It produces a high gloss finish ready for wax. It is used to create polyester laminates without mould, with a high gloss and non-scaly surface. The gelcoat with no wax, brushable, added pigment, let sit for 18 hours.. trying to sand it and it just gunk up my sanding disk each time.. It’s best to do a 4’ by 4’ area and go from there. Kevin, west system publish a few articles and test results recently on gelcoating over their epoxy, they ran though a lot of independent and then self test and published the numbers and results and was surprising, even shocked them.. The amount is very small. All industries using composites require surfacing products for one reason or another. Having a resin-rich layer on the outside of a product also provides very goods resistance to the external effects of the environment and UV radiation. This will avoid unnecessary sanding … If you roll or brush your seconding coating, be sure to go the opposite direction from the previous coat, allowing a uniform coating. If you want the gelcoat to be a different color... 3. What kind of gelcoat and color Did you use. Shop with confidence - get free shipping to home or stores + price match guarantee! Working outside, on saw horses, with the canoe at waist level – wash your canoe, scrub off any of the green slime especially … The product is applied as a film before the print material is laid-up and once cured, gives an easily sandable, pinhole free surface to which standard automotive paints can be applied, The properties of the cured film were designed so that the painted finish can retain a stable Class A surface with no carbon fibre print through even after repeated exposure to surface temperatures in excess of 100°C in humid conditions. For applying your gelcoat, you can either roll the gelcoat on, like paint, or you can spray it on. From fiberglass boat finishing services, gel coat refinishing and full-body painting to wicked overhauls and extreme restoration, we are here to help you get where you want to be. Add to compare Compare. At 70 degrees, you get your 15 minutes, but at 90 degrees, you only have about 5 minutes. Gelcoat is a resin-based finishing material often used on newly manufactured yachts. It’s a quick, easy way to see the thickness of your gelcoat. Once you don’t see the blue dye anymore, you know you have properly sanded everything. The more porous it becomes, the more readily it will stain. On the inside, their main function is to improve chemical resistance. Please note, this process will not fix deep gauges and missing pieces of gelcoat. The highest-quality, ISO NPG marine finish Gelcoat used to permanently repair and construct originalmarine Gelcoat finishes. The chemicals in wax can have a strong odor and getting any in your eyes can cause serious... 2. Pour some wax onto a soft cloth or foam pad. Step 2: Surface Preparation The final layer of gelcoat has a … The coating is designed not to ‘yellow’ and to keep its glossy surface and resist blistering even under harsh conditions. The car polishers will not work, as they spin too slowly, so you want to check the spin speed. ( Log Out /  Finishing your Gelcoat Application: If you’re using our Professional Grade Exterior Gelcoat, you’ll be ready to sand and buff your freshly gelcoated surface after about 1- 3 hours. Stage 1: CUT. Once applied, you want to wait about an hour and a half, for the gelcoat to set. Gel coats are presenting a serious stumbling block to this change. Use to fill gouges, chips, scrapes and deep scratches in the fiberglass Gelcoat. You should now be able to apply your gelcoat repair paste. Many of our customers are hesitant to use it, thinking it’s too complicated or they think they can’t end up with a good finish. Your second coat will consist of the same amount of Catalyst, but if you are doing one more coat, your next coat will include Sanding Aid, or ‘wax.’ You will mix in 1 oz per quart to the gelcoat, which will seal the surface from oxygen, causing the gelcoat to dry tack-free. 5 Results . Boats that already have gelcoat, fiberglass, or polyester resin surface do not need any additional steps before repairing. document.write(""+year+""), Web site designed and developed by Pixel Workshop, Gel Coats - How to apply Gelcoat and get a Good Finish. So, we are here to provide a step-by-step guide on how to properly apply gelcoat. Evercoat Gel-Kote One Step Finish Gel Coat Repair - White. If you decide to roll on the gelcoat, be sure to use a solvent-resistant 1/8” or ¼” nap. Check that the repair is even and level, or else it can crack … If you are using our standard Exterior gelcoat, you will be ready to sand and buff your freshly gelcoated surface. Mix your gelcoat with the hardener as directed on the container. 18 mils is approximately the thickness of a matchbook cover. Gelcoat Finishing System • 3M™ Perfect-It™ Boat Wash, 09035, Quart • 3M™ Purple Finishing Film Hookit™ Disc, 30670, 6 in., P800 grit • 3M™ Trizact™ Hookit™ Clear Coat Sanding Disc, 02088, 6 in., P1500 grit • 3M™ Hookit™ Soft Interface Pad, 05777, 6 in. Print through, where the reinforcement material is visible from the surface of a composite, must be avoided. Gel Coat is a specially formulated two-part polyester resin that is designed to be the first layer of resin applied in a mold when making a polyester or vinyl ester composite part. Once the surface is clean, you want to get going pretty quickly; if the surface sits for any extended amount of time, you will want to re-clean the surface. I did my test gelcoat last evening.. over fgci vinyl Ester resin. We recommend 18 mils thick, to properly cure. RTM is often used to make parts requiring a high quality smooth finish such as automotive panels, and in this case it is important to choose a surface products that will not wrinkle during moulding and will give and even distribution or resin across the surface. Resin and gel-coat manufacturers are constantly trying to keep up with these demands, and several have brought out low emission products that promise to reduce emission levels without compromising on surface quality. We have two types of gelcoat; the brushable and the standard. You can get gelcoat with wax or without in certain cases. Review some of the current surfacing technologies on offer. Gel coat is the most common surface coating used in the fabrication and repair of fiberglass reinforced products. Painted boats will need to have the paint removed before applying the gelcoat. A combination of organic and inorganic fire retardants within the structural matrix are used together with highly intumescent additives to form a heat resistant insulating char during burning. Customers demand a good