General Specifications - Appendix 6
INSTRUCTIONS FOR
PAINTING
AND CEMENTING VESSELS
OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY
Edition of June 1943
Section 7-A.
WOODEN AND COMPOSITE VESSELS OF HEAVY CONSTRUCTION AND SPECIAL DESIGN.
Preparation of surface. – Wood surfaces shall be treated with a toxic water repellent type of wood preservative, Navy Department Specification 52W5, to control decay and checking.
Application to hull structure. – The toxic water-repellent solution shall be applied as follows:
After all boring, cutting, surfacing, and assembly, after the maximum practicable drying period and before appreciable surface seasoning checks appear, and before any painting is done, and before any planking and ceiling is applied, all hull structural members, including frames, floors, keels, keelsons, stringers, chines, clamps, sheaves, breast-hooks, stems, stem-knees, aprons, quarter-knees, etc., shall be treated with the solution. Only grade II material shall be applied to structural members below the water line. The solution shall be applied by swabbing with a suitable mop or large capacity brush, or by spraying. All surfaces shall be thoroughly covered with solution and the ends and joints especially shall be copiously drenched with it.
Application to planking, ceiling, plywood, and decking. - The toxic water-repellent solution shall be applied as follows after the maximum practicable drying period but before appreciable seasoning checks appear and before any painting is done:
1. After each bolt or screw hole is bored, it shall be treated by spraying or injecting sufficient solution to thoroughly drench the inside of the hole.
2. After fastening, but before plugging the countersunk bolts and screws, and after any caulking, the interior and exterior surfaces of the planking, and especially the jointed ends and ends adjoining transom and stem, shall be thoroughly swabbed or sprayed with the preservative.
3. Where more than 1 thickness of planking is applied, each shall be treated, including the fabric lining separating them.
4. All butt blocks shall be thoroughly treated by soaking for at least 30 minutes in the preservative solution, and all plugs should be soaked at least 5 minutes.
5. All ceiling, plywood, and decking shall be treated, using in general the same procedure described above for applying the solution, employing the simplest method to thoroughly drench all surfaces, particularly jointed ends. Immersion for 3 minutes in the preservative is preferred; otherwise brushing or spraying is acceptable.
The surface of the hull and framing shall be made acceptably smooth by planing or sanding.
Exposed surfaces of living and working spaces shall be sanded down to a smooth, even surface.
Dents and holes shall be filled with putty. Seams in hull planking shall be caulked with oakum or cotton, unless small, when lamp wicking shall be used. The seams and caulking material shall be treated to refusal by spraying with the toxic wood preservative. Putty, formula 69, colored to match final paint, shall be used for filling. The putty shall be worked down to the caulking material and the seams filled nearly flush with the surface of the planking to allow for swelling after the vessel is waterborne. Deck seams shall be caulked with cotton and oakum and payed with marine glue, Navy Department Specification 52G6.
Priming. – Wood to be varnished (finished “bright”) shall be filled with stain which gives the required color.
Wood to be painted shall be primed with a coat of the finish paint thinned with one pint of boiled linseed oil (Federal Specification JJJ-O-331) to a gallon of paint.
Faying surfaces shall be carefully painted during assembly. End grain shall be especially well painted. Antifouling paint No. 16 shall be used for faying surfaces of planking. On other parts, outside paint to match finish color shall be used on faying surfaces.
Underwater Body. – The boot-topping or waterline shall be painted be struck in as indicated on the outboard profile plan. Two coats of black paint, Navy Department Specification 52P29 shall be applied.
The underwater body below the boot-topping or waterline shall be painted with three coats of copper bottom paint, formula 16.
In addition, when required by the Detail Specifications, the bottom of survey vessels or vessels to operate in teredo-infested waters shall also be sheathed all over up to the waterline. Hot rolled, or cold rolled and annealed soft copper sheet, 0.02 inch thick, secured by copper tacks, shall be used. The butts in the sheathing shall be lapped aft and hammered down to form a smooth, tight seam, which will exclude the small teredos. Before sheathing is fitted, the caulking and the bottom paint shall be examined to see it is in first-class condition.
Exterior above the boot-topping. – Exteriors shall be painted with two coats of the appropriate shade of formula 5 for vertical surfaces and formula 20 for decks as directed for vessels of metal construction.
Interior. – Top and sides of the interiors of the following spaces shall be finished white by applying two coats of inside white, formula 27:
1. In crew’s quarters: Transom fronts, baseboard, dresser, plate rack and mess table.
2. In staterooms: Drawers in berths, baseboard, wireless table, desk, bookshelves, and lockers.
3. In galley: Dressers, dish rack, baseboard and food locker.
4. Ladders: All wooden ladders.
All wood flooring, including slat flooring, shall be given two coats of light gray paint, formula 20-L, or tinted to the satisfaction of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding.
The whole of the interior of the hull, where not otherwise specified, and where not exposed in the cabin, shall be given two coats of inside white, formula 27 (see specifications above).
Steel work and the exterior of tanks shall be given two coats of zinc-chromate primer, formula 84, followed by one coat of inside white, formula 27.
Inside of the pilothouse shall be given tow coats of light gray paint, formula 27-L.
The engine room shall be painted with one coat of light gray up to the trunk, and the truck painted white, number of coats to be the same as the other interior white work.
