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Though a less smooth finish is the downside. Theres never been a need to remove gelcoat but it needs to be dewaxed and thoroughly cleaned - a scuff sanding will help but no need to grind it all off.
Be sure not to use foam rollers because they tend to leave the bubbles.
How to spray gelcoat paint. In this video youll learn how to spray gelcoat perfectly every time. I go over some of the standard practices that pros use to get excellent results with e. Gelcoat should not be applied over paint wood metal or concrete.
It usually will not adhere to these surfaces. Gelcoat will not fully cure without adding a surfacing agent or wax additive sanding aid. You can over-spray with PVA before gel coal reaches its gel stage 5-10 min or adding 1oz per quart 4 oz oer gallon of wax additive sanding aid.
Thin the Gelcoat with Paint Thinner. When using a gravity-fed spray gun just add thinner Check Amazon. The Gelcoat can be added thicker to the professional standard Cup pistol.
Though a less smooth finish is the downside. Gelcoat is widely used in two types of thinners. Reactive thinners and evaporative thinners.
Use of this type of sprayer will require thinning the gelcoat to get proper atomization. These units are typically less expensive and can be viewed as semi-disposable. If the gelcoat happens to set up in the gun before cleaning they can be replaced for 15-20.
These cheap units will NOT provide a good finish with paints. For applying your gelcoat you can either roll the gelcoat on like paint or you can spray it on. We also sell a Brushable Gelcoat that can be applied with a brush.
If you decide to roll on the gelcoat be sure to use a solvent-resistant 18 or ΒΌ nap. Be sure not to use foam rollers as they tend to leave bubbles. Thinning the gelcoat before spraying is because the gelcoat has a consistency that is too thick for use in a regular spray gun.
You must therefore thin it before applying using a regular spray gun. You can also add a small percentage of thinner for small repairs to help the gelcoat. You can try applying paint stripper and letting it sit scrubbing with a Scotch Brite pad or using the aforementioned scraper and then wiping the paint stripper off with a rag dipped in denatured alcohol until the surface is all clear if you do this wait two hours before coating with new paint if that is your plan.
You may either roll the gelcoat on like paint or spray it on to apply the gelcoat. I tear the gun completely apart after spraying and flush with acetone. For applying your gelcoat you can either roll the gelcoat on like paint or you can spray it on.
Use of this type of sprayer will require thinning the gelcoat to get proper atomization. Mix it 50-50 with gelcoat and it sprays like enamel. The gallons of the compressors tank are irrelevant.
What you need is the sufficient air flow CFM and pressure for the spray gun you are using. With a gravity feed youll need about 6CFM 40 PSI. Theres never been a need to remove gelcoat but it needs to be dewaxed and thoroughly cleaned - a scuff sanding will help but no need to grind it all off.
The crappy job is repainting over old paint - especially if you dont know what was used the first time. Using a custom spray gun with a pressurized bottle to spray gelcoat on the decks of two whale watching boats owned by Conscious Breath Adventures then a tou. In this episode I finally gel coat the engine compartment and seat boxes.
I also demystify using Duratec high gloss additive for a backside air cure with. To use a gelcoat spray gun fill the plastic container on the gun with your gelcoat. Then attach the cord on the gun to an air supply source like an air compressor.
Hold the spray gun about 1 foot 030 m away from the fiberglass and spray the gelcoat. You can buy a gelcoat spray gun online or at your local paint store. Then use small circular motions to rub the polish into the gelcoat.
2-3 coats of that followed up with a couple coats of bottom paint and it will look like new. Its fairly hard to get a good finish sprayingpost applying gelcoat. You can try mixing the gelcoat 5050 with clear Duratec then thin with a good slow lacquer thinner.
Catalyze for the gelDuratec not the thinner. In lieu of the clear Duratec just thin the gelcoat with lacquer thinner as much as 5050 to spray. You may either roll the gelcoat on like paint or spray it on to apply the gelcoat.
If you want to roll on a gelcoat be sure to use a 18 or 14 solvent-resistant nap. Be sure not to use foam rollers because they tend to leave the bubbles. If you brush on the gel coat make sure to use a solvent-resistant brush5 jan.
For the painting part you can either go with the traditional brush painting or the spray gun. If using the spray gun hold it 8 to 15 inches away from the surface or closer if needed based on the spray gun range. If The Gelcoat is Bad.
Now well take a look at the steps assuming that the gelcoat is all messed up. Thinning gelcoat should only be done when it needs to be such as for spray applications. For most applications gelcoat should only be thinned with styrene which creates the very recognizable smell that gelcoat and polyester resin emit.
There are also specialty thinning products designed for gelcoat application.