looking, glossy finish that will last for a long time without dulling or losing colour. Used it to patch chips on the bottom and sides of bass boat hull incurred when floating over submerged boulders while fishing. These guides will help you with faults, how to apply products, grades of fibreglass and much more. The gel coat will cure to a hard finish and will not require Evercoat Mold Release (# 105685) in order to attain a fully cured surface. Whether a composite needs to be attractive or functional, getting the right surface finish is vital to a component’s suitability for an application. Lightly Weathered: Gel Coat Surfaces. Next, you want to clean the surface. We recommend using Acetone, as it doesn’t leave a residue and evaporates quickly. And as legislation plays a bigger part in shaping manufacturing processes, those producing surfacing products will have their work cut out to keep up. Apply the first coat. An added feature is that the veil has the same refractive index as polyester resin, so it does not show through to the surface of the finished part. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to comment, message or call! After many years outdoors, an RV's fiberglass outer skin will inevitably start to look a little bit faded. If you are using our brushable gelcoat, you will want to let it sit overnight to ensure it’s completely cured. As it ages, fiberglass oxidizes and loses its gloss, regardless of waxing. Start by sanding the surface with 150 grit or lower sandpaper. Veil manufacturers and suppliers offer veils designed for specific composite manufacturing techniques, including resin transfer moulding (RTM), pultrusion and filament winding. 3M™ Perfect-It™ Gelcoat Light … Secondly, using a veil creates a resin-rich layer, which acts as a chemical barrier. var mydate=new Date() I also suffered gunk on sanding disk. White … Applying Wax to Restore the Gelcoat 1. Gelcoat is the coating sprayed up against a highly polished mold at the beginning of the fiberglass layup process. It will take a minimum of two coats of gelcoat if you are changing colors. Application: Brush, roll or spray gun. Epoxy laminates aren’t generally compatible with traditional polyester gel coats and the chemistry does not yet exist to create an epoxy gel that is sufficiently waterproof and light-stable and can retain its glossiness for long enough. As traditional gel coat systems are not currently an option, in-mould priming coats are used instead. Another video from our GRP Quicktips Series - How to brush apply gelcoat. Good day! Industrial Epoxy Finishing Coating EcoPoxy GelCoat is an epoxy coating with superior chemical, abrasion, and thermal resistance. At that point, you can apply the gelcoat to that to get a nice finish. In the automotive industry achieving an attractive smooth ‘class A’ surface finish with no fibre-print through is a priority for external panels. 3M Gelcoat Finishing System. x 3/4 in. Ideal for High Volume Jobs THE RESULT. With gelcoat, we recommend at least 2 coats. Polyester fabric or lightweight glass tissue veils can be used with most thermoset composite manufacturing processes to form a resin rich surface. When used together with a pigmented resin, it’s veil can be used to achieve a Class A finish. Anything below 60 degrees, and your gelcoat will not cure, but as you get warmer and warmer, your working time decreases rapidly. The definition of a good quality composite surface depends very much on your point of view. Smooth, defect-free, high gloss finish, restoring colour to the oxidised or lightly weathered surface. The highest-quality, ISO NPG marine finish gel coat used to permanently repair or replace original, high-gloss finish. If you want a beautiful, glossy shine, use a machine glaze and then two coats of wax, and you will have a beautiful finish that any professional would be envious of. To start sanding, begin with 320 grit sandpaper and sand the surface completely. If you aren’t sure how thick, pick up a mil gauge. One Step Finish Gel-Kote is a non-run, non-sag formulation of flexible polyester resins to … You want to sand the surface to create a mechanical bond with the gelcoat. Thanks, P.s. Begin by sanding the surface to the underlying gelcoat so the new gelcoat can form a mechanical bond. Wet sand and buff for a glossy appearance. You can get gelcoat with wax or without in certain cases. If this is going over a patch, we recommend 2 coats at least, to get a nice, uniform surface. Profile Select Liquid Compound PRS101 (1 ltr) PRS106 (1 US gallon) PRS506 (5 US gallons) G Mop 8” Twisted Wool Compounding Pad GMW811 (single sided) GMW816 (double sided) Use minimal pressure. The product cures to a hard finish and does not require Evercoat Mold Release (#105685) to attain a fully-cured surface. ( Log Out /  Our passion is perfection. Refinishing a gel coat, for instance, can be relatively pain-free if you have experience and the right tools at your disposal. This works in three ways. Shop, read reviews, or ask questions about EVERCOAT Non-Laminating Finish Gel Coat at the official West Marine online store. One Step Finish Gel-Kote is a non-run, non-sag formulation of flexible polyester resins to … Consumers and OEMs will always be looking for better products and emerging applications will have different needs. Heavily Weathered: Gel Coat Surfaces. How much wax you should use will depend on the type of wax you're using. during sanding. Refer to the catalyst chart on the side of the can, or you can find one HERE. Once you mix it, you have about 15 minutes to apply the gelcoat before it starts to get hard or “gel.” The actual working time depends on your amount of catalyst and how hot your working conditions are. Nivitex have various guides available for the DIY person that will help you with your next project from costings on projects to using various fibreglass products for mould making etc. Usually a little less than a 1/32 of an inch thick (0.5 – 0.8 mm), it’s bonded directly onto the surface of the fiberglass. To overcome this, a RTM veil has a needled, open structure to prevent the resin being blocked as it flows through the mould. The exterior of most RVs is made with fiberglass and coated with a gel coat finish. Going underneath the gel coat for a full repainting is a highly involved DIY project that can sometimes require the assistance of a professional. For pipes made by filament winding or pultrusion, veils can be used both on the inside and the outside surfaces of the profiles to serve different purposes. So, gelcoat is used as a sealing, asthetic coat. As part of this process, it becomes porous. 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