Making Gel Coat Shiny

HofinaterSS · 02-04-2007, 10:44 AM

I bought a used tonneau cover, and it was really dull when i got it. Its not painted, its just the black gel coat. I tried to buff it out, and nothing worked. Its still semi dull and hazy. Any advice??

**Sir Toad** · 02-04-2007, 12:14 PM

paint it

ChrisNJ · 02-04-2007, 03:38 PM

what did you try buffing it w/? You can try a chemical cleaner/polish on a foam polishing pad via pc.

unwrittenlaw829 · 02-05-2007, 07:12 PM

I work at a fiberglass shop and they we buff alot of gel coat. What i would do is wet sand the whole thing wiht 2000 grit, then use a real aggresive compound like 3m's super heavy duty compound to get some of the deeper scratches out. Then work your way up to finer girt compound. Then use a foam pad wiht 3M Finesse-It and then use a hand polish to get your scratches out from the Finesse-It. Gel coat is a hard substrate so you can go aggresive on it.

HofinaterSS · 02-08-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by paint toad

paint it

wanna come spray it?

**Sir Toad** · 02-08-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by HofinaterSS

wanna come spray it?

Well....i HAVE to come to jersey by summer,so i guess it depends on if you can wait

NotaDime · 02-08-2007, 11:10 PM

you say blk jell coat, you can only buff that if its thick, if you can feal the strands of the fiberglass though than i wouldnt recommend buffing that, itll only make it worse, the only real way to fix it is to have it painted.

HofinaterSS · 02-09-2007, 09:50 AM

I was probably going to have it painted this summer, but i mean...its so freakin dull..i just wanted to get it somewhat shiny. I dont know how think the gelcoat is, so i guess i'll just leave it for now.

radarblue95 · 02-13-2007, 11:54 PM

you can have it re gelled kinda pricey though i bet they did this aalot at the boat shop i worked at

02-04-2007, 10:44 AM	#1
HofinaterSS rusty bumper member Age: 23 Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,083 Location: north jersey User is: OffLine	Making Gel Coat Shiny I bought a used tonneau cover, and it was really dull when i got it. Its not painted, its just the black gel coat. I tried to buff it out, and nothing worked. Its still semi dull and hazy. Any advice??
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-04-2007, 12:14 PM	#2
Sir Toad drunk and bored Age: 40 Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 28,525 Location: galesburg(or morton), il User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny paint it
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02-04-2007, 03:38 PM	#3
ChrisNJ Registered User Age: 30 Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 254 Location: jersey User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny what did you try buffing it w/? You can try a chemical cleaner/polish on a foam polishing pad via pc.
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02-05-2007, 07:12 PM	#4
unwrittenlaw829 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 31 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny I work at a fiberglass shop and they we buff alot of gel coat. What i would do is wet sand the whole thing wiht 2000 grit, then use a real aggresive compound like 3m's super heavy duty compound to get some of the deeper scratches out. Then work your way up to finer girt compound. Then use a foam pad wiht 3M Finesse-It and then use a hand polish to get your scratches out from the Finesse-It. Gel coat is a hard substrate so you can go aggresive on it.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-08-2007, 12:40 PM	#5
HofinaterSS rusty bumper member Age: 23 Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,083 Location: north jersey User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny Quote: Originally Posted by paint toad paint it wanna come spray it?
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02-08-2007, 01:55 PM	#6
Sir Toad drunk and bored Age: 40 Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 28,525 Location: galesburg(or morton), il User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny Quote: Originally Posted by HofinaterSS wanna come spray it? Well....i HAVE to come to jersey by summer,so i guess it depends on if you can wait
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02-08-2007, 11:10 PM	#7
NotaDime UN-BANNED B!TCHES!!!!! Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 5,335 Location: Home. User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny you say blk jell coat, you can only buff that if its thick, if you can feal the strands of the fiberglass though than i wouldnt recommend buffing that, itll only make it worse, the only real way to fix it is to have it painted.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-09-2007, 09:50 AM	#8
HofinaterSS rusty bumper member Age: 23 Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4,083 Location: north jersey User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny I was probably going to have it painted this summer, but i mean...its so freakin dull..i just wanted to get it somewhat shiny. I dont know how think the gelcoat is, so i guess i'll just leave it for now.
	[Reply w/Quote]

02-13-2007, 11:54 PM	#9
radarblue95 Registered User Age: 25 Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3,649 Location: Jaffrey NH User is: OffLine	Re: Making Gel Coat Shiny you can have it re gelled kinda pricey though i bet they did this aalot at the boat shop i worked at
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