How To Repair Gelcoat Cracks

Do-it-Yourself: Gelcoat Repairs

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Past Tom Burden, Concluding updated: vi/16/2020

The next time yous're cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for modest cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. If your boat is more than a few years old, you lot'll probably be surprised at the number y'all find.

Skill Level Description (10=well-nigh difficult, i=easiest)

Buffing out an oxidized boat: two

Moisture sanding scratches, then buffing: 4

Filling gelcoat scratches on a white boat: four

Filling gelcoat on a colored boat: 6

Tools and Materials

Sanding Block

Wet/Dry Sandpaper, from 220 to 600 grit

Right Angle Power Buffer

Saucepan, water, boat soap

Goggles

Gelcoat

Rubbing Compound, Finishing Chemical compound, Wax or 1-Part Cleaner Wax

Sandpaper

 Resin Tools You Will Need:

 Application Brushes

Plastic Spreaders

Epoxy Syringes

Reusable Mixing Sticks

The Diagnosis

Most scratches and chips in gelcoat result from impacts with hard objects (winch handles, downrigger weights, 15-pound lobsters) and are non crusade for business organization. Simply if you notice a series of cracks, have a minute to inspect the area more than closely. If the cracks radiate from the base of operations of load-begetting equipment like a cleat or stanchion, at that place is probably a trouble with the installation that deserves attending earlier repairing the gelcoat. Solving it might exist as simple as shifting a load from undersized equipment, or installing a larger backing plate to spread the load over a wider area. If cracks appear at important joints or intersections in the cabin or deck, however, they might be the sign of an underlying structural weakness that needs to exist examined. You might consider hiring a marine surveyor or having a qualified boat maintenance worker have a expect at the problem to ensure that it isn't serious.

The Repair

Before you lot brainstorm, launder the expanse with soap and h2o and rinse it thoroughly. If the surface is oxidized, restore it with a rubbing compound so you'll be able to match its color accurately. Once the surface is clean and dry, mark off the repair surface area with masking tape.

Next, gouge out minor, narrow cracks (and scratches that are too deep to remove with rubbing chemical compound) until they are wide plenty to fill with gelcoat paste. A miniature grinding tool like a Dremel is ideal, but the sharp bespeak of a can opener will piece of work, too. (If you lot don't open up the crack, you won't be able to force the gelcoat into the repair area or betrayal enough surface area for the repair to adhere.) Then sand lightly with 220-dust sandpaper. Later on sanding, thoroughly make clean the area with acetone to remove the sanding remainder and any waxes or other contaminants that might interfere with the bond between the damaged surface and gelcoat. Be sure to provide adequate ventilation and proper protection for your skin and eyes whenever you work with acetone.

The adjacent step is to friction match the color of your existing gelcoat. Outset with a white or neutral gelcoat paste (not resin) and brainstorm calculation tiny amounts of coloring amanuensis. Mix several test batches of gelcoat and pigment, add together hardener and let them to cure (gelcoat changes color during the curing process). In one case you've institute an acceptable match (an exact i is nearly incommunicable), mix a final batch using the same ratio.

Next, using a putty knife, fill the areas to be repaired with the paste you've mixed. Force out any air holes and be sure to overfill, as gel coat has a tendency to compress as it cures. When you're finished filling, seal the repair off from the air with a PVA curing agent or a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. Gelcoat does not cure properly when exposed to air.

Once the gelcoat has fully cured, sand the repair polish (wet sanding works specially well with gelcoat). You can kickoff with 220-grit sandpaper and, for a really slick surface, cease with at least 400- or 600-grit. Finally, apply a glaze of high-quality marine smooth and your repair is complete.

Source: https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/DIY-Gelcoat-Repairs

Posted by: stephensbrabtleater.blogspot.com

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