I have bought a pop top sprite and the previous owner slapped some paint on it ( looks like no prep was done) It is peeling. Can I safely sand fibreglass! Have been advised not to use paint stripper.and. then what do I paint it with. Thanks
rob_man,
Apr 3, 9:13pm
Yes you can sand gelcoat which is the outer layer on the fibreglass. What you paint it with is up to you, anything except water based and even that may be OK. Automotive paints are the best though, a 2 pack system would last the longest and give the best finish but if you're handy with a roller, enamel house paint can be quite acceptable depending on how fussy you are.
cuda.340,
Apr 4, 2:17am
x1
when you sand it, once your thru the gel coat the fiberglass is no longer waterproof. i did a Crusader caravan a few years ago & painted the sanded gelcoat roof with Pigmented sealer with a roller brush & then top coated with roof enamel paint on a roller. the results look good, the roof paint needs it's top coat done on a warm sunny day for best smooth effect. it's about to go thru it's 4th winter but the paint is still stuck fast & it don't leak anywhere!.
jerrygiraffe,
Apr 4, 3:40am
Thanks so much for the advice. Am ready to tackle the task.
mintstamps,
Apr 4, 11:28pm
Its most prob polyester resin fibreglas and It is not easy for paint to adhere to polyester. Using an orbital sander could take yo a long time and you may get a lot of clogging of the sandpaper. Use an electric drill with a rubber disc that goes in the chuck and use a fabric brown disc the coarsest about 30.40 grityou can get.themat Mitre10 When you have got all the old loose paint off give the surface a good rub with a cloth soaked in Acetone. do it in the open air because acetone evaporates quickly and the fumes can do you harm. this will key the surface for the under coat and put it on as thin as poss really brush it out.
rob_man,
Apr 4, 11:32pm
Speechless.
mintstamps,
Apr 5, 4:06am
you are being very vague,. So, let us know how you would do it .
mrfxit,
Apr 5, 4:10am
Holy heck, i think they want a little of the old fiberglass left
rob_man,
Apr 5, 4:15am
x1
I work with fibreglass and I'm a painter by trade, do not apply any form of circular grinder to the gelcoat, you will create nothing but unnecessary work by destroying the very surface you need to preserve. Paint will stick to gelcoat extremely well if it's sanded properly, 240 grit for enamels or 320 grit for more fussy materials. It will only need priming if it has been necessary to use coarser sandpaper to remove the old paint. It's all covered in the Epiglass Boatowners Manual of old.
neville48,
Apr 5, 6:06pm
its polyester resin so most paint systems will adhere okay, 40 grit is way too course,about 240 grit would be good, dont use stripper of any kind, acetone is good for a precleaner,[helps open wounds heal fast as well]dont use a disc,use the orbital and take your time. if you go through the gel-coat you make sure the undercoat covers this spot well or there is no seal of the fibres, use a good undercoat,epoxy undercoat would be best, then use a enamel on top would be a good seal just make sure you use a 240-400 grit pre-sand so you get a mechanical bond as well as a chemical bond with the two paints. PS; have done years of polyester and moulding etc.
gsimpson,
Apr 5, 6:15pm
I have painted a few fibreglass cars and I alwaysstarted with a 2 pot primer designed for the purpose directly onto the fibreglass. You can then put a suitable primer/undercoat and top coat above that. Ask at a store selling automotive paints.
unclejake,
Apr 5, 7:04pm
^ There. I fixed it for you
jerrygiraffe,
Oct 1, 4:57pm
wow, thanks for all the advice. I have now got my husband to read all of this.at first I thought I could do this job myself.but maybe I'm going to need a little help from a man! Damn!:)
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