Mold-resistant interior fiberglass paint

[Bob_N20]

Ahoy friends,

I painted some interior fiberglass with interlux, brightside polyurethane, single part enamel paint. But, I'm getting some black mold reoccurring. I clean it off each time, but I would like to find a paint that might be a bit more long lasting .

Anyone have experience with a fiberglass paint that can be used on interior areas without drawing black mold too quickly.

Thanks for the ideas.

[Timm R Oday25]

It's my understanding that there are two main types of paint . Water and petroluem. Either will work for your intended purpose. However ,both will continue to have mold until you eliminate the damp dark surface on which mold thrives

[Bob_N20]

Agreed. There is a fan that runs 24x7. And the air moves freely. But with 95% humidity on the coast, I'm looking for some brand with a higher "resistance" than the Interlux poly I'm using.

[Norm L.]

I never had a bad mold problem here in New Orleans with the Nimble or the Black Watch. There was a slight film that would accumulate but that came off with a once or twice a year wipe down with Simple Green.

The N24 had a solar fan and opening ports. The Black Watch had two dorades with flexible rubber cowel vent that could be turned 360 degrees so with one up wind and one down wind there was circulation.
For this purpose it is fortunate that summer winds are predominatly out of the south. It also had opening ports.

I have never heard of a marine coating that was anti-mold, but I never actively searched for one either.

[Wayne Howard]

I just saw this on another website.

It's that season again. In the South and Southwest heat and humidity are off the charts. On the East Coast and Midwest, rain, fog and humidity are rampant. On the West Coast, rain and fog bring with them days of dampness and mildew. In Florida, well, it's summer in Florida. So starts the battle to keep mold and mildew from colonizing our boats, our heads, cabinets, galleys, berths and lockers. We've all come up with our own ways of dealing with mildew and mold. You can throw money, or Starbite, at the problem, but home remedies work just fine. Here's our strategy. For routine cleaning and mildew mediation, white vinegar mixed two to one with water in a spray bottle will clean all surfaces and kill the little growths. For cleaning heavy mold, such as in the bilge or chain locker, a solution of baking soda and water mixed at a tablespoon to a quart and a soft brush will do the trick. For long term cleaning and prevention of mold and mildew, tea tree oil and water at about 20 drops to a quart in a spray bottle will kill both mold and mildew and after several applications will add a protective coating that inhibits further growth. We've tried putting anti-moisture products in clothes lockers but in the marine environment nothing works very well. The one we do continue to use is Forespar's Tea Tree Power. That's it.

[Frank B.]

My Compac 23IV has very little in the way of interior painted surfaces.  Everything is either teak or teak veneer which still has its 18 year old Waterlox Original, A plastic bead board (ceiling main), nonwoven fabric (inside surface of hull and ceiling forward) or HPL (inside hull forward with teak strips mainly deco).  Non of this seems to attract mold or mildew or in the case of the beadboard and HPL, roots don't set and it is easily wiped off.  The one place that is painted is the underside of the sliding main hatch cover.  It really attracted mold and mildew.  I prepped it and painted with gloss white latex paint specifically for bathrooms and other wet areas.  I think it was a Valspar paint but I think any brand would do. Problem solved.  I might note that in the winter I run a Davis Air dry constantly and I have a solar powered vent fan installed in the fore peak area. I think keeping the air reasonably dry and moving is the best solution.

If you have mold on porous or semi-porous surfaces just cleaning to remove the stains won't work, it won't get the roots.  For this get 27% hydrogen peroxide and an algaecide (both pool supply house stuff fairly cheap, one purchase probably a lifetime supply) and mix to 9% peroxide and about 0.5% algaecide with water. wipe on, let dry, do it again.  It will not remove any stains but will kill the roots so you can use a stain blocker and then the finish of your choice without risk of it coming through. I fogged a hurricane damaged house for mold remediation with this mixture and it worked well. Credit to Tim Gardner, on the CPYOA forum, this is actually his business. Protective equipment recommended, I used my paint respirator. gloves, and eye protection for fogging, wiping a safer operation but still recommended.

[Bob_N20]

Thanks Everyone,

All of these ideas are helpful.

Because the mold is also on the underside of the sliding main hatch cover, I'll probably go the route of: "The one place that is painted is the underside of the sliding main hatch cover.  It really attracted mold and mildew.  I prepped it and painted with gloss white latex paint specifically for bathrooms and other wet areas.  I think it was a Valspar paint but I think any brand would do. Problem solved."