Durable, Skid-resistant, and Beautiful Boat Deck Coatings

Minneapolis, MN – May 16, 2005 – Ship and boat decks can be flow-coated with colored quartz mixed into 100% epoxy to make hard, skid-resistant surfaces. The resulting decks are easy to clean and intolerant to the formation of algae, bacteria, and other growths.

Colored quartz is close to diamonds in hardness, and is highly skid-resistant. Because the quartz is imbedded in a water tight plastic surface of 10 to 20 mils thickness, the sandpaper-like surface is safe and durable. This is the same type of surface used by airline ramp and food service trucks to provide safe slip-resistant fenders and other surfaces employed in rain and snow conditions.

The key to sealing or repairing decks using color quartz hinges on preparing the existing surface to ensure a permanent bond. A common mistake is to assume that a new surface does not need extensive preparation. To the contrary, new surfaces require almost as much attention as those that show extensive wear. Specifically, one must make sure that the coating is applied to a substrate that is clean and will not move or flex.

The 3M Quartz that Durall favors also holds its color well and is not subject to extensive fading. The color quartz surface can be made as smooth or rough as required by adjusting the grain size and the number of epoxy and urethane seal coats.

When Durall specifies one of 3M's great color quartz blends for a project it likes to see 50 lb. per 100-sq. ft. applied. In most applications, after the first coat, sweeping can recover amounts up to 30 percent for reuse. Normally, Durall recommends using clear epoxy as the base and topcoats. If the deck is badly damaged, a complementary color can be used as the base coat to help avoid show-through problems. Show-through can also be corrected by applying multiple coats of color quartz and resin.

An important trick of the trade is to apply color quartz by hand application using a low-angle throw. Low angles allow the color quartz to skip over the deck surface until wet, uncovered sealant is encountered, at which point the quartz then sticks. The low angle method helps avoid bald spots and ensure that the color quartz is not exhausted prematurely.

Specialized coatings have been a central part of Durall Industrial Floorings' product line for over 40 years. Durall provides free cost analyses of boat deck projects at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com. Each cost analysis produces a customized kit of materials and step- by-step instructions for coating the deck. A 24/7 help line is provided during the application process.

For photo examples and more detail, visit www.concrete-floor-coatings.com

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)