Easy non-skid

[RickK]

For non-skid, I've done it twice on my floor. I used the old fashion way and it works well - roll a base coat of gelcoat and let harden, outline nonskid area in 2 layers of tape (blue painters), roll more gelcoat down, sprinkle glass bead onto the wet gelcoat, wait until it "flashes" and pull off 1 layer of tape and then let everything harden. Sweep all the loose glass bead away, recoat lightly with gelcoat, pull last layer of tape and you've got a finish that looks like it came from the factory. (The "twice" I mentioned is because I didn't recoat "lightly" the first time and the non-skid was gone  ) Should last forever now. The tape is for "water run" stripes (smooth gelcoat between non skid areas) around edges and if you want to divide the areas - looks nice and allows you to work small areas at a time.

[RickK]

Here is an example:

I used RickK's method of the Non Skid and it came out awsome and looks like factory Non Skid!!!

[Marcq]

RickK, I really like your " easy non-skid "method, you mention that you were using non wax gelcoat, how does it cures/tack free if there's no wax in the gel ? Also, I did a search on glass bead, where do you find that stuff ? I looked all over the place but came up empty, is there another name for it?

Oh, did you use a foam roller ?

After seeing luv2flycessna redone deck using that method, I'm sure going to do mine this way

Thanks, Marc..

[RickK]

Marc,
Waxed gelcoat is usually a single/top coat and if you wanted to apply another coat you'd have to remove the wax with acetone.
You get glass bead at a fiberglass supply house.  They'll know what you're asking for.  In fact I learned this technique from the supply house.

NOT a foam roller - usa a real short nap "regular" roller. Regular meaning non-foam.

This is a great non-skid.  You can get different size glass bead for a real rough or less rough finish - and of course, you can soften it up by putting too heavy of a last coat on too.

[luv2flycessna]

RickK, I really like your " easy non-skid "method, you mention that you were using non wax gelcoat, how does it cures/tack free if there's no wax in the gel ? Also, I did a search on glass bead, where do you find that stuff ? I looked all over the place but came up empty, is there another name for it?

Oh, did you use a foam roller ?

After seeing luv2flycessna redone deck using that method, I'm sure going to do mine this way

Thanks, Marc..

Hey Marc,

I will get the name and web site for the stuff I used when I get home, If I remember right the container had a web site on it but I believe it was called Skid-Tek. But will look when I get home and post again. I bought it at a local Marine surplus. just asked them for some non Non skid texture and thats what they gave me. It is a very fine Glass Bead. I used a salt shaker to apply it over the Gel coat.

I put down the white Gel Coat (2 coats non waxed then 1 coat waxed) base around the whole deck. Then wiped it all down with acetone. Then put the tape out for the water run lines, Then did two coats Non waxed blue Gel Coat (second coat sprinkled the non skid) then a final lite coat of waxed Blue Gel Coat. Did all this in less than 3 hours probably and I actually only used one layer of the Green Painters tape and left it on until the final coat and it pulled off just fine. I used 1/4 nap 6 inch rollers.

Hope this helps and hope I listed all that I did.

I really appreciate RickK telling me about this and it looks awsome. THANKS RICK!!!

I will try and get some brighter pictures of it soon. It is a bit dirty already cuz I have been fishing in it already  :bounce:

[RickK]

Here's the local place I use http://www.fiberglassservices.com/ - at least it will give you a place to compare with.

[luv2flycessna]

The container didn't have a web site on it, I thought it did, it is called Skid-Tex made by Bounty. I got it from a local supplier and they have web page if you need to call them. http://www.marinetradingpost.com they do ship so if need be they could ship it to you. I think it was around $8-9 a container and I used less than 2 of them. Good Luck.

[Marcq]

Thanks a million guys  
I'm definitely going that route. I check everyday different boating site to learn about boats and never heard of that technique. When , for the first time saw RickK post on the subject, I said to myself "hey, that makes perfect sense for non-skid on deck" and you can use a simple roller   best thing since slice bread, thanks for sharing RickK   . Now I feel like putting non skid all over the boat     .

