Vinyl Paint - Color Match and Other Advice?

[groberts4]

Hey guys -
I'm planning to paint the vinyl seats in the bow of my 2006 262. I read an interesting post on this topic from 2019 and wondered if anyone had additional info on the following:
1) Name of the "white" color - it's an off-white, typical of boats from that era (see pic below). How to match it? What is the color called in the SEM line?
2) Any advice on products or procedures?
Thanks!

Cobalt - Rear quarter x tied to docks.jpg

[Kate]

"How to match it?"

There are apps for that, and you can buy a match chart from SEM.

Thinking of doing the same thing. Let us know how it turns out.

[groberts4]

Thanks Kate, I'll try that. So far I've shown pictures of the faded ("spotted?") vinyl to a upholstery pro and he told me painting never lasts - maybe one or two seasons. Could be just trying to talk me into reupholstering but that's not going to happen. the discoloration is too minor for that - see this picture for a good example:

[Titaniumboy]

Your upholstery looks like it is in great shape except for the spotting. I’m thinking the spots are due to mildew. What kind of things have you used so far to remove the mildew?

[TwoDuckDad]

https://rubnrestore.com/leather-restora ... KEQAvD_BwE


This product seems to get rave reviews.

[groberts4]

Thanks Titanium - For sure I've used pretty much every product on the market to eliminate mildew as a likely culprit. All the Star Brite and other stuff, even some fairly strong industrial stuff with a scrub brush. I'm confident that it's a deterioration of the vinyl because when I used the harsh stuff with a scrub brush I could see the problem getting WORSE, as the brush seemed to expand the gray spots.
If you or anyone else has suggestions for the best widely available mildew remover, I'll try anything!

[groberts4]

Thanks TwoDuck - I hadn't heard of that brand before. You're right, it looks legit, mostly great reviews. I just ordered 2 oz. ($22 with shipping). I'll be sure and circle back to let y'all know if/how it works.
PS: For color matching, the company offers a "Marine White" which looks to be perfect in the photos. I'll find out.

[Titaniumboy]

I’ll be following your paint experiment with interest.

[Kate]

"I'm confident that it's a deterioration of the vinyl . . ."

It could be vinyl discoloration (aka "PVC discoloration"):

"For more than 50 years, PVC discoloration, has perplexed the marine industry. Vinyl and fabric manufacturers, marine fabricators and boat owners alike are eager to pinpoint the problem and find a solution."

Bad news: It is the result of "chemical reactions within the vinyl, so cleaning is not an option."

How to avoid it in the future: "Elevating the cover fabric from direct contact with the vinyl will also allow for airflow underneath the cover and will prevent high heat buildup in the vinyl itself."

Excellent article here: https://commercialsewing.com/wp-content ... -HiRes.pdf

[groberts4]

I’ll be following your paint experiment with interest.

I haven't forgotten to post the results, just haven't had a chance to try out this new stuff. Should be able to get to it in a week or so.

[groberts4]

Finally got around to trying out the Rub & Restore paint on my deteriorating vinyl. I purchased 2 oz. in Marine White for $22. It's very thin, each coat is barely detectable, but after 8 coats I'm semi-pleased with the results. I went through most of the 2 oz. bottle on this one seat (15" x 30" -> $7/sq ft), so it's not an inexpensive fix. A larger bottle would help the economics. Below are before and after pics. In addition to the improvement in color, the vinyl is just as soft and supple as before. We'll see if it stays that way once it's on the boat and out in the sun and heat.
Before:

Cobatl Cushion - Before.jpg

After:

Cobalt Cushion - After.jpg

[jhnmdahl]

Looks way better than paint - nice work so far, and thanks for reporting back!

[Kate]

That is a significant improvement! Thanks for the update.

[AsLan7]

Nice job gr4. Thanks for the pics too. Others here can benefit from your work.