How to Paint a Poly Canoe

If you have a polyethylene canoe or kayak, you know that the bottom of the boat will eventually become scraped and abraded from all of the wear and tear that it's subjected to on the river. You may want to re-energize the look of your boat by painting it. Most paints do not adhere to polyethylene plastic, but you can paint your own boat if you have the right materials.

Things You'll Need

  • Painter's tape
  • Newspaper
  • Paint roller
  • Polyethylene paint solvent
  • Anti-corrosion sulfonated polyethylene paint
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tape of the areas of the canoe that you don't want to get painted. Using painter's tape and newsprint, tape off the cockpit area and any other part of the boat that you don't want to become a new color.

    • 2

      Mix the paint. This is a process that you must perform outdoors, or inside a ventilated spray booth. Using a mixing stick, make sure that the paint is stirred so that the color has not settled to the bottom of the can.

    • 3

      Paint the boat. Using a paint roller, roll out the entire boat, allowing it to dry between coats. Paint the entire boat with at least two coats.

    • 4

      Allow the boat to dry. The paint takes at least seven days to cure before it becomes completely hardened. Allow the boat to dry at least a month before you wash and scrub it.

    • 5

      Clean your paint roller using a solvent recommended by the manufacturer.