What paint do I need for inside of canopy

tangman99 · 04/01/2006, 06:52 PM

I know I want a flat white but I do not know specifically what type of paint I should buy. I know some have milder inhibitors which are not good. If I go to HD or Lowes, what paint should I look for specifically to do the canopy.

Once painted, what should I seal it with? I have spar polyurethane to seal the outside stain but I heard that this will make white paint look brown.

Thanks

Pete1399 · 04/01/2006, 07:05 PM

Well, I can tell you what not to do. I have put more time in painting and staining my canopy than I did making it. I stained the inside and out with oil based stain and then covered that with polyurathane (3 coats). Unfortunately that did not seal the canopy because it was soaking water up and bowing the door. I then pulled the canopy off and hit it with a coat of Kilz and then a coat of outdoor Latex Enamel. This did not work either (and yes I was now steaming!!!!!). The paint started bubbling because I did not let the wood dry out before painting it. Two nights ago I stripped the wood and let it dry until today. I had to resand the entire inside of the canopy and now the new primer I used is drying. This process has been long and tedious to say the least. I am now going to paint the inside of the canopy with Gloss White Marine paint from Farm and Fleet(local farm supply store).

I do not understand why you said you you know to use Flat white. Isn't gloss better so that the water/condensation runs off of it better?

tangman99 · 04/01/2006, 07:19 PM

Flat white reflects light about 10 to 15 percent better than gloss white according to a lot of research I did on light reflection. I actually found some test results on a hydroponic (sp) website.

I did stain the outside with an oilbased stain and will coating it spar urathane which is an outdoor waterproofing sealer that I found a lot of people use. I just have not been able to find any specific information on what paint people use for the inside of the canopy.

Sorry you are having a lot of trouble. Good luck with what you are doing now.

ChemE · 04/01/2006, 07:38 PM

Yup, flat white paint is more reflective because it scatters light better. I used two coats of flat white paint and then 2 coats of polyurethane to seal it. Polyurethanes are light stable so there is no chance of it discoloring down the line.

tangman99 · 04/01/2006, 08:58 PM

ChemE,

What type of flat white did you use? That is what I am trying to find out exactly. Do you remember the brand and type? Was it interior or exterior? How do you know if has a milder inhibitor? Or, does any type of flat white latex paint work?

Was your polyurethate water based?

I think polyurethane and spar Urethane are different. Spar is oiled base and has a brown tint to it.

Thanks!

ChemE · 04/01/2006, 09:11 PM

American Heritage Indoor/Outdoor Flat White Latex (any kind will work)
and Rustoleum polyurethane.

Pete1399 · 04/01/2006, 09:25 PM

Interesting about flat paint being more reflective. I guess with my T5 individual reflectors I will not need to worry too much about reflection. I just put on a coat of the marine paint. The marine paint is oil based with polyurethane as a major part of it's composition. If you are interested I can let you know the outcome of this paint. The brand of it is Valspar.

ChemE · 04/02/2006, 03:08 AM

Yeah, with high quality reflectors flat versus glossy shouldn't make much difference. But the way I see it, every little bit helps. I also opted to hang my T5's 3" off the water in order to maximize light transfer.

rapier0 · 04/02/2006, 03:44 AM

i used high heat paint like the ones you would use to paint your stove or bbq, works great did it on bare wood 2 coats.
have no heat problems from the mh's and doesnt soakup watter
try that?

rapier0 · 04/02/2006, 03:46 AM

watter lol .....
2 am here.... hehehe and 4 12hr shifts later ..
cant spell for poop.

