Painting over gelcoat cracks

These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured surface. But the real issue is uv damage which has broken down the resin and make for a chalking porous not good bonding surface. Gelcoat is used for a protective layer over the fiberglass but also doubles as paint. It comes in many colors, and in most cases it has additives that make it resistant to ultraviolet rays. As the cracking progresses, however, you will begin to feel it, and the crack. Ive heard of people painting over their gelcoat with a 2 pack paint. There may be a structural issue in the sheet metal below the paint that results in cracking. Spray the first coat of this mixture over the previously sprayed area. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Ive heard of people painting over their gelcoat with a 2 pack paint that comes out like gelcoat.

Hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Quite often however, its near impossible to prevent these unsightly cracks due to the fact gelcoat is so brittle and rigid. Painting over caulked joints results in an unsightly mess. Feb 23, 2015 there is a lot of info on the innerweb about painting over gel coat.

You will need to mask this area off with tape and newspaper to keep the paint from being applied unevenly, and the wax will help the masking tape come off without damaging the paint. Old gel coat once it gets the micro cracks because a night mare. Painting the fiberglass is the only way to get the boat looking new again. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. If you have been painting over the crack, and the problem persists, it may be due to a deeper, underlying problem the concrete. This is a discussion for the topic can you paint over gel coat. Repairing cracks, scratches, and dings in gelcoat is a fairly straightforward matter. Aug 02, 2017 how to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat part ii professional applicators know that the preparation and priming stages of any paint job covered in last months issue are the most important and will take 80 percent of the time spent on a paint job. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Using gelcoat paste, add a coloring agent to match the color of your gelcoat, if necessary. For smaller surface areas, like a chair, apply the gelcoat using a paintbrush using short, vertical strokes. I believe they are 2 part polyurethane paints for this. Special steps should be followed to get the best paint job possible without damaging the fiberglass in the process. Many of our customers are hesitant to use it, thinking its too complicated or they think they cant end up with a good finish.

Do not use parting fluid over gelcoat that has been mixed. Tips and repair methods to avoid michigan fiberglass sales. Jan 21, 2020 yes, you can apply gelcoat over a surface thats already covered with gelcoat. An alternative to using surfacing wax in the gelcoat mix is to over spray the gelcoat with pva, polyvinyl alchol. Both ramuc type ep epoxy or ep high build epoxy is good for painting. Gelcoat or paint which one should i use boatworks today. You should do a video on repainting step by step of sides and the rest of the boat. New life for old gelcoat an inexpensive solution that. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Painting tip fix hairline cracking mr painter singapore. All that filler wont allow the gel coat to shrink as much as the hull and the gel coat fractures.

It can also contain wax to give it a marblelike finish. Gelcoat is the preferred material for painting fiberglass since it offers good protection. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat part ii. Apr 04, 2009 can i paint over gelcoat without a primer. Widening is done because most topcoats new gelcoat, primer for paint, epoxy overlay, fairing compound wont wick into the extremely thin cracks. Easiest way to apply a perfect nonskid on your boat using alexseal paint. Though the hull in this video is wood, the process is the same to prepare old gelcoat on fiberglass topsides for painting.

Diy paint options over old gelcoat the hull truth boating and. My prob is as i started to sand one of the holes i repaired with the orbital sander, there has appeared several other star shaped cracks. If its a large surface such as a boat or a bathtub, use a gelcoat spray gun to apply a coat over the existing coat. Repairing gelcoat cracks and chips sailnet community. Painting over cracked and chipped gel coat moderated. Welcome to our shop and matsya, our 1938 herreshoff marlin. There are recessed spots over the entire nonskid surface.

Unless you completely grind them out of the gelcoat it does not matter what put over the top of them because they will return in a year or two. He has a 11 yer old class a, good brandi dont want to talk bad about the brand who is still in business, and he has these small cracks. Shaving fiberglass, new approach to stress cracks and mail. Spider cracks can be avoided by countersinking holes just through the gelcoat, so the load is placed on the structural fiberglass rather than the brittle gelcoat. The answer is a qualified yes, so long as the owner fully understands the extent of the work and cost involved. So the title is diy options for painting over gelcoat, but first ill give a little. Below you will find a detailed gel coat preparation guide on how to apply gelcoat to your boat rv or other surface. Before you can spray paint any type of fiberglass surface, you will need to employ specific preparation techniques to condition the fiberglass to accept paint. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail magazine. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Aug 02, 2017 how to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat if the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat. I am thinking of full side and top restoration of top coat. What wont work is to paint over the crazing with new gelcoat. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat.

Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. There are some myths out there as to whether you can apply gelcoat over epoxy. I am guessing, if i use gelcoat i would need to let the gelcoat fully cure, washing away blush, prior to epoxy layup. Fill in the gaps using a marinetype fiberglass epoxy putty and a putty knife. Make another mixture with the portion of gelcoat and thin to desired consistency, and again add catalyst. Choose an epoxy paint that is suitable for fiberglass.

If an area has become dull and cannot be repaired by buffing and chemical cleaninga repainting job is in order. Jun 25, 2018 there are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. I have repaired two holes with west systems epoxy and plan to paint with interlux brightsides linear polyurethane. Preparing and painting fiberglass is unlike preparing and painting metal or aluminum. Many paints, such as awlgrip, or interlux topside paints are very.

If you have gelcoat available and your going to use it on the bottomside of the boat, why would you want to paint it. Over the years ive broken the rules on occasion and to date have not had any issues using gelcoat as my topcoat over epoxy. The fix is a solvent thinned eopxy primer like esp 155 which will firm up the surface and provide a good. Go over the hull with spot filler, sand out the primer to 320 or so and shoot.

How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat if the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat. First, clean the gelcoat really well with denatured alcohol to remove fingerprints, oils, etc. For this reason, all caulking must be stripped off prior to painting. One of the most frequent questions that a marine surveyor is asked is whether it is worthwhile to paint a fiberglass boat. After obvious prep work, the typical diy method is to roll on the paint and go. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often. Wait for this area to dry, then dry sand the bubble down and apply wax to the surface. It may be possible to paint only a portion of the boat.

Usually i would shoot gelcoat over the mold prior to layup when using polyester resin. Before coating a fully cured layer of epoxy with polyester gelcoat, prepare the surface properly to remove any amine blush. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks. Imperfections during the painting process can also cause cracking in the paint. Ive recently seen products that claim to cover cracks. Grind out all cracks they will print through otherwise. Then fill the cracks with a polyester filler and let it cure for about 10 minutes before sanding again. Gelcoat doesnt flex at the same rate as the underlying fiberglass layer fiberglass is more flexible, so stress cracks appeared all over. How to paint over a gelcoat on a boat gone outdoors your. To repair the crack, you can apply a filling solution, let it dry, sand the area, and then repaint. The lower 14 of the transom was rotted, allowing the outer skin to flex. How to paint over a gelcoat on a boat gone outdoors.

Also this process will not repair crazing, cracks or other physical damage, but it will make a dull, chalky gelcoat finish shine beautifully and it will make any underlying repairs less obvious. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured deck ive got a 79 f36 trojan. You are actually painting the boat when you use this and not reapplying gel coat. The gelcoat will bridge the cracks rather than filling them, and the crazing will soon return. A fresh coat of paint may bring an old fiberglass boat or greenhouse back to life. The stress first shows itself as micro cracking on the surface. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. The hull truth boating and fishing forum view single post. Most boats still use gelcoat for the exterior finish. So, i have researched the web, and have read a lot about this subject.

Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. Stress cracks first appear as very fine hairline cracks. At first the crazing will appear like it does on old china, where you can see the crack but cannot feel it when you run your finger over it. Like any painting project, preparation is the key and, in this case you will be painting over the slick, shiny surface of gelcoat. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull.

It wont cure or spray well at lower temps and depending on where you bought the gel coat they should also sell surface wax so it will cure correctly and not be tacky, its. Take steps to cover and protect the rest of the boat before starting. Sep 05, 2017 9 thoughts on how to apply gelcoat the endall guide the melvin grant company october, 2017 12. Here are the symptoms that led me to this restoration approach.

Using highbuild primer to repair fiberglass crazing search faq profile. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Gelcoat has some advantages over polyurethane paint link to article but does deteriorate over. Im having my 36foot trawler painted in ensenada mexico niza.

