Boat Interior Paint Saves the Day
Larry Fowler tells us “Cleanliness is next to godliness” when preparing seats for ColorBond LVP Refinisher boat interior paint. Larry recently purchased a 25’ Pro-Line Walk Around Cuddy Cabin in showroom condition, however, the previous owner wasn’t kind to the leather seating; it was stained from mold. Larry found replacing the leather seat cushions would have cost $1,500.00 to $2,000.00, so he decided to restore the cushions using boat interior paint. A far less expensive option. Larry decided to use ColorBond after coming across it online and seeing excellent reviews.
Larry did a six-step preparation procedure to be sure he got the long lasting and mold-free result he wanted. I’ve never seen a prep procedure as comprehensive as Larry’s, but as a retired nuclear engineer, he assures me he’s very much in-tune with proper preparation and cleanliness. He began by lightly scuffing the seats with 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper for best boat interior paint adhesion. Next Larry scrubbed the cushions with dawn dish detergent and rinsed and dried them thoroughly. Step three was a good scrubbing with a 50-50 mix of bleach and water to be sure all the mold in the leather was dead. After allowing the cushions to dry, they were scrubbed again with dawn, rinsed, and left to dry. Step five was scrubbing with ColorBond Prep Cleaner and more drying time. Last, but not least was a wipe down with a lint free cloth and alcohol. All this ensured the leather was clean and dry as possible, all mold was abated, and the surface was dust and lint free.
After fashioning a makeshift spray booth with exhaust fan for a dust free atmosphere, Larry found the painting part was quickest and easiest. Once masking off the teal and blue trim on the seats, which wasn’t stained, he applied 4 coats of LVP Refinisher boat interior paint in #105 Cuddy White. Allowing dry time between each coat. Overall, 4 cans of ColorBond were used at a cost of $72.00, plus a $6.95 bottle of ColorBond Prep Cleaner. Compare that to replacing the cushions at $1,500.00 to $2,000.00.
Larry then left the cushions in his garage and allowed them to cure for a week. For more protection he performed a wipe down with Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner and Conditioner and allowed it to dry. Finally, the cushions were buffed with a cloth for a light sheen. He hasn’t installed them in his boat yet but sent us photos of the finished cushions. They’re gorgeous!
Many thanks to Larry for sharing his story with us.
If you’d like to see other projects using ColorBond LVP Refinisher boat interior paint, check out these posts:
Boat Upholstery Paint Saves Boat Owner Thousands of Dollars – ColorBond Paint
1960 Chris Craft 17′ Sportsman Restoration – ColorBond Paint
Vinyl Paint for Boat Seats Saves Money – ColorBond Paint
