Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

[E_S_A_D]

I'm debating. I've bought both the paint and the fiberglass restorer. Both are separate and long projects. So what should I do? It's an older fiberglass boat that's highly oxidized. Will the fiberglass restorer/ wax do the trick or should I just paint it?

 

[Nickledimed]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

Here is anouther idea, Ive been thinking about doing to my boat.
It has no gloss to it at all anymore.
I was thinking about sanding it down and just using a roller and putting fiberglass resin on it, then sanding that with 300 grit, then progesivly to 500 wet, then polishing it.
I know the resin will give it a darker look but at least it will have some gloss to it.
Just anouther option.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

I'm debating. I've bought both the paint and the fiberglass restorer. Both are separate and long projects. So what should I do? It's an older fiberglass boat that's highly oxidized. Will the fiberglass restorer/ wax do the trick or should I just paint it?

There are MANY methods to try......
Wet sanding and polishing.... or
Scrubbing down with comet and then compound and wax...... or
Try vaseline on the finish.... rub it in and buff it

I would try those first before I painted.

Here is anouther idea, Ive been thinking about doing to my boat.
It has no gloss to it at all anymore.
I was thinking about sanding it down and just using a roller and putting fiberglass resin on it, then sanding that with 300 grit, then progesivly to 500 wet, then polishing it.
I know the resin will give it a darker look but at least it will have some gloss to it.
Just anouther option.

Really will not work...... it will crack and peel. Why not try the methods above ....... if you have a smooth finish you could re-gel coat the hull.

 

[Nickledimed]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

There are MANY methods to try......
Wet sanding and polishing.... or
Scrubbing down with comet and then compound and wax...... or
Try vaseline on the finish.... rub it in and buff it

I would try those first before I painted.




Really will not work...... it will crack and peel. Why not try the methods above ....... if you have a smooth finish you could re-gel coat the hull.

I dont understand that comment, why would it crack and peel. that resin is all over the boat and its not cracking and peeling. Gelcoat is just tinted resin anyways, at least thats what Ive been told.
Now, the clear coat is anouther factor.

 

[saildan]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

I'm debating. I've bought both the paint and the fiberglass restorer. Both are separate and long projects. So what should I do? It's an older fiberglass boat that's highly oxidized. Will the fiberglass restorer/ wax do the trick or should I just paint it?

Bob VT has it. Let me elaborate a little for Nickledimed's question.

Gelcoat is polyester resin, the same base resin the rest of the boat is made from. What sets gelcoat apart and why it doesn't just crack off is, gelcoat is formulated to be a cosmetic top layer with additives for strength, colorant, and UV protectants.

Gelcoat is applied in a thick layer, 18 to 20 mils. Compare this to 4 coats of paint that build to about 12 mils. The extra thickness does two things, it helps the layer to be more resistant to moisture penetration and it allows for repeated compounding to remove an oxidized layer and expose clean gelcoat to be polished to a new-like shine.

Lightly oxidized gelcoat like you'd get from a moderate storage period or neglecting to wax regularly - wax/polish, a cover coat with a recharge of UV protection and plastic conditioners (that's also "the other thing" you do when you wax your car) - lightly oxidized gelcoat can be "restored" with products that contain a chemical oxidation remover and a wax/polish for shine.

When gelcoat becomes heavily oxidized the chemical removers don't work so well and must be applied multiple times to strip away the whole degraded layer. This is where it's more efficient to turn to mild thru medium abrasives.

The lightest series of abrasives are rubbing compounds which come in grades - light (polishing), medium, and heavy.

A half step abrasive can be scowering cleansers which are more useful for stain removal, but with a secondary oxidation removal property. Light = BonAmi or Bar Keepers Friend, Heavy = Ajax or Comet.

The next full jump in abrasive level is steel wool or 3M abrasive pads (Scotch Brite). When bought at a paint store and not the grocery, these can be found in different levels of abrasiveness.

The upper level of oxidation removal is sandpaper for wet sanding, 220 - 600 grit.

If gelcoat has oxidized to the point of needing wet sanding the risk of the whole layer being degraded exists. Should this prove true by the exposure of the base fiberglass showing through, all that's left is to re-gelcoat or prime and paint.

When the shine from polish or wax seems to go dull in just a couple of weeks, all the oxidized gelcoat has not been removed.

