Wash For Grey Decks

Wash For Grey Decks — a wash for gray ship decks

A ready-made liquid wash from the AK interactive weathering range, tuned for decks in gray shades. A wash is not a paint and it is not a filter either: it is not meant to repaint a surface or shift its tone overall, but to flow into the recesses and around the detail and so set it apart visually from its surroundings. It is precisely on decks, with their dense engraved structure, anti-slip surfaces, hatches, ventilator heads and an endless number of small parts, that this makes the biggest difference.

Which surfaces it belongs on

The wash aims at horizontal deck surfaces in gray, at the engraving between deck planks and plates, around riveted joints, at the feet of superstructures and masts, around hatches, winches, bollards and rails. It also serves well on photo-etched accessories placed on the deck. It suits the hull below the waterline or large vertical surfaces of the superstructure less well — there you work rather with vertical streaks and soiling.

At what stage of the build it is applied

The wash comes after the base coat is finished and after the decals, ideally onto a surface sealed with a smooth gloss or satin clear — on a smooth base the wash flows better and the excess is easier to take off. Apply it to the surface, let it work briefly and draw the excess off with a clean brush slightly moistened with the recommended thinner, always stroking in the direction of the deck planks. Only once it has dried does the final matte clear and any pigment work come.

Who it is for

• Modelers of ships who are finishing a deck in gray.
• Builders of models with a large proportion of photo-etched parts on the deck.
• Modelers who want a ready-made wash instead of thinning paint by hand.
• Anyone who needs to bring out detail rather than shift the tone of a whole surface.

Stir the contents thoroughly before use, work in a ventilated room and protect your eyes and skin. Keep out of the reach of children and close the bottle carefully. The volume, the chemical base and the recommended thinner are given on the packaging — test the compatibility with your clear coat on a scrap part.