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How To Restore Faded Fiberglass: Care And Maintenance

By Jennifer Cook


Unlike decades ago when the boats were made of wood and metals, almost all pleasure boats are made of fiberglass today. They give better final products, are easier to make, and weighs less in comparison to wood and metal. They are also known to last for a very long time, and it is no surprise that all boat owners prefer them over any other material. In order to maintain the beauty and elegance of your pleasure boat, you need the tips on how to restore faded fiberglass using waxes, polishes, and the sealers.

The process starts with cleaning. This should be done thoroughly to make sure that the surface is ready for the next step. In order to clean, just add one cup of a cleaning detergent to a gallon of warm water for better results. Stir to form a solution. A sponge is then used to wash the surface. Should the surface have mildew, the household bleach added to the solution is used to remove tough stains.

Gelcoat is widely available is several assortments of colors. It is very durable but will eventually weather and become dull. Processes like waxing may slow the rate at which it weathers. The dull surface is as a result of oxidation effects of the sunlight and air. The result is a rusted surface, and the solution is waxing, and use of the sealers.

In order to completely remove grease and oil, the solutions like acetone and MEK offers good result. All that is required is to wipe the greasy surface using a rag soaked with the chosen solution.

This is followed with polishing and waxing comes as the last step. The two steps are likely to restore the shine, but this may not last for two or more months, in fact, it may be difficult to get the same finish as the new one in the showroom. The gelcoat surface normally has several microscopic pits, and these trap air, therefore, enabling oxidation to continue underneath even after polishing and waxing.

After waxing, the next step is polishing. A polish is simply an abrasive, but not a coating. Rather than coating, it removes the pitted surface. The procedure involves using a soft cloth to apply the polish to small areas at a time. This is done by circular motion rubbing to get a glassy appearance. This is then followed by a wax application to protect the new coat.

However, sometimes, the fiberglass is so faded that the normal polishing and waxing may not restore its shiny look. In this case, a stronger abrasive rubbing compound is required. The rubbing compounds are available in many varieties, from mild compounds to heavy-duty.

Unlike the wax, the polish products have a small amount of abrasive to help rub off the oxidation giving a brighter shine. As such, they offer a good solution to boats that have a high degree of fading. They do not offer any protection afterward and wax should be applied soon after polishing.




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