How to Paint Aluminum Jon Boats

Jon Boats are one of the most popular form of aluminum boats in the world. Also known simply as flat-bottom boats, Jon Boats are great for fishing and for navigating through shallow waters. This makes them a favorite for both fishermen and for those who enjoy hunting waterfowl. Because these are common uses for aluminum Jon Boats, you might want to paint your boat a color that will help it blend in with its surroundings, rather than leaving it in the raw aluminum shade that will reflect sunlight.

Things You'll Need

• Assistant
• 2 sawhorses
• Water hose
• Bucket
• Soapy water
• Stiff bristle brush
• Electric sander
• Newspaper
• Paint sprayer
• Primer for metal
• Paint thinner

Instructions

1. Find someone who can assist you with this project. Jon Boats can be heavy, and are too large and bulky for one person to adequately lift alone. Not only will you need to lift the boat up onto sawhorses, but you will be flipping the boat over several times during the process of painting it. That will go much easier if you have someone to assist you with the effort.

2. Locate a work area where it is safe to clean and paint your Jon Boat without it coming in contact with blowing dust and debris. Inside a garage is ideal, but if no garage is available you will need to make do with what you have available. Set up two sawhorses in the area and lift the Jon Boat onto the top of the sawhorses. It doesn’t matter which side is facing up, since you will be flipping it over during the process, but many people like to have the inside facing up, the same as it would be on the river.

3. Remove the old paint from your Jon Boat. Obviously, if your boat is bare aluminum you can skip this step. Otherwise, use a paint scraper to remove any loose or peeling paint, then use an electric sander to go over the entire boat. Do not worry if you can’t remove 100% of the paint. As long as you can remove any paint that is likely to cause peeling on your new paint, you are fine. Also do not be bothered by any scratches created by your sander, because these will actually make it easier for the new paint to stick to the surface.

4. Wash the boat. Use your water hose, preferably with some type of power spray nozzle attached, to rinse out any debris left over from sanding. Then use a hard bristle brush and a bucket of soapy water to scrub every inch of the boat, inside and out. The surface should be clean enough to eat off of. Give the Jon Boat one final rinsing with the hose to wash away any remaining soap, and then allow the boat to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

5. Apply a primer coat to your aluminum Jon Boat. The primer is much more important than most people realize. It helps provide the base that allows the paint to stick to the metal, and also provides an extra layer of weather protection. You should select an oil-based primer that is designed for use on metal. Thin the primer down by mixing in one pint of paint thinner per gallon of primer. Pour the thinned primer into your paint sprayer, and spray the primer onto the boat using a broad sweeping motion. First apply primer to the inside of the boat, allow it to dry, then turn the boat over to spray primer on the outside. Make sure all primer is completely dry before moving on to the next step.

6. Paint your aluminum Jon Boat with water-resistant paint. You can paint the boat any color of your choosing. Popular colors are dark olive green or camouflage. However, you can paint the boat whatever color suits you. The most important thing is that the paint be water-resistant. Again, start by painting the inside of the boat with your paint sprayer. After the inside is dry, you can flip the boat over to paint the outside. Use wide sweeping strokes with your paint sprayer to apply paint in thin layers that will not drip or run. You may need to apply multiple coats to get the desired color.

Tips & Warnings

• You may wish to also apply a clear coat on top of the paint to give your Jon Boat that freshly painted look. However, the clear coat will reflect sunlight and make your boat shiny, so those who use their Jon Boat for hunting may wish to avoid the clear coat.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish