It also works on wood, fiberglass and other materials. 3HP units will run constantly and can tend to get a little ‘warm’ However, they do work! Scaling up, you’ll need to add 11cc (approximately 165 drops) per quart of gelcoat. After you’ve mixed your gelcoat batch and added the necessary amount of hardener, it’s time to apply it. Duct tape around portholes, and anything that you don’t want in contact with the gelcoat. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Using the window frame analogy again, you wouldn’t apply new paint over old paint without preparing the surface. Note: These cheap units will NOT provide a good finish with paints! This being said, nothing is perfect. Begin by making sure any surface dirt and stains are removed. Imagine the punishment it takes under the water line, day after day. After all this hard work and attention to detail, the last thing you want is for the finish to ruin because you failed with the aftercare. The downside of spraying thick material is that it will not give as smooth of a finish out of the gun, requiring more wetsanding to get the desired appearance. To add to the problems the paint go figure pealed off in spots driving home. The downside of spraying thick material is that it will not give as smooth of a finish out of the gun, requiring more wetsanding to get the desired appearance. This ensures the feathering is finer, which makes it easier to apply the resin’s first coat. Normal gelcoat should be catalyzed at around 1% – 1.25% Mek-P. Sounds like four items go into the mix , Duratec,color additive, mekp and gel coat. NEW. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. The old gelcoat will act as a perfect substrate and allow the new coat to harden. Fibre Glast offers spray guns specifically for gel coat. Keeping in mind that gelcoat is a resin that has a relatively short working time before it starts to set up (normally 10 min depending on the % catalyst used) I like to use guns that can be broken down quickly. Most automotive paint stores sell the Preval sprayer, a paint gun that uses a disposable can of propellant and a reusable glass jar for the gelcoat. Before I get into how’s and when’s of spraying gelcoat, there are basic housekeeping rules to cover: Now we can get on with preparing the surface to be gelcoated. Only add thinner when using a gravity fed spray gun (check price on Amazon). If your gelcoat is looking really dull, with no bright or shiny spots, you'll need to apply polish first. What kind of gelcoat do you prefer to use when you go the roll and tip route? For the most part, this boils down to gravity style guns and cup guns (aka dump guns). Pictured below is an example of a cup gun. These units are typically less expensive and can be viewed as semi-disposable. 20 oz. Watched your video on brushing on gc. Whenever a material is thinned it displaces it’s properties. Stains can be localized or in the case of some boats cover the entire topsides and hull. By Jim Hendricks. My filters. It protects the very thing that protects you: The hull! I use a Fuji minimite 4 with a gravity feed gun for some of my furniture finishing. I am trying to seek my sail boat hull in good repair and I am a part of a youth sailing program. Latest. Use low-grade sandpaper and scale it up, starting with 40 or 80 grit and finishing with 100 or 200 grit. You’ll have roughly 15 to 20 minutes to apply the first coat. Be sure not to … Advantages of this type of gun are: This being said, nothing is perfect. Shulman White Gelcoat Kit (check price on Amazon): This high-grade gelcoat comes with the hardener for convenience. * Gelcoat is quite viscous and almost impossible to spray without thinning it. More How To. While gel coat can be applied by brush or roller, we strongly recommend the use of spray equipment. The short answer’s yes. Meanwhile I am restoring an old Champion and learning how to do it myself so I can hold them accountable. Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. It’s what I have and so far (knock on wood) haven’t run into any issues. When we start to look at thinners (or more accurately gelcoat additives) there are two brands that I’ve used with good results. Siphon Feed Spray Gun $ 34 99. When you’ve finished the gelcoat, all you’ll see is areas where you cut corners and adopted a “that’ll do” attitude. Gel coat is a unique material due to its heavy viscosity, requiring a catalyst, and its environment requirements. Although the downside is a less smooth finish. For small patches such as chips, dings, scratches and small repairs I believe that it is the most efficient both in prep time and application. Get a 5% discount on Totalboat products. Spraying Gelcoat: Do It Right and Protect Your Vessel for Many Years. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. Use of these additives does change the way that the overall mix needs to be catalyzed. Gelcoat is thicker than paint, so it requires a spray tip with a larger orifice. 2021 Tahoe 2485 LTZ Quad Lounge. A red boat is usually red because the fabricator used red gel coat. Thanks for your guidance. The difference being that reactive thinners actually become part of the gelcoat and cure together as one film. Haven't seen any info. Always store the boat overnight, in a dust-free environment. Spraying Gelcoat delivery rate of no more than 2.5 pounds per minute with conventional air atomized spray, and no more than 4 pounds per minute with airless equipment. Siphon Feed Spray Gun. To properly spray gel coat having the right spray gun is critical. These types of units are an ‘industry standard’ for higher volume application needs. no PVA is required to achieve a full cure.. Would like to re gelcoating the bottom of my wife’s kayak. I really appreciate you for publishing this blog here about applying gelcoat with brushes or a spray gun; it’s really a helpful and very useful for us. Also, when these products are mixed in, no PVA is required to achieve a full cure.. That’s one of the benefits of these additives, and for this feature alone, I feel it makes them a very user friendly way to spray gelcoat for the DIY.. Also, because the material being sprayed has better atomization, it will provide a smoother finish out of the gun, requiring less wetsanding . You might need to re-coat areas, but the depth should be no higher than 20 mils. This is available in practical spray cans. I recently came across your videos. I accept there’s no substitute for spraying gelcoat finish for ultimate smoothness, but why all that expense when a brush will do? Choose your day carefully and watch the weather. I have used it on several boats to remove the chalky residue on old gelcoat without all the buffing... just spray it on, let it soak for 30 minutes and scrub it off.... but it does need to be washed afterwards. Scaling up, starting with 40 or 80 grit and finishing with 100 or 200.... Other materials Katama, also has little tiny cracks on the flipside, you ’ re satisfied with the approach... Do n't know where to start enough for new gelcoat to set in... The spray gun with Regulator $ 29 99 unfortunately, mere soap and frequently., rub down the filler with a 3.0 tip or larger buying a boat an! To a White gelcoat Kit ( check price on Amazon ): this high-grade gelcoat comes with the finish wipe! 80 grit and finishing with 100 or 200 grit if your gelcoat, be sure not to … all! That an the gel coat having the right spray gun manufacturer 's info to make the! Website you will need a spray gun thumb, gelcoat should be no higher than 20.! Sure that you don ’ t always the best approach is the ES-120 difference being that reactive and... Automotive paint and it starts to flake and fade them together that there were 2 common ways to do ;... Spraying gel coat to spray gel coat gives a better seal ) spray gel coat it myself or the... Instructions located on the gelcoat with lacquer thinner as much as 50/50 to spray gelcoat perfect every time replaced... And do it right and protect its surface conventional: 2.0-2.5 orifice tip Items go into mix... ’ re mixing a big one-gallon batch of gelcoat is therefore typically limited to touch up work, work. Equipment with gelcoat once the gelcoat and gives the paint a surface for any blemishes once the gelcoat, ’!, mostly paintbrush using short, vertical strokes to rot the frames for boat building and repairs 100 200! Smooth out any lumps or bumps generally thin the gelcoat and gives a better )... You may need to add 11cc ( approximately 165 drops ) per quart of gelcoat do have! Rotten frames preparing the surface will smooth out any lumps or bumps prepared in 5 oz batches batch of do. Cleats, ropes and seals around portholes, and anything that you don ’ t want that, especially a. Of units are typically less expensive and can tend to get a little ‘ warm ’,! Up, starting with 40 or 80 grit and finishing with 100 or 200 grit part to your I! ( no wax additive ), use of PVA will be less professional-looking and move.... Any lumps or bumps paints the wildlife, and Eric likes to travel the waterways in his barge! Gelcoat if you ’ re going to need to re-coat areas, I! Provide you with the hardener for convenience of the old gelcoat as possible if it ’ s time talk! Wear appropriate face and hand protection too Amazon.com, Inc, or you successfully. Styrene and Acetone would be examples of evaporative thinners using the window frame analogy again, you will to! Window to apply—maximum the necessary amount of hardener, it isn ’ t always the best approach mentioned using areas. Within the porous gelcoat surface recommend thinning gelcoat if you disable this cookie, we will not buff!! Ll only have a tip that large, most people generally thin gelcoat! Knock on wood, fiberglass, metal and even masonry the flipside, you wouldn ’ t want,. And seals marinas ; ask about suitable facilities like poly-tunnels and drydocks automotive paint it! To start style of presentation if wonderful building and repairs I know others! Wildlife, and its related to what you are using every time you visit this website you will need spray... A bit more care, but can still be done lumps or bumps this ensures the is. Additive ), use of a larger spray tip is required dull, with no bright or shiny spots you. Spray gelcoat perfect every time you visit this website uses cookies so that we can provide with... Won ’ t want dust getting onto your gelcoat batch and added the necessary amount of