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Minor Gel-Coat Repair – Part II
Final image.
Last month we left off with fresh gel-coat applied to the spot needing repair, so let's get back at it and finish the job.
As soon as you finish filling the area carefully remove the masking tape leaving putty only in the area intended. If you don't remove the tape right away the gel coat will harden and the results won't be pretty.
Let the Gel coat harden for at least one hour before you touch it. A blow drier or heat gun can be used to speed cure time, but too much heat will blister the gel coat and shrink it. Use only as much heat as you can stand on your own skin. Once the area is hard enough to sand, carefully wet sand the area with 320 grit or higher. Work your way to 1000 grit using 400 and 600. Do not sand with circular motion; this will leave swirls. Sand the area in straight lines from all directions. Sand with long strokes to avoid creating high and low spots. Wipe the area clean every so often to make sure you've eliminated all sand lines from the previous grit.
After you finish with 1000 grit you'll need to polish the area with 2000 grit compound. You may see the outlines of the repair but this is to be expected. As stated, a flawless repair requires spraying gel-cote.
The final image shows the end result of the repair. We matched the color of the gel coat very closely. The color difference can only be seen in bright, direct sunlight. Had we sprayed the gel-coat you could never see the difference.
If you don't think you have the finesse or patience for making the repair as we have here, there is another method available. You can simply use an artist brush and dab gel coat in the damaged area. Catalyze the gel coat in a paper cup and dab the gel cote in place with an artist brush. Remember to scuff the area and wipe the area clean with acetone before you apply the gel coat.
If you don't think you can handle that, bring the boat to us and we'll make it look brand new!
We will do our best to provide quality solutions for the most common boat related problems. We would appreciate any input or questions about boats so that our articles can efficiently help the most people. [email protected]
GFY (Go Fishin' Y'all)
Fibertex & Supply
6901 Pyrenees
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Office (361) 991-5956
As soon as you finish filling the area carefully remove the masking tape leaving putty only in the area intended. If you don't remove the tape right away the gel coat will harden and the results won't be pretty.
Let the Gel coat harden for at least one hour before you touch it. A blow drier or heat gun can be used to speed cure time, but too much heat will blister the gel coat and shrink it. Use only as much heat as you can stand on your own skin. Once the area is hard enough to sand, carefully wet sand the area with 320 grit or higher. Work your way to 1000 grit using 400 and 600. Do not sand with circular motion; this will leave swirls. Sand the area in straight lines from all directions. Sand with long strokes to avoid creating high and low spots. Wipe the area clean every so often to make sure you've eliminated all sand lines from the previous grit.
After you finish with 1000 grit you'll need to polish the area with 2000 grit compound. You may see the outlines of the repair but this is to be expected. As stated, a flawless repair requires spraying gel-cote.
The final image shows the end result of the repair. We matched the color of the gel coat very closely. The color difference can only be seen in bright, direct sunlight. Had we sprayed the gel-coat you could never see the difference.
If you don't think you have the finesse or patience for making the repair as we have here, there is another method available. You can simply use an artist brush and dab gel coat in the damaged area. Catalyze the gel coat in a paper cup and dab the gel cote in place with an artist brush. Remember to scuff the area and wipe the area clean with acetone before you apply the gel coat.
If you don't think you can handle that, bring the boat to us and we'll make it look brand new!
We will do our best to provide quality solutions for the most common boat related problems. We would appreciate any input or questions about boats so that our articles can efficiently help the most people. [email protected]
GFY (Go Fishin' Y'all)
Fibertex & Supply
6901 Pyrenees
Corpus Christi, TX 78414
Office (361) 991-5956