DIY stand - Paint choices

[swales]

Well, I've righted my stand - my previous post concerning it was more panic at the idea of wasting time and money on something and it turning out wrong.

Now, I need to decide how to finish it. Most DIY stand instructions involve staining the wood. I'd like to paint mine instead.. I'm thinking a light grey color. What type of paint is appropriate for an aquarium stand? It should be water resistant/proof correct? Is exterior paint adequate?

I read somewhere that epoxy paint is a good choice, but I'd rather not use this because I've painted with it before -- not fun (or cheap).

Thanks for any suggestions.

[Drumachine09]

You can use pretty much any paint, provided you clear coat it. Here is what I would do:


Sand
Prime
Sand
Paint
Sand
Paint
Sand
Clearcoat
Sand
Clearcoat



Bit extensive, but it will give you the best finish.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I'd say a good exterior grade paint would be a good choice for it. No matter what you do weather it's stain or paint, you need something to seal the wood. Interior paint does not accomplish this.

[Drumachine09]

Another tip:


For the clear coat, use Marine Varnish. Waterproof, and a great product. If you got Maring Varnish, you would only need one coat of clear coat with no sanding.



ALSO! Make sure after sanding that you get rid of all of the saw dust with a damp cloth, or air gun, otherwise your next coat won't adhere correctly.

[swales]

Thanks for explaining the process. I've never used clearcoat before. Are there different types, or should they all be about the same? Is it fairly simple to apply?

I sand the paint between coats as well? I assume with a very fine grit?

Thanks for all the advice. I found the blue foam as well. I had to go to a different Lowes to find it, though.

[swales]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies. Thanks for adding that bit about cleaning up the dust -- i was going to just for the sake of anyone else that reads this thread.

Do I need to prime if I use exterior paint?

[Drumachine09]

The purpose of sanding is to create more surface area, so the paint will bond better.



As a general rule, I prime just about everything before I paint it. It is a somewhat better surface to bond to than just bare wood.

[Rue]

I have become a marine paint fan.

I'm painting the interior of my new chicken coop with marine paint. The easier to hose it out during disinfections! :19:

[gm72]

Sanding is also necessary between coats of glossy paint because the next layer will almost never consistently adhere to the gloss.

[LosC]

For my stand I painted an already glossy brown dresser with 3 coats of a black oil based paint that was recommended for wood. I spray painted the drawers and it didn't go too well, had to put extra coats.

[swales]

Thanks for all the help. I think I have it now.

I'll be buying primer, exterior paint, and clear coat. I was hoping to go to my hometown to get home depot paint, but I think I will go with whatever I can get at Lowes due to my impatience. I have a bunch of 220 grit sandpaper. I think this will be adequate?

[swales]

Here's one last question (I think). Do I need to prime everything? Or should I assemble all of it and then prime, paint, and clear coat? For example, do I need to prime the parts of the 2x4 frame covered by the exterior?

Thanks.

[Rue]

Technically you don't need to prime at all...it just works a lot better...saves money on the 'good' paint since it goes on easier...and is also easier to apply since it's less dense...

I'd assembly, prime, paint...

[Becikeja]

Look into dutchboy cabinet & trim paint. Typically 2 coats, you don't need to add any clear coat, looks great and keeps out moisture. If you can afford the marine paint suggested earlier that's great.