Painting with Awl grip

While Awlgrip says you should not polish or repair Awlgrip, plenty of people in the marine industry do just that. It is tricky to repair and have it look good, but can be done. They also make Awlcraft, a different PU paint that can be polished and repaired. There are a number of competing products in the car/boat/aircraft paint business that are also 2 part PU paints and are very durable compared to gel coat. If you spray any of these, make sure you have a good respirator, the fumes can kill you.

After 6 years, the Awlgrip on my sailboat looks like new, and is often mistaken for new.

I've been a marine service tech for almost 40 years and use Awgrip extensively We painted both our boats from the waterline to the masthead and that was several years ago. Both boats still look like new. Like any surface, how you care for it matters as to how long it lasts. You can not buff or use wax on Awlgrip. But there is a specific sealer to use and if applied once a year, the finish will past a very long time and look like new. If you plan to paint, use only Awlgrip products. For fiberglass, you will need at least two coats of 545 primer. Sand between each coat. Prep is the secret to a good finish. How well you do your prep work determines how well the finished project will look. At least three coats of the topcoat will be needed. We rolled our entire boats with the small white sponge rollers that are hot-dog shaped. If you get the technique down, no tipping is needed. Several boatyards that spray Awlgrip could not tell it was rolled on. You can practice on the first two coats since again you will need to sand between. But get it right for the final coat. No moisture can accumulate on the surface until the paint dries. There is an accelerator that helps with this. If done properly, it will look like new and last for many years. So your choice. You can download application instructions online. It isn't cheap, but a little goes a long way since your not laying it on thick. If you know someone that can spray it for you, even better yet. Chuck

We have used awl grip alot. It quickly faded in the tropical sun on our sailing vessel. I was advised by a paint chemist that automotive paint was superior. Awl grip requires a very smooth surface with no blemishes, it cannot be patched if damaged. From experience I do not recommend.

Before you paint, consider the Red Max Pro/Zep Process.
You can substitute your choice of car wax for the floor polish.

Try it on the front or any section of your RV. It does a nice job.