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Getting an aluminum boat painted

Posted on 2/8/26 at 9:36 pm
Posted by Tiger55
Gretna, LA
Member since Aug 2004
1472 posts
Posted on 2/8/26 at 9:36 pm
I have a 17 foot aluminum express flatboat that I want to get fixed back up. I would like to get the boat and motor painted camo. Maybe add some non slip decking to it, LED lights and a storage compartment added. Looking for recommendations of someplace to bring it.

I’m in the metro New Orleans area, but don’t mind driving a certain distance. Appreciate any recommendations to get some prices. Thanks
This post was edited on 2/8/26 at 9:39 pm
Posted by AwgustaDawg
CSRA
Member since Jan 2023
13669 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 8:42 am to
Might consider a vinyl wrap instead of paint. Painting aluminum is not cheap if you want it to hold up. I paint jon boats pretty often and usually have pretty good success but it is a process....paying someone else to do it would be very expensive. Chances are pretty good you might find a wrap pre made for the boat and motor....lot of express boats in the world.
Posted by Shexter
Prairieville
Member since Feb 2014
19674 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 8:58 am to

By the time you buy the epoxy primer and paint, you'll be around $500 just in materials. Labor will probably cost you $1,000+

Like the other poster stated, cheaper to get a wrap.
Posted by TFLEX
TX
Member since Jun 2023
329 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 9:18 am to
I painted my last rig myself. It held up well for about 10 years of heavy use until I sold it.

I pressure washed it really good, then used an eraser wheel (i think, been a while) and went over any of the salt residue, marks, etc on the boat.
Wiped down entire hull with acetone.

Then did entire boat with self etching primer.

Bought a harbor freight spray gun, and used Duralux dead grass green. 2 coats.

After a while I got stencils, and sprayed a kryptek pattern on it with spray can duralux. Besides spots where I did stuff like scrape on concrete bridge pillars crappie fishing, that paint held up great for a decade until I sold it.

There are a lot of guys in South LA that do it. But good work going to cost you well north of a grand for sure. And more if you want camo or anything.

A buddy of mine took his to Uncle J, got a custom kryptek job on his 23'Gaudet. It looks amazing and has held up. But I don't even want to know how much $ that cost.
Posted by KemoSabe65
70605
Member since Mar 2018
6635 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 11:54 am to
Ditto, wrap isn’t going to hold up long, never understood the custom camo on a utility boat. Rattle can that beotch and get on down the road Baw. Spend your $$ on a Al floor, hydro turf it, led’s & ancor wire and connections.
Posted by bootlegger
Ponchatoula
Member since Dec 2012
5517 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 1:45 pm to
If you're set on paying someone to do it, try Shallow Water Customs
Posted by jdavid1
Member since Jan 2014
2617 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 1:57 pm to
quote:

Might consider a vinyl wrap instead of paint.


I wouldn't wrap an aluminum boat. It will get torn up pretty quickly. Wrap is also not meant to be permanent. You will get 7-8 years out of it then it will start to fade. If you use the good stuff (3M, Oracal, or Arlon) it's pretty expensive. I do wraps and I will talk anybody wanting a boat wrap out of it unless it's a sponsor wrap.

My advice is go to a local body shop and talk with the painter. Most of them or their apprentices will paint it for some side hustle. It may not be perfect, but it will be affordable.
Posted by Tiger55
Gretna, LA
Member since Aug 2004
1472 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 5:02 pm to
I’m probably gonna get someone to do this for me. Because I also wanna get some nonslip decking added and a few other things done on the boat.

It’s a boat that I bought probably 25 years ago that’s in great shape. Just faded to hell. We only use it during the hunting season and to haul materials to the camp. Use the bay boat otherwise. Going to give it to my son for his first boat. He’s big-time into duck hunting so I wanted to fix it up for him. My years are not as many as I would like and then I’ll probably be done with hunting anyway. So if it was just for me, I would leave it as is.

If anybody else has any suggestions of where else I can get a price at I’d appreciate it. Thanks again for everybody’s input. Also, the free time to do all this myself is a problem too, which is why I just need to write a check for this project. Thanks again.
This post was edited on 2/9/26 at 5:03 pm
Posted by Rabby
Member since Mar 2021
1611 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 6:09 pm to
quote:

We only use it during the hunting season and to haul materials to the camp. Use the bay boat otherwise. Going to give it to my son for his first boat.
Rattle can Krylon in alternating vertical camouflage stripes is the quick, cheap and effective answer.
Posted by bootlegger
Ponchatoula
Member since Dec 2012
5517 posts
Posted on 2/9/26 at 7:41 pm to
I recommended SWC because he just did the hydroturf in my bay boat a few months ago, so he could probably do your paint and decking in one go.
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