All remaining oxidized gelcoat must be removed before new gelcoat or paint will be successful.

 

[pbmang]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

You arn't going to fix oxidation without removing it (like the post above states). You can hide it with a good waxing, but it will come back.

My boat was pretty heavily oxidized, and I finally bit the bullet and wet sanded it. It was worth the time, and I think the results speak for themselves.

This is the articule I used to do mine. Great breakdown of what needs to be done to wetsand a boat.

http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=311487

This is before and after. Ignore the overspray from the buffer

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

pb and saildan, terrific posts, thank you! The comet idea is quite intriguing, I may try that then follow with a wax? It's quite oxidized.

 

[E_S_A_D]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

So the fiberglass restorer compound I bought won't really do the trick? Or should I start with that, then if that doesn't help go to the comet?

 

[pbmang]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

Do you have a high speed buffer?

I don't think any of it will work (but then again, I would need to see the boat) becasue the only way you will get rid of the oxidation is to remove it. The only way to remove it (if it's as bad as you say) is to sand it off. Compounding and a buffer will take a bit of it off, but for a bad case like mine, sanding was necessary.

 

[pbmang]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

Then, after the sanding, you have to compound it go get rid of the sanding marks and the polish it to get out the swirls from the compounding. After a few coats of wax, it will look brand new. The only thing to watch out for is to not sand all the clear off.

 

[saildan]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

Then, after the sanding, you have to compound it go get rid of the sanding marks and the polish it to get out the swirls from the compounding. After a few coats of wax, it will look brand new. The only thing to watch out for is to not sand all the clear off.

So the fiberglass restorer compound I bought won't really do the trick? Or should I start with that, then if that doesn't help go to the comet?

What I read about in a magazine then tried is just what pbmang is saying - only the zine article has you do it in reverse on a test spot first. This nails down the level of oxidation removal needed all around.

Re: Fiberglass Restorer - Depends on the kit. Some are elaborate, three step with a liquid oxidation buster mixed with some level of rubbing compound, a polishing compound, and a top coat wax/teflon sealer. Some are a one bottle quick cure. But I've yet to find a chemical restorer that will take off heavy oxidation in one pass. It must only be able to penetrate so far each application.

Save the cleanser for when your boat's covered with black mildew dots or some other stain (Bar Keepers Friend works for rust).

The zine suggested starting with a medium rubbing compound followed by a polishing compound (not to be confused with a finishing polish/wax). Do a 8" circle, wipe off the wax shine with some mineral spirits so you only see the gelcoat surface, and check the shine.

Still chalky and rubs off chalky on a contrasting towel, go up a notch. Rub with Scotch Brite, compound, polish, then clean. Test again for chalkiness.

Surface has at least a satin shine and no more chalky residue rubs off - you're there.

Now you know the whole hull needs to be rubbed down with Scotch Brite, compounded to remove the Scotch Brite swirls, polish compounded to bring up the shine, and sealed with a finish polish.

As the zine pointed out, it's an object lesson to keep the boat polished up at least once a year, two or three times a year for older boats. Still less work than the manual shine restoring process I just outlined and way less expensive than re-gelcoating.

 

[Nickledimed]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

Thanks for the clarification.
Pretty boat by the way.
Thius gives me a good idea when I get the bass boat.

 

[rusobr2]

Re: Fiberglass Restorer or New Paint Job for a 1970s Fiberglass?

i did my boat 2 yrs. ago--it's a 26 1979 searay. it had heavy oxidation on it--i'm in the autobody work,and checked with my supplier--
1.wash boat with heavy mix of TSP (trisodium phosphate)this can be bought at any household paint store. aprox. 8.00 for small box
2.go to an automotive paint supplier,and ask for 3M's extra heavy cut compound. approx. 25.00 for a quart.
3.get 3M's perfect it II compound ,to finish it off
4.try this method in a small area,and see how it looks--if your not satisfied,then you will need to wash boat with the TSP,and then wet sand with 600 wet or dry paper-then complete step's 2,and 3
i'v been working with these problems for 40 yrs--if you do decide to paint the hull with a clear--you still have to go through step 1,and then the wet sanding ,finished off with epoxy clear sealer,and imron clear or automotive high solid urathane clear==(NOTE) the epoxy clear,+ the imron or urathane clear is going to cost 350.00-to 400.00-just my professional thoughts.

good luck,steven