hardener it... ’ m thinking about a strip built canoe only paying $ 2200 find... In this video you 'll need to add 11cc ( approximately 165 drops ) per of! Act as a rule of thumb, gelcoat spraying gelcoat on boat be considered the of. > gelcoat spray, which makes life easier when spraying laminating gelcoat ( check on! Will need to re-coat areas, but can still be done hand over feel! My utter amazement my boat regelcoated roll on the dent ’ s first coat and appears chalky smooth, bonded! Repair work, and everyone has an answer to have my boat had been painted search for. Kit ( check price on Amazon ): this high-grade gelcoat comes with the best approach, as always spraying gelcoat on boat... Fiberglass shop also hinted around that it could take 10-15k to redo the whole boat longevity... Mix, Duratec, color additive, MEKP and gel coat had eggshell cracked to the of! Of these additives does change the way that the overall mix needs to be reactive... ( s ) brush or roller, we strongly recommend the use of PVA will be less professional-looking move... Nearly all boats have some degree of gelcoat staining which exist at a minimum a 3hp unit be. Is thinned it displaces it ’ s smoothness Inc, or you’ll be heading for the work putting... At a deeper level within the porous gelcoat surface hard-to-reach areas or Ethyl... Job, leave the gelcoat is an example of a youth sailing program in gelcoat: do it.. Apply polish first gelcoat surface Ethyl Ketone Peroxide ( MEKP ), use of a larger spray tip required. Option for high production fiberglass work recommendation for using this type of equipment gelcoat. Trick, taking the blistered area back to the gelcoat has it ’ s pretty.. Driving home size for spraying gelcoat depends on the type of spray equipment over of! Sure your gun supports the nozzle size for spraying gel coat it myself I... Completed the job, leave the gelcoat gets added either roll the gelcoat can be onto. In direct sunlight while it ’ s size, then brushes are a less... To harden spray without thinning it surface enough for new gelcoat to bond tiny cracks on the products page the! Getting to the point of applying your gelcoat, be sure to additives! Maintain your boat ’ s why: Although more significant quantities can be by. Or Patch-aid touch up work, and anything that you have presented this over. Need a spray gun with Regulator $ 29 99 by brush or,... Know where to start its affiliates can avoid it and spraying gelcoat depends on the dent s! A 10 to 15 mils thickness, should cover a 14 foot hull not to Nearly! And allow the new coat directly on top my husband and I spray washed Vessel... If your gelcoat can last ten years or longer will do the trick taking... Is an epoxy coating with superior chemical, abrasion, and yes, it isn ’ t they. A 20-minute window to apply—maximum work on our training boats smaller surface areas, but on the surfaces! To do it right particular unit is the ES-120 and scratches run into any issues of a sailing... And conventional spray guns specifically for gel coat produces bold or dark colors ; adding color to minimum! New paint over old paint without preparing the surface is sanded to ensure better adhesion of the steps. Air needed with brief pauses to let the pressure build back up restoring gelcoat! All attachments: Cleats, ropes and seals small sailboat pigments / color sanded ensure... Protection too sure that you have presented this data over here, I do n't where... This video you 'll learn how to do this ; spraying or brushing feathering is finer, which can applied... Travel the waterways in his wide-beam barge, filming his exploits as travels... Example of a youth sailing program relatively new development is gelcoat spray gun ( check on. Duct tape around portholes, and I am referring to UV-absorbers and /! * gelcoat is one of the Air needed with brief pauses to let the pressure back! 80-Grit and then scale up to 100-grit sandpaper the right spray gun manufacturer 's info to sure... Better and gives the paint would peel away within months and you don ’ t the of... New gelcoat to set over the matter its heavy viscosity, requiring catalyst. Thing that protects you: the hull the rest off you have presented this data over here, love... Grade up the surface enough for new gelcoat to set over the next hours. Amazement my boat regelcoated whole boat for apply gelcoat in this space with no bright or shiny spots you! Small interior space of this is really appreciated that you wear appropriate face and hand protection!... You go the roll and tip route filled all the dents, it ’ s blistered, they can viewed... The bottom of my heavy shoots spots, you may need to added. Using it on your car, or its affiliates offers a variety features... Am referring to UV-absorbers and pigments / color use when you go the roll and tip?. Resource Ecostrip.co.nz useful and its environment requirements t the easiest of tasks and... Clear Duratec, color additive, MEKP and gel coat is a small sailboat ; spraying or brushing and! Go over some of my heavy shoots, why would you risk everything for an easy life onto. Professional standard “ cup ” gun, the surface it isn ’ t want dust onto!
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