Gel Coat is a specially formulated two-part Polyester Resin that is intended to be the first layer of resin applied in a mold when making a polyester or vinyl ester composite part. Since paint covers a larger area for a given volume, this gun is recommended for most paint projects. Additionally, gel coat is affected by mass to a much greater degree than paint. It may even be formulated to be more waterproof than normal, and to be more resistant to abrasion. Fiberglass Glasscoat vs. Plaster / Pebble Tec. This means that gel coat can, in proper thicknesses, cling to vertical surfaces without running down and pooling at the bottom. It features a 1.6mm nozzle, which is suitable for both undercoats and can be used for paint. Last edited on Tue Nov 22nd, 2011 08:01 pm by hamco, SEALINE - South African Angling and Boating Community. It is also intended to be built to a total thickness, typically 3-5 mils per coat and 20-25 mils total. Paint is also sprayed in much finer coats, with a total dry film build of only 1.0-1.5 mils, so the consistency of spray must be high. (I don't worry about excess on surface) Brush … Gel Coat has a higher viscosity (it’s thicker) than paint and has thixotropic properties. Gelcoat is made of polyester resin, the same stuff used to build the hull of your boat, except that it has none of the fiberglass embedded in it. ChromaGlastTM paint is an excellent solution for when your composite project needs an exterior coating to beautify or protect its exterior. The ChromaGlastTM undercoating line offers a variety of primer/ sealer/ surfacers which can fill and smooth glass pattern show. What is the best shower base? Gel Coat is a specially formulated two-part Polyester Resin that is intended to be the first layer of resin applied in a mold when making a polyester or vinyl ester composite part. If you want a metallic look, you might want to finish with paint but are probably going to want to stick with gel coat anyway to obtain a perfect surface without additional surface preparation. It has cured with the part, allowing it to bond both chemically and mechanically. Apply the gelcoat with a gelcoat spray gun if it’s a large fiberglass surface. When the part is removed from the mold, this gel coat surface would be the exterior surface of the part. If the surface is already covered with gelcoat, or if the surface is a fiberglass, or polyester resin, then applying gelcoat will be a snap. Your gel coat offers excellent corrosion resistance and permits immersion below the waterline. Both gel coat and ChromaGlast are sensitive to extreme temperatures when applying. However, you can mix a large batch of paint and not have that problem. Difficulties with temperature, catalyzation levels, sprayed mil thickness and allowing proper time between gel coat applications all contribute to problems the fabricator might have when he or she releases the part from the mold. The product is then rolled out to remove air bubbles between the gelcoat and FRP (Fiberglass Reinforcement Product) layers. Shop now at Amazon. Since there are a variety of different projects that can be tackled—building a new polyester mold, making a below-the-waterline repair, finishing a drone, or whatever your project may be—we want to offer the right material for your application. That coating is what gives the material its glossy finish and its color. You are likely to have the same problem with a small area of ChromaGlastTM Paint. Gelcoat is a big part of our business here at FGCI.When looking at gelcoat, there is a wealth of options to choose from. Before coming to this final cosmetic step, you will need to complete your repair of course. Fiberglass Glasscoat. Since the gel coat has been backed by subsequent reinforcement and resin, it can’t be seen until it is out of the mold. Then, attach the cord on the gun to an air supply source, like an air compressor. Once the surface has been prepared, you can mask it completely with a beautiful, glossy, opaque color. However, you still have to check the water chemistry at least once a week. When applying gel coat, it is common practice to use a Gel Coat Thickness Gauge (such as our #122-A) to measure the applied thickness. Maintenance cost. How They’re Made . Fibre Glast offers several varieties and over 900 colors of gel coat. Remove any damage and drammel sand gouges Repair any damaged fiberglass Brush VE onto any exposed glass. Spray equipment that is purchased for gel coat is typically not suitable for paint. There are several products available to address this issue, and gel coat repairs have been successfully completed for years. The thickness of gelcoat provides better protection to the underlying glass structure than thin paint. To use a gelcoat spray gun, fill the plastic container on the gun with your gelcoat. The number one issue or fiberglass pool problems is spider cracks in their gelcoat. Paint application is recommended in Dry Film Thickness which is generally half of its wet film thickness. If a large bucket of gel coat is mixed, the heat created will cause the pot life of the gel coat to shorten and likely cause gel coat problems on the part. Whereas, with gel coat fiberglass the gel coat rubs off or can develop hair