final topcoat questions

[wiz]

I have some final fill coats to roll and brush on of polyester resin on parts of my boat's inside i am just about done with. I am at a toss up at using gelcoat(which i have already) or a type of paint.

After i put down the fill coat i want to put the topcoats right on after it is just hard enough and still tacky.

I need to know some things about gelcoat, if i do not care what the final gelcoat surface looks like(rough or dull) how long/well will it hold up? Again i am not real concerned with it looking anywhere new.

Is there any type of paints that will bond to a real tacky just applied polyester resin coat? Just after i put the last resin coat on could i put a paint right on without having to sand resin, prime surface, sand prime, paint and have the paint bond to it correctly and self level?

 

[andy6374]

Re: final topcoat questions

For paints, you MUST prime!

As far as the gelcoat....if you brush gelcoat you will have brush strokes everywhere and if you apply it with a foam roller you'll have an "orange peel" like effect from the texture of the foam roller. However, from the sounds of it you are not concerned with the boat looking like the Queen Mary. So forget sanding, just roll on some gelcoat. Maybe wipe the surface with acetone first to ensure it's nice and tacky.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: final topcoat questions

If you're putting gel coat down, don't wipe it with acetone, you want the sticky resin surface for the gelcoat to bong with.

Some paints bond OK to a not fully cured resin surface, but you would need to check the one you were going to use for long term results, so don't do it.

Most paints bond very well to a cured sanded and clean, resin or gel coat surfaces without primer. Primers do fill small imperfections in the surface and help hide areas where fillers have been used, but normally aren't needed for a good bond.

 

[andy6374]

Re: final topcoat questions

If you're putting gel coat down, don't wipe it with acetone, you want the sticky resin surface for the gelcoat to bong with..

If it isn't sticky/tacky anymore, a wipe with acetone will make it tacky. Laminating resin doesn't stay tacky for too long.

Most paints bond very well to a cured sanded and clean, resin or gel coat surfaces without primer. Primers do fill small imperfections in the surface and help hide areas where fillers have been used, but normally aren't needed for a good bond.

More to the point, I guess I was saying prime for a quality paint job.

But then again I've never been a brush it, forget it, and move on sort of guy.