When you receive a pontoon or shape kit, you will have different options to seal and coat the raw EPS. We go into detail on the epoxy resin below. You can also use a less expensive method by applying a rubberized coating (the same material that gets applied to an RV roof or any leaking roof) on the pontoons easily. You can use a brush, spray it with a gun or even dip the toons. This coating is sold in any Lowes, Menards, Home Depot, etc... and the price range is anywhere from $50 to $100 for 5 gallons. We use Duck Coat to cover the bottom of our docks completely to seal moisture from getting to the EPS as well as the wood. The thickness of the coating depends on how many coats you want to apply and comes in black or white and is paintable. (You can use something similar to Duck Coat with the same results.)
Please check out our FAQ about other ways to coat the EPS foam including bedliner paint, fiberglass resin, etc....
THE COATING
What to expect when you receive your boat kit!
Once you receive your kit, carefully unpack the pontoons.
Be careful handling the pontoons and temporarily assemble them to get an idea of how your project will go together. You will have many options later but this will give you some vision on your project.
If you ordered the 2-part epoxy with your kit you can apply your first coat now. You can apply the epoxy with either a small roller or brush. If you know how to paint you can apply the epoxy. Give yourself plenty of room to work and we recommend mixing small amounts. (approximately 8 oz each part A and part B) Coat each pontoon part individually and allow to fully cure.
Before applying the 2nd coat of epoxy you need to glue the hot wire cut lines with Power Grab (included with the Epoxy kit). This step strengthens the pontoons and acts as a weld on EPS.
This paddle board was done with 3 cans of florescent paint from a can.
After the glue dries you can apply the 2nd coat of epoxy. If you want to add color to your epoxy now you can. We do not send colors and it is time for you to be creative with your DIY skills. If you choose to paint it with cans or brush you can do so after the 2nd coat dries. You will be applying the 3rd coat over the paint for a deep look to the surface.
This 9 foot boat was camouflaged with 3 cans of black from Walmart. $2 each
After your 3rd coat cures you should be ready to cut your PVC lengths and assemble the kit to your preferences. Please read notes below!
-You can use your own material to coat your pontoons, however EPS will not accept just any materials and will melt the foam. We test our epoxy's before we send them to you.
-If you want to use another coating (fiberglass, bed-liner paint, etc) we recommend you use an epoxy similar to what we sell for the first coat to protect\shield the harsh chemicals from melting the foam.
-You may find you want the pontoons to have a stronger coat than what 3 coats of epoxy gives you. It is only an opinion that your pontoons will be strong enough so please be aware that if you want to be more aggressive with your boat, you may want to coat it with a fiberglass resin. (its now safe for anything you choose)
-If you don't want to use the epoxy at all and have the resources to spray the poly-urea (what they use for truck beds) that works really well. (Line-X or Rhino Liner, etc)