04/01/2006, 06:52 PM	#1
tangman99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 391	What paint do I need for inside of canopy I know I want a flat white but I do not know specifically what type of paint I should buy. I know some have milder inhibitors which are not good. If I go to HD or Lowes, what paint should I look for specifically to do the canopy. Once painted, what should I seal it with? I have spar polyurethane to seal the outside stain but I heard that this will make white paint look brown. Thanks

04/01/2006, 07:05 PM	#2
Pete1399 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Im right here Posts: 369	Well, I can tell you what not to do. I have put more time in painting and staining my canopy than I did making it. I stained the inside and out with oil based stain and then covered that with polyurathane (3 coats). Unfortunately that did not seal the canopy because it was soaking water up and bowing the door. I then pulled the canopy off and hit it with a coat of Kilz and then a coat of outdoor Latex Enamel. This did not work either (and yes I was now steaming!!!!!). The paint started bubbling because I did not let the wood dry out before painting it. Two nights ago I stripped the wood and let it dry until today. I had to resand the entire inside of the canopy and now the new primer I used is drying. This process has been long and tedious to say the least. I am now going to paint the inside of the canopy with Gloss White Marine paint from Farm and Fleet(local farm supply store). I do not understand why you said you you know to use Flat white. Isn't gloss better so that the water/condensation runs off of it better? __________________ Pete Current Tank Info: 75g, CSS220 Skimmer, DIY CREE LEDs, DIY Canopy, DIY Stand, 29g sump/fuge, Tunze nanostreams

04/01/2006, 07:38 PM	#4
ChemE Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Nashville, TN Posts: 1,607	Yup, flat white paint is more reflective because it scatters light better. I used two coats of flat white paint and then 2 coats of polyurethane to seal it. Polyurethanes are light stable so there is no chance of it discoloring down the line. __________________ Holding it down on the engineering tip y'all Current Tank Info: 190G

04/01/2006, 09:11 PM	#6
ChemE Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Nashville, TN Posts: 1,607	American Heritage Indoor/Outdoor Flat White Latex (any kind will work) and Rustoleum polyurethane. __________________ Holding it down on the engineering tip y'all Current Tank Info: 190G

04/01/2006, 09:25 PM	#7
Pete1399 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Im right here Posts: 369	Interesting about flat paint being more reflective. I guess with my T5 individual reflectors I will not need to worry too much about reflection. I just put on a coat of the marine paint. The marine paint is oil based with polyurethane as a major part of it's composition. If you are interested I can let you know the outcome of this paint. The brand of it is Valspar. __________________ Pete Current Tank Info: 75g, CSS220 Skimmer, DIY CREE LEDs, DIY Canopy, DIY Stand, 29g sump/fuge, Tunze nanostreams

04/01/2006, 07:19 PM	#3
tangman99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 391	Flat white reflects light about 10 to 15 percent better than gloss white according to a lot of research I did on light reflection. I actually found some test results on a hydroponic (sp) website. I did stain the outside with an oilbased stain and will coating it spar urathane which is an outdoor waterproofing sealer that I found a lot of people use. I just have not been able to find any specific information on what paint people use for the inside of the canopy. Sorry you are having a lot of trouble. Good luck with what you are doing now.

04/01/2006, 08:58 PM	#5
tangman99 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 391	ChemE, What type of flat white did you use? That is what I am trying to find out exactly. Do you remember the brand and type? Was it interior or exterior? How do you know if has a milder inhibitor? Or, does any type of flat white latex paint work? Was your polyurethate water based? I think polyurethane and spar Urethane are different. Spar is oiled base and has a brown tint to it. Thanks!

04/02/2006, 03:08 AM	#8
ChemE Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Nashville, TN Posts: 1,607	Yeah, with high quality reflectors flat versus glossy shouldn't make much difference. But the way I see it, every little bit helps. I also opted to hang my T5's 3" off the water in order to maximize light transfer. __________________ Holding it down on the engineering tip y'all Current Tank Info: 190G

04/02/2006, 03:44 AM	#9
rapier0 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 24	i used high heat paint like the ones you would use to paint your stove or bbq, works great did it on bare wood 2 coats. have no heat problems from the mh's and doesnt soakup watter try that?

04/02/2006, 03:46 AM	#10
rapier0 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 24	watter lol ..... 2 am here.... hehehe and 4 12hr shifts later .. cant spell for poop.