Repair involves either widening each crack line in preparation for a new top layer or wet sanding down past the crevice to unweathered gelcoat. Extend each coat farther than the previous one, with the last coat out to the tape line. In this episode we cover the initial prepwork involved with repairing fiberglass nonskid, with the intent of replacing the original gelcoat with awlgrip and a new nonskid texture from the. Cracking in an automotive paint job may occur in the clear coat over the paint or in the base color of the paint.

Do i have to sand the gelcoat off entirely when preparing for paint. Then apply two or three more coats of this mixture over the entire area. Gelcoat applied like paint will need a tremendous amount of sanding to get it glossy. Not only do you want the paint job to look good, you want to preserve that shiny. When working on the deck or cabin, tarp off the adjacent areas. Now that the surface is prepared you can touch up any cracks that might be a problem. Radial cracks spider cracks, star cracks caused by impact or by a fixture bolt that puts strain on a certain area of a boat and cracks occur around the hole. Gel coat is not something that can be painted on a boat. Light crazing in the gelcoat sailing anarchy forums. Unlike wood, fiberglass surfaces are nonporous, making them unsuitable for spray paint adhesion. For large areas like what youre talking about, i almost always suggest using a paint that can be rolled and tipped. Spraying either gelcoat or paint requires tools that most people do not have access to. If you are around any marinas which paint, sometimes a painter will contract for the topcoat shoot on a prepped hull.

Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Its a 4 step process to get to where you can paint. Painting over crazed gel coat leads to crazing in the paint. If you dont want to use paint, you can grind away most of the crazed gelcoat and replace it with a fresh application of colormatching gelcoat paste. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. And gelcoat over large areas is a ton of sanding not fun if you havent seen this video series yet, it might be helpful. The problem with just painting over cracked gel coat is. Gelcoat is not used because its cheap its not, its used because it provides a strong barrier between the laminate and the water. Not only do you want the paint job to look good, you want to preserve that shiny gelcoat like surface. Ive fixed all my rotten wood issues so im ready to fix the cracks. The antifoul is definitely coming off as i wont be keeping it in the water and im keen to get that old gelcoat look back. Why even go through the hassle of painting if theres a good chance its going to look. Same for going over them with epoxy or fresh gelcoat, the cracks will either still be there or will show again very quickly.

To ensure the amines wont compromise the cure of the polyester gelcoat, standard mixing and curing instructions apply. How to apply gelcoat the endall guide fiberglass coatings. Sstv 1 dealing with spider cracksprepping and painting boat. How to refinish a gel coat on fiberglass gone outdoors. The boat been completely stripped out inside and i can have it upturned to work on so practicality isnt a problem. The texturing of the deck is dimpled, for lack of a better term. Just sand enough to remove the loose dead gel, fill and sand holes with an epoxy like marine tex, and you are ready to apply primer and paint. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. I wouldnt want just a thin layer of paint between the laminate and ocean on my boat. The epoxy fills and seals the cracks, and the polyurethane restores the color and gloss.

Repairing gelcoat nonskid with awlgrip paint youtube. The problem with this method is getting the right amount of material misted onto the uncured gelcoat to block the air out and in gauging just when to apply the pva. Finally, get a fine grade scotchbrite pad and scuff the gelcoat lightly. Gelcoat should not be applied over paint, wood, metal or concrete. The gelcoat has crazing just about everywhere and it seems to go all the way to, and stops at, the fiberglass. Using highbuild primer to repair fiberglass crazing. Can i still use gelcoat or should i paint instead, after popping the bimini from mold. Linear crack caused by flexural strain thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or contracts. If an area of paint starts to bubble or wrinkles up, stop. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. Gelcoat question can it just be painted without any pics its hard to tell what type of cracking it is, so if possible post some pics. Then paint as usual starting with primer, base coat, clear coat.

Properly applying gelcoat is the key to a good finish. Wipe with clean dark colored cotton rags dampened in rubbing alcohol. However, i have not read anywhere when painting over gelcoat, if laying down a coat of epoxy, not epoxy primer or epoxy 2part paint, but actually coating the fiberglass surface with regular clear epoxy. When the paint on these items fades or wears, the visual value falls. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail. Fiberglass is light and often used for construction of such items as hot tubs, boats and greenhouses. Fill all defects with good quality fairing putty, sand out and epoxy prime the hull.