Click for MotorCheck Click for Cross Click for Burger Click for Ocean Alexander Click for Perko

Alexseal Metallic Paints

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by tedprosser, May 20, 2018.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. tedprosser

    tedprosser New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2009
    Messages:
    10
    Location:
    St John VI
    I am considering painting our hardtop and a few spots on my boat with Alexseal Metallic Hazelnut
    Any comment on its durability or how it holds up in the sun?
    Any advice or comments would be appreciated
  2. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    It will hold up as well as any other color that Alexseal offers. Alexseal Metallic Systems is a base coat clear coat system that utilizes an acrylic urethane as a base coat and a high solids aliphatic clear on top for excellent hardness and UV protection.
    You can't go wrong with this system. Repairing a metallic color is more problematic than repairing a solid color due to the metallic particles or flop in the pigment. Metallic's will also be slightly different in color and appearance between spraying of vertical and horizontal panels due to how the particles lay & flow in the coating so this is always something to keep in mind if you remove a door or boarding gate and lay it flat to spray. It wont match the fixed vertical panel next to it when re-installed.
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    The reason mainly they don’t match if panels are painted vertically and those laying flat are the painter. When spraying metallic the painter has to spray both left to right (or vice versa) and up and down also. With non metallics you only need to spray left to right or right to left. If this isn’t done, the metallics won’t lay the same on vertical or horizontal as the angle of the paint coming out of the gun is different.

    Metallics do have a shorter lifespan than a solid color due to the nature of the metallics in the paint. Just as some colors last longer than others due to the amount of pigments in the paint.
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    I remember shooting a car and loose trim parts with metal Imron. Candy red & flake and the owner didn't notice. Whooie.
    Luckily I parted from body shop work during the late 70s.
    I doubt anybody remembers lead filler before Bondo.
  5. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    Empirical data shows that metallic panel matching is more of a wet film thickness issue versus an applicators cross coat technique. All high solids coating require the applicator to employ a cross coat gun sweep while shooting product and its called for due to maximum coverage in a short duration for shorter flash times of the product. Data shows that horizontal surfaces tend to collect paint quicker than vertical panels due to the laws of gravity & the applicators concerns over sags or curtains on the vertical.Horizontal surfaces will always have a thicker WFT when measured on the surface on a completed show coat. Alexseal Metallic Systems calls for an average of 5 mils WFT and 2 mils Dry film thickness for best results when utilizing their product so lets use A/S Metallic color of Anniversary Silver as a test for this theory. When the horizontal WFT is higher than the vertical WFT, the amounts of metallic's increase in the pigment applied causing the horizontal panel to be a shade darker than the vertical and many times will look like the next paint chip on the card this time being Snowpack Silver. BTW, Alexseal is the only company that actually utilizes paint on their color chip charts in lieu of ink as representation of true color so what you see on the chart will match what's on your boat if mixed and applied correctly. As far as durability goes, Alexseal Metallic's base coat has the same life span as Awl Craft 2000 as both technical data sheets are very similar & its the same basic Acrylic urethane that every applicator has come to love for its ease of application. What makes Alexseal's system last as long as any HPLP urethane is the hard as nails high solids aliphatic LP clear coat that goes on top. Yrs past metallic's that were produced by Dupont in their epoxy based Imron line were not overly UV resistant and would chaulk after a couple yrs sun exposure. Times and chemistry have changed as modern high performance linear aliphatic polyester polyurethane paints have excellent durability, hardness and UV protection from the old epoxies of 20-30 yrs ago. Also, equipment has changed rapidly the last few yrs. and the European applicators have been leaders in testing and utilization of the new spray equipment. HVLP guns are quickly being replaced by hybrid electrostatic guns and now fully aerated pressure pots with airless spray systems are the norm for superyacht painting reducing overspray issues and airborne VOC's while producing a beautiful finish
  6. T.K.

    T.K. Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2007
    Messages:
    1,013
    Location:
    Cairo - Egypt
    I have excellent experience with Alexseal metallic paints. I had two 60ft fiberglass hulls painted in Alexseal metallic paint in 2010 and 2011. Both paint jobs are in excellent condition until today with an excellent shine and finish. Both boats are located in Egypt which is an extremely hot and harsh climate during the summer months. If you search the forum for Alexseal you will find the thread which covers this topic.
  7. tedprosser

    tedprosser New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2009
    Messages:
    10
    Location:
    St John VI
    Thx for all the Great info !
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    The problem I have with alexseal is it’s requirement to be waxed 2-3x a year and the sheer expense and headache of waxing it. Awlcraft 2000 has no requirement to be waxed. I have one yacht that the hull got sprayed in 2014 dark navy blue awlcraft 2000 and still looks perfect. I also had a 3 year old sf brow with metallic black alexseal on the brow that needed to be resprayed after 3 years.
  9. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    No such thing required. Alexseal RECOMMENDS waxing two to three times a year but this can be reduced to once every two years with the use of a ceramic polymer sealer. Awl Craft also recommends that you wax blends or dull spots where fenders have scuffed or hazed the outer layers of the coating. Any coatings manufacturer would wish for customer applied sacrificial wax or sealer coats on top of their product to ensure the base color is protected and its longevity increased through this process. Its easy to get into a huge debate about wax vs no wax on polyester urethanes & acrylic urethanes as forum boards are chock full of this debate but the only fast rule is not to high speed cut and polish a linear urethane. Acrylic urethane ( AC-2000) no problem in doing this if you need to but once you do this you'll be cutting and buffing every yr. to keep any DOI.
    By sealing or waxing any type of top coat your providing a sacrificial barrier on top of your paint to prolong its longevity and luster. As far as a S/F brow needing a re-spray after 3 yrs I would venter a guess that the product used was Alexseal's G series system paint and not the newer HS- M system.