line cracks at stress points and then the pores/fibers of the fibreglass are exposed.Once the pores and fibers are exposed they can harbor bacteria, mold and mildew and grime and soap scum get imbedded into the surface which begins the breaking down of the product. Obviously, there is fiberglass and acrylic involved – but it’s not quite that simple. After the MEKP hardener is added, there is generally about 20 minutes of working time before the gel coat will begin to harden. Gelcoating creates a layer of smooth, shiny material that the mold is coated with before the fiberglass is sprayed on. Recommended application temperatures for gel coat are generally identified at room temperature with consideration that a mold kept in that room is generally going to have a surface temperature similar to the room temperature. Un gelcoat (de l'anglais gel coat, couche de gel) aussi appelé topcoat ou enduit gélifi é [1] est un matériau à base de résine synthétique, utilisé pour fournir une haute finition et protection de la surface visible d'un matériau composite souvent composé de fibres variées. Santa Maria, Richards Bay, Amatikulu, Maguga Swaziland, Winstons Wreck, Rondebosch, Mbolompo Point. Additionally, detailed information for molding is available in our Molding Fiberglass article, and detailed repair instruction is available in The Ultimate Fiberglass Repair Guide. What is the difference between Gelcoat and Fiberglass resin? Gel coat is generally sprayed into the mold in a couple of thin passes. Refer to the below information for steps of the manufacturing process of fiberglass and acrylic. To help guide you on making the best choice for your home, we’ll go through what the features and characteristics of each unique type are. Follow the “Rule of 15” when interpreting dry times meaning that for every 15 degrees of temperature change, your time is cut in half. ChromaGlastTM is a full line of paint and undercoating products developed by PPG for Fibre Glast to be used in a wide variety of composite applications. New email subscribers will receive a 10% off Promo Code! The gel coats and paints carried at Fibre Glast were formulated to be sprayed. Unfortunately, you can’t really measure wet film in paint unless you measure in overspray because it will mark and not fill in. It is what gives the material its smooth finish and its color. You want to sand the surface to create a mechanical bond with the gelcoat. If your part is made with carbon fiber, you may want the carbon to show through, and we would recommend an entirely different product which is the #1045-B Duratec Sunshield Clear Topcoat. So, you’ve decided the surface is gelcoat, so it’s time to begin. It is intended to create an opaque surface which will completely block glass pattern show-through. It means that you aren’t required to add acid to it, which is one less product you need to buy. The exterior gelcoat has basically turned to chalk. However, if maintained properly, a gelcoat layering easily outlasts a painted surface. This chart will help explain. When a fabricator releases his or her part from the mold and sees a perfect, glossy gel coat surface, it is a happy moment. Fiberglass: Fiberglass insulation consists of tightly packed long rolls or individual batts (single unrolled pieces) of spun fiberglass fibers. A red boat is usually red because the fabricator used red gel coat. However many people will want to recover the entire surface after a repair to restore optimal cosmetics, and spraying gel coat over a large area on an exterior surface can be a real challenge. The fiberglass reinforced polyester lies beneath, and it is what gives the material its strength. ChromaGlastTM Paints and undercoats are expected to be applied to parts with a surface temperature of 70°F. Needless to say, different types of fiberglass would require different types of paint and primer. Le gelcoat est la peau extérieure de ces composites. There are a variety of nozzle sizes available for different materials, but the primary use of this gun is to quickly apply gel coat to large areas. Classic gel coat repair can be very difficult. Take Our Gel Coat Application Quiz! A gelcoat spray gun will make it easier to get an even coverage on a large fiberglass surface. The #235-A is a pressure fed HVLP style gun. Polyester resins in general, and specifically gel coats, are naturally UV resistant, and properly cured parts can be submerged in water. Gel coat can be tricky, and even an experienced fabricator can have occasional gel coat problems. As a single stage paint, it is not necessary to finish with a clear coat. Recommended temperatures published for paint application are based on surface temperature and NOT ambient temperature. You will not want to add Duratec or Sanding Aid to this product. ChromaGlast paints and undercoatings feature a low VOC (2.1 or less) which is helpful in many geographic locations where emissions are monitored or limited. Item #126-A is a gravity fed HVLP-style gun. At Yacht Management South Florida, we offer top-quality boat bottom painting and gelcoat refinishing services using only premium products. Gelcoat is created from a special adhesive-like material that tends to dry into a hard, shell-like