Friday, January 8, 2016

How To Restore Faded Fiberglass: Step By Step

By Jennifer Cook


Today, the market is flooded with hundreds of different products, all which purport offer the best solution to the faded gelcoat. Generally, the gelcoat has little structural value. However, it protects the underlying laminates of resin-saturated fabric glass. The gelcoat plays the function of protecting the hull, giving it its shiny and beautiful color. It is good to get the right tips on how to restore faded fiberglass to keep its attractiveness.

A fiber-reinforced plastic is what is widely referred to as fiberglass. In this case, the fiber cloth is used to give a plastic material extra strength. The strengthened plastic is used to make boats, bathtubs, motorhomes, and pickup truck caps. It is the gelcoat (special resin) normally applied to the fiberglass surface that gives it the smooth and shiny surface. When polishing, it is this gelcoat that is targeted. It is the one prone to fading as a result of oxidation effects of the sun and light.

The restoration process starts with a thorough cleaning. This can be done simply by mixing detergent with water and then use a sponge to wash the surface with the resulting solution. A cup of household bleach is added to aid in removing mildew. In order to remove difficult stains, the direct application of concentrated cleaner that is specifically formulated for fiberglass is the answer.

In order to completely remove grease and oil, the solutions like acetone and MEK offers good result. All that is required is to wipe the greasy surface using a rag soaked with the chosen solution.

This is followed with polishing and waxing comes as the last step. The two steps are likely to restore the shine, but this may not last for two or more months, in fact, it may be difficult to get the same finish as the new one in the showroom. The gelcoat surface normally has several microscopic pits, and these trap air, therefore, enabling oxidation to continue underneath even after polishing and waxing.

After waxing, the next step is polishing. A polish is simply an abrasive, but not a coating. Rather than coating, it removes the pitted surface. The procedure involves using a soft cloth to apply the polish to small areas at a time. This is done by circular motion rubbing to get a glassy appearance. This is then followed by a wax application to protect the new coat.

However, sometimes, the fiberglass is so faded that the normal polishing and waxing may not restore its shiny look. In this case, a stronger abrasive rubbing compound is required. The rubbing compounds are available in many varieties, from mild compounds to heavy-duty.

There is no magic in restoring your beautiful boat or bathtub to its former condition, all you need to know is how to maintain the surface of gelcoat. The sealers, wax, polish and cleaning reagents used must be bought from trusted and well-known manufacturers to avoid fake and ineffective products.




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