Painting Stainless Steel Fabrications

Question:

I just read the article about active enzymes (passivated microscopic layer?) in stainless steel, don’t coat it and so on. You mentioned scratching your head at why someone would paint stainless steel. Well, how would I get a nice polish or clear coat, and will that last on boating applications? I’m constructing a radar arch, stick welding it together. I have a lot of grinding and sanding to do if I polish and if I paint. I can coat it after the sanding with medium grit. Polishing will take a lot of additional hand work. Plus, in the future, I will add more components to the arch, so, what are your thoughts? H. G.

Answer:

Unless you are a magician, after the product you described is ground, sanded and polished and then clear coated, it will still look like a stick welded, fabricated structure. To make it look monolithic, it must be painted. Do yourself a favor and eliminate all the hand labor. I suggest you degrease the finished structure, abrade the surface using a light blast and paint it using a marine coating system