How To Repair Deep Scratches In Gelcoat

• #i

I kind of know the answer but I'm only afterwards a chip of reassurance earlier I take the wet and dry to the boat!

Onetime boat (30 years) with a number of fries and scratches in the cockpit mainly (and the bow!) which demand to exist repaired. According to my book I just purchase some gelcoat filler from the chandler, maybe try to colour lucifer, and and so fill, and sand back, finishing with cutting paste and smooth

so it is OK to sand Gelcoat then?

Just reassure me delight before I go and do it in the new year every bit obv i'll be sanding not only the repair just the surrounding gelcoat as well

plus any valuable tips?

ta muchly

• #2

Yeah - perfectly OK if you apply reasonably fine sandpaper and go gently. You lot only need to key the actual expanse to be repaired. Why do you recollect you lot need to sand areas which are not damaged?

• #three

Bevel the edges of the chips with a dremel if you have 1. I utilize one of those cone shaped grindy head things.
Don't be tempted to behave on using the filler after it starts to dry: you lot'll only take to dig information technology out and offset again. You don't have that much time to work with information technology on a hot summer'due south day
If the gelcoat is basically white, consider ignoring the communication to colour match. It'southward incredibly hard to get exactly the right shade. I've invariably gone too off-white when I've tried. Just go with the basic white and information technology'll be invisible within a few months.
Aye you can (and should) sand it. I take any peaks off with the dremel. I then accept my favourite lilliputian block of wood almost 3cmx3cmx2cm which I use to back the paper, going 400, 800, 1200.
EDIT: should have said: wet&dry used wet!!
Don't be upset if y'all get the occasional chimera leaving a piddling depression: I normally allow it dry and then go round again dabbing in a scrap of gelcoat on with the end of a match and sanding it back down.

Last edited: 16 Dec 2022

• #4

Yeah - perfectly OK if you lot use reasonably fine sandpaper and go gently. Yous only demand to key the actual surface area to be repaired. Why exercise y'all think you need to sand areas which are not damaged?

I wasn't going to focus on the undamaged areas but there is bound to exist some collateral sanding to areas around the harm

• #5

gjgm

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Yep, you need to open the cracks so in that location is enough surface area for the gel to bond; if you don't take the mentioned dremmel, a sharp screwdriver or an old fashioned tin opener (the one that would make a triangular hole). You don't need to create major damage, merely it isn't going to bond in a tiny fissure either! Sand the surrounding expanse with say 1200 wet and dry;dont get as well groovy on this, but the idea is to "blend" the dingy old gel and towards brighter clean gel where the crack is. Just put some gel paste in and smooth as well as yous tin can. Starting time with 320, and then 600 and finish with 1200 dust moisture and dry out (use wet!) A bit of polish and wax .
Nothing incorrect with having a go with some gel and pigments (and hardener!) simply it is a bit more piece of work. It needs to exist warm so either Leap or you are going to need to warm the area.

• #6

lw395

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Joined

sixteen May 2007

Messages

42,084

I wasn't going to focus on the undamaged areas but at that place is bound to be some collateral sanding to areas around the damage

Mask around the damage until you go to fine sanding/cut.
If yous fill up up to the top of a strip of package tape either side of the impairment, at that place tin can be very little sanding to do.

• #7

Mask around the harm until you become to fine sanding/cutting.
If yous fill upward to the summit of a strip of package record either side of the harm, there tin can be very picayune sanding to do.

I've used masking tape, but parcel tape is an fifty-fifty better idea.

• #8

I kind of know the answer just I'thou simply afterward a chip of reassurance before I accept the wet and dry to the boat!

Old boat (30 years) with a number of chips and scratches in the cockpit mainly (and the bow!) which need to be repaired. Co-ordinate to my volume I just buy some gelcoat filler from the chandler, maybe effort to colour match, and and then fill, and sand dorsum, finishing with cutting paste and smooth

so it is OK to sand Gelcoat and so?

Just reassure me please before I go and do it in the new year as obv i'll exist sanding non only the repair but the surrounding gelcoat as well

plus whatever valuable tips?

ta muchly

Don't use sandpaper - get some wet&dry and finish off with 1200 grit.

• #9

Don't use sandpaper - get some wet&dry and end off with 1200 dust.

Aye: have edited my before postal service to say wet and dry used wet.

• #10

thanks very much!

reassured

Source: https://forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/gelcoat-chips-and-deep-scratches-repair.416655/

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