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Applying a coating to Gel Coat
Old 06-22-2014, 03:56 PM   #1
kinder car care
 
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Default Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Been talking about coatings to several houseboat owners and getting some interest but just now starting to learn about Gel Coat and detailing boats and my thinking is that if it works on paint it will have the same great results on Gel Coat.

Have one gentleman ready to have applied but wanting to know if you Mike have applied coating to a Gel Coat finish or any other members on here and what coating did you apply and about how many ounces do you think it would take for a houseboat of a 90 footer?

Have been thinking about C.A.R. PRODUCTS bullet proof for the ease of application. tried Ceramic Pro's 3 step and liked it but a 3 step on something that big! NO!!!

Interested in any and all response on this subject and your thoughts!
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Old 06-23-2014, 09:26 AM   #2
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Quote:
Originally Posted by kinder car care View Post
Been talking about coatings to several houseboat owners and getting some interest but just now starting to learn about Gel Coat and detailing boats and my thinking is that if it works on paint it will have the same great results on Gel Coat.

Have one gentleman ready to have applied but wanting to know if you Mike have applied coating to a Gel Coat finish or any other members on here and what coating did you apply and about how many ounces do you think it would take for a houseboat of a 90 footer?

Have been thinking about C.A.R. PRODUCTS bullet proof for the ease of application. tried Ceramic Pro's 3 step and liked it but a 3 step on something that big! NO!!!

Interested in any and all response on this subject and your thoughts!

I have not applied any coatings to any boats to day but have used traditional waxes and sealants.

Before applying a coating to a gel-coat hull I'd have to first start by researching the coating and the required prep for the coating.

To do this for a business there will be a higher charge for both the prep work and the application as well as the cost for materials. This would all be above and beyond any compounding and polishing work performed first if the gel-coat is oxidized.

Then if all of above is to be performed, that is,
  1. Compounding
  2. Polishing
  3. Prepping for a coating
  4. Coating application
For all of this and the charge to the customer, there needs to be some type of real benefit to the customer for the last two steps versus the traditional application of a wax or sealant.

If the boat is kept in the water year around versus dry storage, these would be important factors to take into consideration.


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Old 06-24-2014, 10:08 AM   #3
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

I have often wondered the same thing. I Thought about trying bfwd on a small area on my boat.
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Old 07-12-2014, 01:46 PM   #4
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Hope I just didn't make a mistake but I just ordered 3 bottles of Detailer's paint coating for that boat I've been doing, also got a 32oz. bottle of the Detailers paint prep (but not going to use the paint prep on gel coat just for auto)

Going to use Kleen strip mineral spirits for my cleaning/prep before I apply the Detailers paint coating. Any thoughts?
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Old 07-14-2014, 10:18 AM   #5
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

make sure to wipe down with alcohol before applying the coating
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Old 07-14-2014, 03:42 PM   #6
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Quote:
Originally Posted by kinder car care View Post
Hope I just didn't make a mistake but I just ordered 3 bottles of Detailer's paint coating for that boat I've been doing, also got a 32oz. bottle of the Detailers paint prep (but not going to use the paint prep on gel coat just for auto)

Going to use Kleen strip mineral spirits for my cleaning/prep before I apply the Detailers paint coating. Any thoughts?
Gel coat is considerably more porous than paint, so you'll need to apply the coating liberally.

Other than that you're good to go!
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Old 07-14-2014, 04:36 PM   #7
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

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Originally Posted by Nick@Marine31 View Post
Gel coat is considerably more porous than paint, so you'll need to apply the coating liberally.

Other than that you're good to go!
So I'm going to go out on a limb and see what you think of my thoughts!

If 1 bottle of Detailers paint coating will do 10-15 cars ? let's just say 10 to be safe and the houseboat I'm working on is 70'+ but in reality the gel coat and single stage paint on most of the side is only about 55' & then I think it's 14' wide front & back, so I'm looking at 138' of gel coat and S.S paint to coat. I'm hoping that just under 2 bottles will do this even though you said to not be tight with the coating.

I will be using Lake Country coating applicators to apply it, and have 28 new short microfiber towels to remove excess. Just trying to make sure I've got my technique down, apply when sun's not out (right side of boat is in direct sunlight 70% of the day so this will be my challenge) and work an area I'm good with so I can apply it and then go back over the section and wipe excess off with about 5lbs. pressure and move on to next section and over lap previous section by a couple inches or so and so on and so forth until I'm finished?

I will be going over all gel coat and S.S. paint twice to make sure all oil's and waxes are removed with Kleen Stripe orderless mineral spirits. Anything else I should do or shouldn't do? Thanks For Your Help, Appreciate You!
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Old 07-15-2014, 09:26 AM   #8
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Quote:
Originally Posted by kinder car care View Post

So I'm going to go out on a limb and see what you think of my thoughts!

