questions on restoring gel coat.

[snioc]

I am getting ready to restore my gel coat and my question is, will i be able to use the compound on the white part of my boat as will as the color part? should i just polish the white? i would like to do the whole boat hull as well. My other concern is will running the buffer over my vinyl decals ruin them?

 

[Bayou Dave]

I ran the buffer over my vinyl decals and had no problem. I will leave your question about doing the white part to someone else to answer as I have not done that, yet.

 

[Woodonglass]

The only thing I'd recommend is changing the buffer pad between colors. and taping off the sections. Other than that you're good to go. Are you planning on doing any wet sanding prior to the compounding?

 

[DeepBlue2010]

In my experience, changing the pad between colors was not necessary at all. However, cleaning the pad frequently is very - very - important. What is the status of your gel. Just oxidization or shallow scratches, deep scratches & gouges. You have to remember, you only have about 1 mm of getcoat to work with. Don't volunteer wet sanding or any aggressive measures unless you assess the status of the gelcoat and you decide that it is needed. What kind of buffer you are using, rotary buffer or random orbital?

 

[alldodge]

I am getting ready to restore my gel coat and my question is, will i be able to use the compound on the white part of my boat as will as the color part? should i just polish the white? i would like to do the whole boat hull as well. My other concern is will running the buffer over my vinyl decals ruin them?

:welcome: to iboats

All above is good info my only comment is, so long as your colors are actual gelcoat and not vinyl taping. Good luck

 

[Sparksman]

Ive been detailing cars for almost 10 years now for money. Just use the pad on the white first, then the darker color. Dont ever use a pad on a lighter color then it was previously used on, and it really depends on how the paint was mixed/applied. I dont like to use a pad more then 2 times myself, washing good with a greaser/wax remover is important.

Paint has "stages", a Single-Stage would have paint and clear mixed as one and shot at same time. A Two/Duel-Stage would be the paint is sprayed first and then the clear afterwards. 3rd stage/multistage or above is a combination of layering different colored paints/clears/metallics over top of one another to achieve a specific shade or color.

Single stage will have paint removed as the pad polishes, the reason why the pad changes to the color. Doing this on a dark color first then moving to a lighter color can smear-scratch the colored paint into the lighter one. Single stage paint fades bad if not waxed, but does come back easy. Duel Stage has a top protective layer, and doesnt fade as bad because of this. Also you should not see really much any color change to the pad when buffing. Not to be confused with dirty, the pad will get dirty.

Im new to gel coat but it seems like its just sprayed on as a single stage with a harder mixed in. I wouldnt be surprised if the pad turn exactly the same color buffing this stuff lol. As for the decals as long as your not using a cutting compound you should be fine.

Important--- > Watch the direction of the wheel though! Keep the pad rotating from center of decal out! If you have the pad coming the wrong way it is possible to grab the lip of decal and lift upwards... If not torn it more then likely not sticky anymore. The wax being pushed under the decal will stop it from being sticky on edges.

Anyhow good luck.

 

[DeepBlue2010]

Gelcoat is not paint. It is pigmented poly resin. Working with gel is entirely different game than car paint. it is more like polishing a rock. Any color that comes in the pad is not paint,, it is simply a very fine dust that can be cleaned up that same way you clean the pad itself using a wheel or tie.

 

[Sparksman]

Even though its not paint, its still the tinted poly dust thats being removed as you buff. Same principle that applies to buffing anything. Dust just doesnt come out of no where magically, pads are course and even with wax for lube are essentially are a wet/dry sandpaper but extremely fine spinning at thousands or rpm's. Most the pad getting darker on a 2+stage layering is dust, because of paint/tint's protective clear coating. Im new to boats but I know people use car paint, tractor paint, use clear over gel coat, ect.. But if its sprayed as a 1 stage layer, as from my understanding most gel coat is. You are sanding the tint itself. The whole point of pointing that out is to explain why you dont go from a dark color/tint to a lighter one with the same pad. Regardless of materiel sprayed buffing is the same game. Only variables are how the material was mixed/layered, and age/condition of the thing your buffing.

Having said all that if the gel coat doesnt allow the tint to stain darker color to lighter, or is hard enough to prevent material loss. Then no worries, Ive never buffed gel coat, but hearing that does throw a red flag to my ears lol. Could just go buy another $20 pad, and avoid the whole situation all together. I try to have a few extra new pads on hand at all times, but I go through them quick during the summer.