And like they say "Pictures are worth a thousand words", uv2flycessna , you did a super job with that method

uv2flycessna, how much gelcoat did you end up using?

Marc..

[luv2flycessna]

Thanks a million guys  
I'm definitely going that route. I check everyday different boating site to learn about boats and never heard of that technique. When , for the first time saw RickK post on the subject, I said to myself "hey, that makes perfect sense for non-skid on deck" and you can use a simple roller   best thing since slice bread, thanks for sharing RickK   . Now I feel like putting non skid all over the boat     .

And like they say "Pictures are worth a thousand words", uv2flycessna , you did a super job with that method

uv2flycessna, how much gelcoat did you end up using?

Marc..

Thanks for the compliment. It is very simple to do and comes out great. The pictures do not make it look as good as it does in person.

I would say probably 1 quart for the white non waxed, 1/2 quart for the white waxed, for the blue probably less than 3/4 quart non waxed and 1/4 of a quart waxed. If I am remembering correctly. I bought 2 quarts non waxed and 2 waxed and have at least 1/2 quart left of each probably more of the waxed left since that was just for last coats. I did not do the casting deck yet so this is for just the lower half of the deck.

[RickK]

Did all this in less than 3 hours probably and I actually only used one layer of the Green Painters tape and left it on until the final coat and it pulled off just fine. I used 1/4 nap 6 inch rollers.

I'm surprised that the tape came off easily.  I remember having to pick little pieces of the tape out of the edges if I didn't pull a layer off before the hardening happened.
If' you're going to do the deck, can you take a few "in-process" pix please?

[luv2flycessna]

Did all this in less than 3 hours probably and I actually only used one layer of the Green Painters tape and left it on until the final coat and it pulled off just fine. I used 1/4 nap 6 inch rollers.

I'm surprised that the tape came off easily.  I remember having to pick little pieces of the tape out of the edges if I didn't pull a layer off before the hardening happened.
If' you're going to do the deck, can you take a few "in-process" pix please?

I was planning on taking pics while doing mine of each step but once I got started and was getting Gel coat on me I didnt wanna stop and didn't want to get the camera covered. If you can get someone to take the pics for you woud be a great help.

What tape did you use RickK? mine was the green Frog tape.

[RickK]

I used blue painters tape.  The trick is to put 2 layers down and peel one off after each application. I usually do more than one section at a time so I am rolling over the tape and when I pull one layer I have nice and crisp lines and no chance of having tape stuck in the gelcoat after it kicks.  If you're doing only one section at a time I can see where you can get away from pulling the tape.
If you can take pix of 1) the water run coating (stripes), 2) the tape off of areas, 3) after the sprinkling of the bead and 4) after the final coat, that would be places where there is no rush.  I wear latex gloves while doing it.

[Marcq]

luv2flycessna, the blue gelcoat, did you mixed it yourself ? If so, did you used clear or white gelcoat to mix it ?

Thanks, Marc..

[luv2flycessna]

luv2flycessna, the blue gelcoat, did you mixed it yourself ? If so, did you used clear or white gelcoat to mix it ?

Thanks, Marc..

Mixed it Myself into white Gel Coat, when you buy your Gel Coat they have tints you can buy to tint it to the color you want, doesn't take very much to change the color. I actually only took a small screw driver dipped it into the blue tint about 3/4" pulled straight out and then dipped it into the white get Gel Coat and pulled it out shook the quart can and presto! That little bit gave me the blue I got.

I still can't Believe how easy it was to get the Non Skid done.

[flkeysaqua]

I'm not using gel coat but a One part enamel paint from Pettit will this matter? Also I've rolled everything so far with a foam roller is there a reason for not using a foam roller to apply non-skid thanks guys in advance. Oh also I bought the Interlux non skid compound instead of skid tek (couldn't find this post until Marq sent me a link today) Any suggestions or help would be awesome