Non-slip epoxies??

[DCatSea]

Has anyone used either (or both) Kiwi-Grip or Total Boat "TotalTread" deck paint?
If so, where you happy with the application process and results?
Any hints or tips welcome.

Thanks, and best wishes to all AOGers for a super season in 2023.

[elad9000]

We have used Kiwi-Grip for years for all non-skid areas and the pilothouse roof on our 28TE.

We have found Kiwi-Grip to be long lasting, very durable and quite comfortable to walk on once you get the right texture. It is somewhat prone to holding dirt making cleaning a little harder than say Awlgrip textured paint, but not difficult. It is fairly easy to re-apply when doing spot repairs and/or when surface refreshening is desired.

Application takes some practice to get the surface texture the way you like it. Surface texture can range from very rough to pretty smooth depending on how much you dilute the Kiwi-Grip and the amount of passes you make with the textured roller. Don't be afraid of diluting the paint with water. It is very easy to make the texture rougher if the paint is too thin but it is very difficult to soften the texture if it goes on too rough. If it is too rough you will have to sand the surface smooth after the paint has fully dried. Practice on a scrap of plywood until you get the texture you want. Then apply to your deck. The paint dries very fast so work quickly in small areas at a time. We found working on a 1ft x 1ft area at a time works best. Spread the paint over the small are with a chip brush before using the textured roller. Start in the middle of the area you are doing and feather the paint outward to the edges. If you can keep an overlapping wet edge your application will be uniform across the deck. Try to do as few roller passes as you can or you will get very uneven texture. Avoid applying in full sun or onto a hot deck as they will accelerate the drying time making application difficult.

Cleaning the Kiwi-Grip surfaces requires a bit of patience as dirt tends to stick in the low spots of the texture. We found that Simple Green sprayed on the surface and allowed to sit for 20 minutes before brushing works best. Especially if the texture is rough. Scrubbing with a rather soft bristle brush works the best. You may have to repeat for dirty spots. If the dirt still sticks you can scrub over the soiled areas with a red Scotch-Brite pad. That will get 95% of any remaining dirt off.

One of the best things we like about Kiwi-Grip is the ability to refresh the surface like new by coating the cleaned surfaces with a thin, well diluted application of Kiwi-Grip. Use a small foam roller to apply the paint. You are not looking to create any further texture but you just want to coat the areas with fresh paint. We do this once a year to hide any stains, fish blood and stubborn dirt. The thin coat will look great and will last a long time. There is no surface prep needed at all. Just clean the surfaces well.

Finally, an application of Woody Wax will make future cleaning much easier.

Best of luck to you.