Removing Non-skid Deck Grip

[surfynic]

Hi!
Im new to the forums and this is my first (of probably many) posts. Ive just bought myself a Simpson 11.66 catamaran in need of a lot of love and am in the process of giving it exactly that. In preparation to get some big bits of deck rot cut out and repaired before repainting ive removed all the hardware from my decks and am now looking at how to go about removing the deck paint that has been painted EVERYWHERE.... Now ive been told I should just get rid off all the loose stuff and paint straight over the top, but im a bit more of a perfectionist than that and want to redo all the edges so theres some nice clean paint around all the fittings etc and this means removing, completely, a lot of deck grip paint... The deck is ply with epoxy.

Ive tried a wire brush on a grinder, and well, that made the deck paint nice and clean, but thats about it. as the paint got hot it started to get really rubbery so im not sure how a sander is going to go, i think maybe it will just get clogged disks - a lot.

Sooooo suggestions?? (besides a lot of hard work, i already know thats part of the solution!)

Thanks! Nic

[senormechanico]

I'm in the middle of removing rubberized nonskid from a GRP deck.
It is a rubberized sheet which has been set in an adhesive.
This tool is working absolutely great!
I am using the blade attachment and it's like giving the deck a haircut.
You put the blade under the edge and shave off a bit.
After 3 or 4 passes, cut off the loose piece with the same blade and repeat.

HarborFreight sells them.
Chicago Electric Power Tools
Multifunction Power Tool
Item #67256

Here's an ebay link:
Chicago Electric Variable Speed Oscillating Multifunction Power Tool on eBay!

Just get one, you'll love it!

[heron237]

maybe a power planer would work.

[jeremiason]

We used heat guns and putty knifes to strip the non-skid decks of a non-profit boat I was crewing on a couple of years ago.

It worked well and does not leave the gouges that a sander or other machinery does.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by surfynic

Hi!
Im new to the forums and this is my first (of probably many) posts. Ive just bought myself a Simpson 11.66 catamaran in need of a lot of love and am in the process of giving it exactly that. In preparation to get some big bits of deck rot cut out and repaired before repainting ive removed all the hardware from my decks and am now looking at how to go about removing the deck paint that has been painted EVERYWHERE.... Now ive been told I should just get rid off all the loose stuff and paint straight over the top, but im a bit more of a perfectionist than that and want to redo all the edges so theres some nice clean paint around all the fittings etc and this means removing, completely, a lot of deck grip paint... The deck is ply with epoxy.

Ive tried a wire brush on a grinder, and well, that made the deck paint nice and clean, but thats about it. as the paint got hot it started to get really rubbery so im not sure how a sander is going to go, i think maybe it will just get clogged disks - a lot.

Sooooo suggestions?? (besides a lot of hard work, i already know thats part of the solution!)

Thanks! Nic

The usual many variables here. If your deck coating is not treadmaster but gums up when it gets hot, it is probably kiwigrip or similar. A PITA to grind but fairly easy to peel off with a heat gun and scraper. Or it could be something else. I'd try heat and a scraper first, after masking carefully-don't fool yourself you can get all kinds of gouges with a scraper. If it doesnt scrape easy-kiwigrip peels off like latex paint-then go to a softpad sander with 36 grit imperial and a 5" DA for the corners. It'll come right off. What are you recoating with? It matters for how you approach the prep...

[surfynic]

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I had been thinking about the heat gun, is it ok on the epoxy thou? I might be able to find out the paint the last owner used, if I do I'll post on here.

As for what I'm going to put on next I'm not sure, I have been looking at lots but it's soo hard to know what to use! I want something rubbery that's soft of your feet... What might I need to take into consideration prep wise? I know that might be a loaded question thou, hence I was trying to take it one step at a time as my boat is a big job.

Keep the advice coming as this is my first boat and need to learn from the learned!

[surfynic]

ok, so just to update if anyones reading. What i ended up doing was gently used flapper disks on grinders to get the really hard bits off been really carful not to go too deep then with an orbital with 40grit paper i went over the whole thing.

it took me a while but i got it to a point i was happy with and now im filling and sanding getting it ready to paint. massive job but shes coming along

thanks for your feedback!

[delmarrey]

Heat guns work really well. If the paint's on epoxy just get it hot enough to blister but not turn color, and you should be fine. If the epoxy gets too hot it'll get gummy but won't loose it's bond.


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[minaret]

Originally Posted by surfynic

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I had been thinking about the heat gun, is it ok on the epoxy thou? I might be able to find out the paint the last owner used, if I do I'll post on here.

As for what I'm going to put on next I'm not sure, I have been looking at lots but it's soo hard to know what to use! I want something rubbery that's soft of your feet... What might I need to take into consideration prep wise? I know that might be a loaded question thou, hence I was trying to take it one step at a time as my boat is a big job.

Keep the advice coming as this is my first boat and need to learn from the learned!

If you want something rubbery and soft you should probably go with either kiwigrip or treadmaster. Two very different approaches. Kiwigrip would be the cheaper approach, it is a thick rubbery paint you apply with a textured roller to create the non skid pattern. Many stand by it but I don't like it personally. I think it's hard to keep clean and feels wierd on the feet. Also doesn't look great. Treadmaster is sheets of a thick rubber material with a nice non-skid pattern on one side. You make up patterns of your deck and cut the treadmaster to fit and then epoxy it in place on your deck. It is a great product but substantially more expensive than kiwigrip. The big drawback is that when it does wear out it's a real bear to remove and replace. It does look really good when well done though. I have also seen some truly awful amateur attempts at treadmaster. Kiwigrip requires a higher level of prep than treadmaster but with all the patterning and cutting I'd say a kiwi job is actually much faster as well as cheaper in the materials department.


Treadmaster Marine - the very best alternative to wooden boat decking

http://www.kiwigrip.com/

[delmarrey]

Treadmaster is really good stuff for a non-skid and looks real nice BUT is expensive. It cost me $400+ worth of material (3 years ago) just to do my cockpit.

Another alternative would be Flexiteek by Yacht Deck. It's an artificial material that looks & feels good but I don't know the cost and they would like one of their reps to install it.

Link>>> Yacht Deck/Flexiteek




My cockpit with treadmaster during the install. Also put some between the winches & aft for standing & entrance.

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