If 1 bottle of Detailers paint coating will do 10-15 cars ? let's just say 10 to be safe and the houseboat I'm working on is 70'+ but in reality the gel coat and single stage paint on most of the side is only about 55' & then I think it's 14' wide front & back, so I'm looking at 138' of gel coat and S.S paint to coat. I'm hoping that just under 2 bottles will do this even though you said to not be tight with the coating.

I will be using Lake Country coating applicators to apply it, and have 28 new short microfiber towels to remove excess. Just trying to make sure I've got my technique down, apply when sun's not out (right side of boat is in direct sunlight 70% of the day so this will be my challenge) and work an area I'm good with so I can apply it and then go back over the section and wipe excess off with about 5lbs. pressure and move on to next section and over lap previous section by a couple inches or so and so on and so forth until I'm finished?
The technique you've laid out reads right.



Quote:
Originally Posted by kinder car care View Post

I will be going over all gel coat and S.S. paint twice to make sure all oil's and waxes are removed with Kleen Strip orderless mineral spirits.
That's the brand I use. I would suggest getting a 32 ounce spray bottle and a chemical resistant spray head with a nozzle on the spray head that does a good job of atomizing the MS and provides an even fan spraying pattern. Nothing worse when spraying anything than a sprayer that works more or less like s sloppy squirt gun.


Quote:
Originally Posted by kinder car care View Post

Anything else I should do or shouldn't do? Thanks For Your Help, Appreciate You!
I'd recommend wiping the hull down twice using this approach.

Make one pass around the hull and get the majority of any residues off the hull.

Then, discard of any microfiber towels used for this first wipe-down and repeat with fresh clean towels.

The reason why is you want to avoid any cross-contamination. When wiping off any compound or polish residue these residues end up on your towel. If the goal is to leave a residue-free surface then you have to avoid cross-contamination.

My thoughts on this type of procedure is you can make it cleaner and more Bubba-Proof by doing the two wipe-downs as dedicated, entire hull wipe-downs, one after the other than what would seem to be the easier way of wiping a section twice at the same time and then moving down the boat and wiping another section twice.

Does that make sense?

I just think trying to manage your towels will be more difficult trying to wipe twice with one pass around the boat.

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Old 07-15-2014, 10:25 AM   #9
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Marine31 View Post

My thoughts on this type of procedure is you can make it cleaner and more Bubba-Proof by doing the two wipe-downs as dedicated, entire hull wipe-downs, one after the other than what would seem to be the easier way of wiping a section twice at the same time and then moving down the boat and wiping another section twice.

Does that make sense?

I just think trying to manage your towels will be more difficult trying to wipe twice with one pass around the boat.

OK got Ya! Use a 3 shelf cart for a simple technique for going around the boat just one time for two cleaning applications.

Have my 2 different colored microfiber towels separated (for my technique and plane so as not too get confused and make sure everything is done right with 2 wipe downs and seperate microfibers) 1 color on top shelf other color middle shelf. Use top towel for 1st wipe down and when finished with a section place used towel on bottom shelf. Next get other colored towel from middle shelf for 2nd wiped down for same section previously done and then discard that towel on bottom shelf as well.

Last couple questions, I haven't used the Lake Country Coating applicators before so would I do them the same as appling tire dressing on a tire swipe. Spray product/Detailer Paint Coating directly into the foam and then wipe of Gel Coat, specially since it's going to be windy and alot of product would be going all over the place.

And I have been doing as much reading and searching for applying a topper to this coating as well as others for getting as much gloss, shine, depth and richness for a spray wax or a spray detail for just trying to get that WOW factory for the boat owner as well as the others boat owners at the marina so they will have to have this done to their boat as well.

I seen where in one post you or Nick mentioned that to top with Pinnacle &/or optimum's spray something? Forgot what the name of each product was. Instead of having to reorder more stuff at this time, what would be your thoughts on applying marine31 Gel Coat Wax & Shine Detail Spray over the Detailers Paint Coating! Would be a 1st and I will take before and afters of applying the DPC and then with the spray added to see if I can get the wow factor.

Thanks for all your and Nick's help greatly appreciate it, should be applying the coating to the boat next week sometime so I will be posting my outcome and procedures up on here with pics.
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Old 07-15-2014, 11:23 AM   #10
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Default Re: Applying a coating to Gel Coat

I wouldn't use the lake country applicators they are had to work with. I have done well over a hundred boats with coatings and in my opinion microfiber applicators work best. I would also no recommend putting any wax products on top I would use a designated coating topper.
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