roller covers provided with the coating kits gave a rougher texture and it was pretty easy to apply. I did two coats, but when I compared it side by side with the single coat, I found them to be pretty much indistinguishable from each other. Masking tape must be removed quickly with this product. Once it sets up, it’s hard to pull the tape to get a crisp edge, but there was zero ‘tape creep.’ Because of the fast set time, you want to coat small areas of about 4- to 6-square-feet before moving onto the next section. Kiwi-Grip comes in limited colors, but the manufacturer says that any water-based coloring system can be used to change the color.
I felt Kiwi-Grip was the clear winner for Puffin. The non-skid particles won’t be kicked or scrubbed out over time, and re-application should be relatively easy in the future. Water and soap clean-up, plus an absence of aromatic solvents—which means I don’t have to wear a respirator—made the decision even easier. I will apply two coats to Puffin since I am suspicious that these types of coatings will look consistent in texture when applied in one thick coat.
Prep Before You Paint
Deck preparation is critical, especially if you are refinishing an older fiberglass boat which may have many layers of wax on it. I’ve found that 30 Seconds Outdoor Cleaner works magic at stripping dirt and algae. Dewax/clean, allow to dry, and tape off the textured non-skid areas with quality masking tape. I usually use 3M 2090 Painters tape or 3M Scotch 233+ as they can stay on the deck for several days without failure. You should also scuff up and sand the non-skid areas using 150 grit sandpaper followed by Maroon Scotch Brite (Brillo type) pads. After sanding, clean up with a vacuum and wipe the surface with dry cotton cloths.
Conversion Primer
The first step for applying any coating to any part of a boat is to always use a conversion primer as the first coating. This will seal the surface and allow subsequent coatings to adhere.
Paints have many different chemicals in them, which are not always compatible with other chemicals in later coatings. A conversion primer assures that your surface is compatible with your final coating material. Our shop has used Ditzler DP40 and Awlgrip 545 primers with great success. Both can be successfully hand-applied with thin napped foam rollers. Wear a respirator. These primers are quite aromatic. Two coats are recommended, with a light sanding between coats. After the first coat cures, go over the entire deck and fill any remaining blemishes and divots with an epoxy fairing putty. When you’re satisfied with the filling and fairing, sand the entire deck smooth with 150-grit paper, then apply the second coat of primer.
Rolling vs. Brushing
I favor rolling over brushing because it’s easier to control the amount of paint applied, which is super critical to a good-looking job. I have found that the hotdog type rollers with about a 3/8-inch nap work great, but for the polymer non-skids, the special texture roller give more texture.
Where to Tape Off
You need to create some separation between the rough, non-skid deck paint and varnished surfaces or mounted deck objects, like cleats and hatches. You don’t want rough, textured non-skid paint right next to varnished caprails or fixed objects. That will make it tough to mask off the rough deck paint or the varnish when it comes time to redo them. You can’t put tape over a rough texture deck paint. It won’t stick, and paint or varnish is likely to creep under the masking tape.
The solution is to lay down smooth paint between the rough deck paint and areas that will receive other types of finishes later. Before you paint the rough non-skid areas, paint the adjacent areas with smooth paint that is the same color as the non-skid. Give yourself a good overlap zone that is at least the width of the masking tape. On Puffin I will paint the bullwarks with smooth paint from the varnished caprails down and about 1.5 inches onto the deck. After that paint sets up, I can come in and put the masking tape down on the edge of the deck up against the bulwark and also easily re-tape and re-apply the non-skid paint later.
Now I just need the weather to warm up and find a couple of nice spring days to tackle this project.
May 2025
