Getting my sailboat ready for the season. Do I Wash&Wax the topsides first and then bottom paint? or should I bottom paint first? To Wash the hull, I usually need to use an acid cleaner to get the waterline algae off.
Anonymous
Hull first as wax from the top will bugger up the paint adhesion.
?
Prep and paint first, then wax. Paint can't adhere as well to a waxed or smooth surface, or to surfaces contaminated with stuff that has less holding power than paint. Plus stuff that is painted over can make bumps & lumps that look crappy under a glossy finish.
Addition: Do the topside after the bottom because of the wax issue noted elswhere + the cleaning & prepping will kick crap into the air that will settle onto your freshly cleaned deck & then you'll have to do it over. Same is true of the interior areas. Save that for last.