Perfection my a** -- what happened?
- Thread starter mherrcat
- Start date
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- happened perfection
I've been following this thread b/c I'm considering painting topsides using Perfection (finishing up the bottom now!). Can you polish Perfection with good results? If dust settles in to the finish, or even as the finish ages, can you wet sand with ultra fine paper, polish, & wax? Obviously, I still have research to do.
mherrcat
Contributing Partner
After all this I'd hate to have to go through a sanding/polishing step, but I am curious as well to know what is possible. I was definitely going to give the finished boom a good coat of wax to help protect my hard work.
Just make sure you clean the surface EXTREMELY WELL before applying primer and Perfection. Use a GOOD Badger hair brush to tip off. Testing on a piece of glass is a good idea, too. (I did it.)
I painted the inside of the slot on the top of the boom last night and found that even after about four passes with solvent and a clean rag there was still some contamination. (I just can't win on this thing!)
I would also suggest not using any colored towels/rags. The microfiber towels I originally used, although clean, were yellow. I think the solvent transferred some dye to the boom surface. Now I'm using white diaper cloth towels.
The time you spend prepping the surface and making it as smooth as possible will definitely be reflected (no pun) in the final surface. This paint goes on thin and levels out well, so any imperfection in the surface will be seen through the final coats.
Just make sure you clean the surface EXTREMELY WELL before applying primer and Perfection. Use a GOOD Badger hair brush to tip off. Testing on a piece of glass is a good idea, too. (I did it.)
I painted the inside of the slot on the top of the boom last night and found that even after about four passes with solvent and a clean rag there was still some contamination. (I just can't win on this thing!)
I would also suggest not using any colored towels/rags. The microfiber towels I originally used, although clean, were yellow. I think the solvent transferred some dye to the boom surface. Now I'm using white diaper cloth towels.
The time you spend prepping the surface and making it as smooth as possible will definitely be reflected (no pun) in the final surface. This paint goes on thin and levels out well, so any imperfection in the surface will be seen through the final coats.
You may also want to look at trying white Bounty (and only Bounty brand) paper towels. I know it may not be intuitive, but I've had good luck tacking things down with them. No dye, as lint/dust free as anything I've found. You can get a couple wipes out of each piece, folding as you go to always have a clean surface, and then toss it and get the next one. Obviously, try a test spot. I've not used them with Perfection.
Also, if you do attempt any polishing after the fact, make sure you are at the right point in the cure process. I don't know this product first hand, but have worked with products where you had an ideal window to work in. Too early and it's too soft. Too late and it's too hard. This is one I'd hit the Interlux rep up for help on. Same with applying a wax. Not all topcoats will like that. Awlgrip is one of these odd products that develops the gloss on the surface, which is why you can't buff it out like other paints. Just make sure Perfection isn't something like this before you abrade the top surface.
Also, if you do attempt any polishing after the fact, make sure you are at the right point in the cure process. I don't know this product first hand, but have worked with products where you had an ideal window to work in. Too early and it's too soft. Too late and it's too hard. This is one I'd hit the Interlux rep up for help on. Same with applying a wax. Not all topcoats will like that. Awlgrip is one of these odd products that develops the gloss on the surface, which is why you can't buff it out like other paints. Just make sure Perfection isn't something like this before you abrade the top surface.