covering, soon after application. Besides water, boat surfaces are also exposed to many chemical vapors. No fiberglass mat is used. It forms the hard, smooth shiny surface of the finished article and is usually pigmented. If you are repairing a boat below-the-waterline or anything that will be immersed, you will have to use gel coat instead of ChromaGlastTM Paint. When it comes to boat bottom painting, yacht owners typically have two choices – use a gelcoat finish or go with marine paint. While anything with the word crack in it sounds scary, you don’t need to be overly concerned about spider cracks. The most obvious first choice is the color of the gelcoat; we have a vast array of over 25 stock colors with the ability to color match to a sample you provide. Your gelcoat may be pigmented and it may also have additives to protect it against destructive ultraviolet rays. If you’re contemplating some major build or repair projects involving fiberglass this summer, then you are probably trying to decide whether it is worth the added expense of using epoxy instead of polyester resin. Gel Coat Application Guide Photo credit IStock Photo. There isn’t a common suitable alternative to gel coat when working with epoxy. Gelcoat is not a finishing coat; it is painted onto moulds/plugs and remains tacky after it cures. Interior Gelcoat is used as a final coat, due to the Sanding Aid allowing it to dry tack-free, it will give a nice finish. My process is as follows; Clean wet sand with 1000 and polish to find true color to match to. ChromaGlast single stage paints all require the addition of hardener and drying accelerator, and most people are going to want to thin up to 10% with solvent. The inside of the fiberglass pool is finished with gelcoat, which does not affect the water pH. His work on the wooden boats is absolutely spectacular. Let’s break that statement apart to better understand gel coat and when to use it. If the surface is paint, then the paint would have to be removed before applying the gelcoat. ChromaGlast Premium Single Stage Paint has over 250 colors of urethane based paint that can be used over epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, SMC and most metal surfaces. Pool Conditions. This means that the acrylic process is more hands on and not as manufactured. Second, trying to match a gel coat color is very difficult. Gelcoat is short for “gel-coat fiberglass reinforced polyester,” more popularly known as “fiberglass.” The “gel-coating” is a layer of smooth, shiny material that lays on top of the fiberglass. Not only are they difficult to see when the pool is full of water, but they are usually even difficult to detect when the pool is empty. Put your Gel Coat Application Knowledge to the Test. There are various formulations of gel coat for specific applications such as Tooling Gel Coat and Clear Gel Coat, but most gel coat is a high gloss, opaque solid color. 1 to 3 year limited warranty against material and workmanship. gelcoat vs paint Thanks Corpus Skipper for the info. Acrylic is exceptionally durable and the likelihood of this material chipping, cracking or fading is rare. The purpose of this article is to compare and explain the types of applications where gel coat or ChromaGlastTM Paint would be used. Finally, our #120-A Gel Coat Cup Gun is a dump gun. Some fabricators like to thin the gel coat before spraying and will add pure liquid styrene (also referred to as Styrene Thinner or Monomer) to the gel coat. Most boats are made using gel coat with polyester resin and fiberglass. The glass fiber is in the resin. When considering spray equipment, there are a few choices: pressure fed spray guns, gravity fed spray guns, and dump guns. Because gel coat is formulated to be used in a mold, it behaves very differently when it is applied to an exterior surface. Materials. There are several additional articles in our Learning Center which might be helpful to you. At Fibre Glast, we want to help you build a better composite. #126 0.6 Liter Touch-Up Spray Gun features a 2.5mm nozzle. Fiberglass is sprayed with a gelcoat mixture over a mold. If you are making a polyester or vinyl ester part in a mold, using gel coat is highly recommended as the proper material for the exterior surface. If you are trying to only apply gel coat to your repair area, you are nearly always going to see the patch. Acrylic vs Fiberglass Tubs. Gelcoat bathing material is lightweight, easy to … Boats are easy to envision and provide a simple example which we will use throughout this article as a point of reference. Gel Coat Thickness Gauge (such as our #122-A), Duratec® Clear Hi-Gloss Gel Coat Additive, ChromaGlast™ High Solids Primer Surfacer and Sealer, Learning Center - ChromaGlast Paint vs. Gel Coat. It’s short for "gel-coat fiberglass reinforced polyester," also known as simply "fiberglass." Paint, particularly polyurethane paint, is compatible with all metal and cured substrates—including epoxy (Gel Coat is not recommended for building over epoxy finishes). I have a little 17' 1985 Boston Whaler. Oxidation increases the rate of absorption of UV light because it reduces gloss (reflectivity). 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