Several people use Gelcoat for giving their fiberglass boats the ultimate exterior finish. While it is cheaper than repainting, a Gelcoat doesn’t offer much resistance against the sunlight and other environmental factors. Moreover, while painting your fiberglass boat is significantly expensive and takes effort and time, the result it provides can last for decades when done correctly.
When it comes to fighting off the Texas sun, this is your only option to revamp your boat durably. However, before you begin, consider these five essential factors that contribute to a job well done.
1- Hiring the Man for the Job
Jobbers are usually less expensive to hire than shipyard painters because they are not as consistent or reliable with their jobs as the latter. On the other hand, shipyard painters maintain their reputation to get more jobs in the future, so they are usually fairly dependable.
However, if you decide to go with jobbers to save some money, make sure they have an excellent track record. Moreover, it would be best to make them sign a performance bond so that you know they wouldn’t be leaving you with a worthless paint job in any case.
2- Selection of Colors
While there has been somewhat of a trend to use dark colors on fiberglass boats lately, using inky shades can drastically damage your boats. Because the fiberglass is thermosetting and heat-sensitive, using dark colors only makes the material more prone to absorbing heat and doing permanent damage. To save your boat’s surface from distortion, you should apply light colors to your fiberglass boat, preventing several potential problems.
3- The Adequate Preparation Procedure
About seventy-five percent of the paint job’s cost involves the preparation steps, like dewaxing, sanding, and filling holes, scratches, and crevices. Nevertheless, that’s a necessary part of the job. Skipping these steps only results in a dissatisfactory outcome in the end despite all your efforts. That’s because old gel coats have typically absorbed years’ worth of waxes and oils that make them resistible to hold on to the new paint, not adhering it to the surface.
4- Hardware Removal
It takes time and effort to remove all the boat’s hardware (whether metal, plastic or wood) before starting the paint job. However, it is an essential part of the job if you don’t want a messy result. Neglecting this step will only turn your efforts in vain no matter how careful you are because when hardware attached to other components is painted on, it creates a paint-bridge between them. This bridge eventually cracks after a while, letting in water and other particles that weaken the structure.
5- Paint Under Right Weather Situation
If you want to achieve the best results while painting your fiberglass boat, use the weather to your advantage. Approximately seventy to eight degrees Fahrenheit temperature and below sixty-five percent humidity level works well for a splendid and long-lasting paint job.
And this is it! Implement these five tips while painting your fiberglass boat and watch it make a significant improvement to your overall watercraft’s appearance proficiently!
EZ Dock Texas provides advice and tips to waterfront property owners and offers dock installation services in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Call today at 800-654-8168 for your quote.