Magazines shall be painted white, formula 27.
Interior spaces not specifically called for otherwise shall be painted inside white, formula 27.
Identification.- Large wooden vessels shall be identified as indicated under metal construction.
Section 7-B.
Preparation of surface.- Wood surfaces shall be treated with wood preservative to control decay and checking (see section 7-A of Chapter 7).
The surface of the hull and framing shall be made acceptably smooth by planing or sanding.
Exposed surfaces to living and working spaces shall be sanded down to a smooth, even texture.
Priming.- Wood to be varnished (finished “bright”) shall be filled with a stain which gives the required color.
Wood to be painted shall be primed with a coat of the finish paint thinned with one pint of boiled linseed oil (Federal Specification JJJ-O-331) to a gallon of paint.
Faying surfaces shall be carefully painted during assembly. End grain shall be especially well painted. Antifouling paint No. 16 shall be used for faying surfaces of planking. On other parts, outside paint to match finish color shall be used on faying surfaces.
Underwater Body. – Standard boats shall have the underwater body painted with two coats of copper bottom paint tinted black by adding ½ pound of lampblack to each gallon of copper bottom paint, formula 16. Flag officers’ motorboats shall have the underwater body painted with bronze bottom paint in accordance with Navy Department Specification 52P20. This bottom paint shall extend from the keel to 4 inches above the waterline for pulling boats; to 6 inches above the waterline for power boats up to 30 feet long; and to 8 inches above the waterline for power boats over 30 feet long.
Copper sheathing: In addition, the bottom of a powerboat issued to a survey vessel or a shore station teredo-infested waters shall be sheathed all over, up to the waterline. Hot rolled, or cold rolled and annealed soft copper sheet, 0.02 inch thick, secured by copper tacks, shall be used. The butts in the sheathing shall be lapped aft and hammered down to form a smooth, tight seam, which will exclude the small teredos. Before sheathing is fitted, the caulking and the bottom paint shall be examined to see it is in first-class condition.
Exteriors.- Exteriors of standard boats above the waterline shall be painted during manufacture with one coat haze gray, formula 5-H. Inside surfaces exposed to the weather shall be painted similarly. Caulked decks shall not be painted. Floorboards and walking surfaces exposed to the weather shall be painted with deck blue, formula 20-B. The hulls of flag officers’ motorboats shall be painted above the waterline with a high gloss black enamel, formula 24. The canopies of these boats shall be painted with high gloss enamel, formula 30. A second coat of exterior paint as required herein shall be applied by the building yard at the time the vessel to which this boat is assigned received its final painting. The colors of this second coat shall conform to the painting system described for the larger vessel in the area in which the boat is stowed. When required by the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, the deck blue shall be applied in two coats to the exposed caulked decks of the boat in order to conform to the camouflage scheme for the major vessel.
Interiors.- Interiors shall be painted with two coats of inside white, formula 27, and one coat of white enamel, formula 30. Footings, floors, and bilges shall be painted with light gray deck paint, formula 20-L. Trim shall be finished with three coats of varnish, formula 80.
Identification symbols.- Identification symbols or other insignia of the major vessel to which the boat is to be attached shall be provided by the yard building the major vessel in accordance with plan Bu. Ships No. 220598. They shall be installed only if directed by the Supervisor of Shipbuilding.
Section 7-C.
Preparation of surface.- Wood surfaces shall be treated with wood preservative to control decay and checking (see section 7-A of Chapter 7).
The surface of the hull and framing shall be made acceptably smooth by planning or sanding.
Exposed surfaces to living and working spaces shall be sanded down to a smooth, even texture.
Dents and holes shall be filled with putty. Seams in hull planking shall be caulked with oakum or cotton, unless small, when lamp wicking shall be used. The seams and caulking material shall be treated to refusal by spraying with the toxic wood preservative. Putty, formula 69, colored to match final paint, shall be used for filling. The putty shall be worked down to the caulking material and the seams filled nearly flush with the surface of the planking to allow for swelling after the vessel is waterborne. Deck seams shall be caulked with cotton and payed with marine glue
Priming. – Wood to be varnished (finished “bright”) shall be filled with stain which gives the required color.
Wood to be painted shall be primed with a coat of the finish paint thinned with one pint of boiled linseed oil (Federal Specification JJJ-O-331) to a gallon of paint.
Wood not to be painted shall be primed with one coat of varnish, formula 80.
Faying surfaces shall be carefully painted during assembly. End grain shall be especially well painted. Antifouling paint No. 16 shall be used for faying surfaces of planking. On other parts, outside paint to match finish color shall be used on faying surfaces.
Underwater Body. – The boot-topping or waterline shall be painted be struck in as indicated on the outboard profile plan.
The underwater body below the boot-topping or waterline shall be painted with two coats of copper bronze bottom paint in accordance with Navy Department Specification 52P20.
Exteriors.- Vertical and horizontal surfaces shall be painted in accordance with existing camouflage instructions.
Interiors.- Interiors shall be painted with two coats of inside white, formula 27, and one coat of white enamel, formula 30. Footings, floors, and bilges shall be painted with light gray deck paint, formula 20-L. Trim shall be finished bright with two coats of varnish, formula 80.
Identification.- Identification shall be as directed by the vessels’ plans and detail specifications.