Paint Type
Antifouling paint is an underwater marine coating designed to deter fouling on boat hulls, with formulas selected to suit the hull material and water conditions.
Antifouling paint works on prepared underwater hull surfaces when approved for the substrate, while aluminum requires a compatible corrosion-safe formula.
| Surface | Compatibility | Preparation | Primer or ground | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fiberglass | Excellent with antifouling paint approved for fiberglass hulls | Remove wax, contamination, fouling, and incompatible or failing coatings, then prepare the gelcoat or existing bottom paint as specified. | Use the barrier coat, tie coat, or antifouling primer required by the selected system; some compatible existing antifouling coatings can be recoated directly after preparation. | Hard, ablative, or polishing underwater finish depending on the product and expected service. | — |
| Wood | Excellent with antifouling systems approved for wooden hulls | Make sure the wood and any existing coating are sound, clean, dry enough for the system, and prepared to the manufacturer's requirements. | Use the wood sealer, underwater primer, or other specified base system before antifouling paint when required. | Protective underwater antifouling film; ablative and hard systems wear and renew differently in service. | — |
| Metal | Excellent when the antifouling formula and primer system are approved for the specific underwater metal | Remove corrosion, oxidation, grease, salts, and failing paint, then prepare the metal to the coating system's specified profile. | Proper underwater metal primer is normally critical for adhesion and corrosion control before antifouling paint. | Hard or ablative antifouling protection selected for the metal, water, wear, and fouling conditions. | — |
| Aluminum | Excellent only with an aluminum-approved antifouling system | Remove oxidation and contamination and prepare the aluminum promptly as directed so the primer system can protect the metal. | Use the exact aluminum-compatible primer system specified for the selected antifouling paint. | Use only an aluminum-safe antifouling formula; avoid products containing metallic copper or cuprous oxide unless the manufacturer explicitly identifies a different compatible chemistry and system. | — |
Sources: Interlux Fouling Control, Interlux ProGuard Ablative, Interlux Antifouling for Aluminum, Pettit Hydrocoat ECO, and TotalBoat Krypton.
Browse PaintZeal painter profiles featuring artists who used antifouling paint, with examples of marine coatings, industrial materials, and studio methods.
Frank Stella was an American artist whose abstract paintings repeatedly crossed into industrial paint chemistry, including alkyd enamel, epoxy paint, urethane enamel, fluorescent color, synthetic polymer paint, and copper antifouling paint.
Davide D'Elia is an Italian artist whose work explores time, material change, and preservation. He is known for partially covering furniture, fabrics, pictures, and other existing objects with blue antifouling paint normally used to protect boat hulls.
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