Matching Gelcoat

[John Stevens]

Is regular Home Depot paint pigment compatible with gel coat?

I have a few chips and dings I'd like to fill, the color matching has always been the problem in getting the seamless match.

John

 

[Ritdog]

not sure, but Hamilton Marine and West Marine have gelcoat tinting kits with all the colors you will need...

 

[CalebD]

I'm not certain but I doubt that paint pigments are compatible with gel coat (polyester resin).
They sell a (fairly) cheap gel coat color matching kit at WM and other online chandleries.
One tip: To get the closest color match you can put the raw gel coat (without the activator added) right on your hull and mix in the tinting powders until you get the match you want. Once the color/tinting is good THEN you add the hardener/curing agent. Clean excess gel coat with Acetone and a rag.

 

[wetass]

Find a gel coat shop and have them make a match for you - Completely worth it. Gelcoat matching is a real art. All you need is a plug maybe 2" in diameter and they can usually match it perfectly. I use GCP (Gel Coat Products) up here in Seattle and they are very good. Spectrum up here is another, but you should be able to find a shop local to you. They dont have to be a marine gelcoat shop - Hot tubs, showers and pools use gelcoat too.

Try not to use a hatch or something along those lines for the sample if possible since they dont always get sprayed at the same time as the hull and may not be the best match. Also, bringing a plug to their shop where they can control the lighting and can easily move the piece around in the light, etc. will assure a better job then having someone come out and do it at the boat. Its tough to match on the boat since you cant move it around and your at the mercy of the weather and lighting - in other words, it may look great today in the sun, but look like hell the next day when its cloudy.

 

[Joe11688]

Find a gel coat shop and have them make a match for you - Completely worth it. Gelcoat matching is a real art. All you need is a plug maybe 2" in diameter and they can usually match it perfectly. I use GCP (Gel Coat Products) up here in Seattle and they are very good. Spectrum up here is another, but you should be able to find a shop local to you. They dont have to be a marine gelcoat shop - Hot tubs, showers and pools use gelcoat too.

Try not to use a hatch or something along those lines for the sample if possible since they dont always get sprayed at the same time as the hull and may not be the best match. Also, bringing a plug to their shop where they can control the lighting and can easily move the piece around in the light, etc. will assure a better job then having someone come out and do it at the boat. Its tough to match on the boat since you cant move it around and your at the mercy of the weather and lighting - in other words, it may look great today in the sun, but look like hell the next day when its cloudy.

This is great info. To tell you the truth I've always hated applying Gelcoat. I've tried spraying it on with a Pre-Val kit and using mold release wax to seal it. I've even tried applying it with a stick and sealing it with cellophane and never got any great results after masking off the area. What methods do you use?
Non skid areas can present a problem. I got the idea of using a small square piece of potter's clay to get an imprint of the non skid. Then I had it baked but never got around to using it. How do you deal with Gelcoating areas of non skid?
I have about eight bolt holes on my deck that I have filled with epoxy but have never got around to gelcoating them and I don't look forward to doing it.

 

[RichH]

+1 re Gelcoat Products in Seattle.
They do their matching by color computer.
You send them a small 1.5"Ø 'disc' cut from the surface, they sand down into 'good' gel and do the correct matching. Problem is you also have to 'sand down' and feather that area so to get the correct match.

White gel isnt 'just' white, as it can contain slight 'hues' of the primary colors.

If you are older than about 40 years old you probably dont 'see' the reds very well anymore because the lens in your eye has become degraded, so computer color matching is the 'best' way to do this.

 

[kjones545]

Non skid is available for gelcoats in fine, medium or course but nonskid from any brand should work by adding it in to your gelcoat or sprinkle method. What does matter is the gelcoat tints you choose; you want a tint specific for resin or gelcoat..and no more than 1 oz per quart for most brands.

 

[John Stevens]

I had Home Depot match the gelcoat and they got it pretty close. It was slightly darker after it dried, they could only guess on the original white of the gelcoat.

They used pigment based on oil based paint. I went back and had them add one oz. more of white pigment to lighten it up a bit but haven't tried the new formula yet.

 

[Joe11688]

My question is what do you use to seal the Gelcoat after you apply it? As you know, Gelcoat needs to cure from the inside out.

 

[John Stevens]

I purchased the gelcoat at Ben's Paint in FL but it's made by Fiberglass Coatings in St. Pete, FL http://www.fgci.com Anyway, the gelcoat comes with a small tube of hardener, I think it's MEK. You add 5 drops per oz and mix it like you would epoxy. I used talc as a filler to thicken it to make it non-sagging. I put it on higher than the surrounding original gel coat then sanded the area with 1000 grit wet sand paper, compounded, cutting gel, polish then wax. Came out nice other than the slightly darker color.

Hope this helps,

John

 

[Joe11688]

I purchased the gelcoat at Ben's Paint in FL but it's made by Fiberglass Coatings in St. Pete, FL http://www.fgci.com Anyway, the gelcoat comes with a small tube of hardener, I think it's MEK. You add 5 drops per oz and mix it like you would epoxy. I used talc as a filler to thicken it to make it non-sagging. I put it on higher than the surrounding original gel coat then sanded the area with 1000 grit wet sand paper, compounded, cutting gel, polish then wax. Came out nice other than the slightly darker color.

Hope this helps,

John

John,
What you are saying is that you did not seal the Gelcoat with anything like cellophane or a wax substance like PVC Mold Release Wax, so that it could cure from the inside out?

 

[John Stevens]

That is correct Joe. I used a gelcoat with wax in it:

http://www.fgci.com/bp_viewproduct.aspx?itemnum=135554&oldItem=135554

It requires no covering. When you apply the gelcoat the wax within the formula comes to the surface and creates a coating. If you are doing a number of coats you would sand and wipe before the next coat.

John

 

[onecoolair]

John,
What you are saying is that you did not seal the Gelcoat with anything like cellophane or a wax substance like PVC Mold Release Wax, so that it could cure from the inside out?

If you do not spray it on....You can always put it on slightly thicker then it needs to be then coat it with wax..... Just plan old turtle wax always worked for me .... Let it set up and then come back and wet sand it down and polish it out and then finish it off with a final waxing.

 

[Joe11688]

Thanks guys I'll have to try that.

 

[Sail123]

Do you have an iPhone?

There is an app, maybe called color match. My iPhone is at work so I can't be sure.

Anyway, use that free app to get the exact color of your boat.

Those color numbers can be used by any dealer sealing gelcoat repair kits.

 

[Joe11688]

Do you have an iPhone?

There is an app, maybe called color match. My iPhone is at work so I can't be sure.

Anyway, use that free app to get the exact color of your boat.

Those color numbers can be used by any dealer sealing gelcoat repair kits.

I don't have an iPhone. I hate telephones. I should have one though. There have been times when I wished I had a cell phone. We're forever getting robo calls on our home phone. Everywhere I go I see people playing with iPhones and I'm thinking of getting one myself.

Please get me the name of the site so I can check it out.

Joe