Wash 'n wax...

[cannesdo]

Unsure of the category for this question...

Once you've used a good oxidation removed product and have a bit of a shine is there anything else you can use to make it look extra shiny? Something that just wipes on and doesn't have to be wiped back off?

[Joe417]

Daytona7,

Gel coat is the colored layer of fiberglass. The gel coat is just glassy smooth which creates the shine. When it oxidizes it's no longer smooth enough to reflect light in one direction.

Read up on the ZEP sealer. You might save a bit of work.

[daytona7]

How can you tell if there is no gel coat left on fiberglass? Front and rear caps on my 04 Carriage Cameo are oxidized. After washing and allowing the body to dry, if I rub my finger over the fiberglass caps, I get white on my finger but not from the sides. Have Marine 31 Gel Coat heavy oxidation cleaner along with Meguiar's 67 Marine-RV One step compound aggressive cleaner plus polish and a couple of other Marine polishes, cleaners and waxes along with an orbital polisher/buffer. I live full-time in it and my main problem is that it is in the full sun and after 6 months, the caps get heavy red and green algae build up. Due to change in health, I don't feel it's worth spending big money for maybe 5 more years of usage.

[cannesdo]

creeper wrote:

cannesdo wrote:
.I just want to get it back to looking more like it did when it was new.

Sorry to tell you that ship has pretty much sailed. The damage has been done due to neglect, like not waxing semi annual. Or waxing and then using a bad soap to wash and wash off the wax on the next wash. No amount of polishing and waxing will bring back that like new appearance.

You'd have to have it "re-gelled" to get it like new

Which is why I said, "more like new"...not "like new".

Glad to hear the drawback of floor sealers. That sounded like it could have some drawbacks to me which is why I'd rather stick to waxes and polishes and the best result I can with that. Just the oxidation remover isn't cutting it. I know I can do better.

[Joe417]

I use ZEP on all of my TC fiberglass, plastic, and trim. The front of ours was oxidized the most so needed more coats. I've found no adverse effect. This is the same coating that's sold to re-new the look of old boats.

I've used the stripper to remove some where I got trash in it. It caused no adverse effects either.

A friend used all over his 90 something class B, plastic, paint, and fiberglass. It is easier and lasts longer than wax.

Try it on a small area first. If the camper is already oxidized, you really have nothing to loose. A coating is all you can do to help the looks of it.

[creeper]

cannesdo wrote:
.I just want to get it back to looking more like it did when it was new.

Sorry to tell you that ship has pretty much sailed. The damage has been done due to neglect, like not waxing semi annual. Or waxing and then using a bad soap to wash and wash off the wax on the next wash. No amount of polishing and waxing will bring back that like new appearance.

You'd have to have it "re-gelled" to get it like new or actually have the barrier coat reapplied. There are a number of products that will replace that barrier coat, like new? Hmmm, you be the judge.

You'd be better off just having it painted. Or have a pro with an orbital buffer and give that a whirl. There is just so much barrier coat on it.

It's kinda like when your clear coat is gone, no matter how much you polish it ain't coming back.

People use acrylic sealers like Red max pro floor sealers and they look great until they start to peel, which is like putting the barrier coat back on.

[westend]

You're on the right track, cleaning and removing oxidation are good steps. The next thing you want to do to develop a good shine is to make the surface smooth.

Look at those incidental angles and observe for scratches on the surface. If you have the typical "swirl" or minute scratches, you can proceed two ways. First is to fill the scratches with a polish or sealant/wax. The other way is to gently remove material so the scratches are no more. This is usually done with rubbing compounds and a buffer.

I'd try this: At an auto paint store, buy some 3M Extra Fine rubbing compound. There are also "swirl removers" that are about the same light particle size. Buff out the fiberglass with the rubbing compound. Rinse and clean. Apply a synthetic acrylic sealer. I'm sure there are Marine varieties but I'm using an old can of Protect-all acrylic finish. Anything acrylic is what you want. Apply it and lightly buff with a finishing bonnet. Observe the shine. If you want more/deeper shine, apply a Carnauba wax and buff. You can keep applying wax and buff until it's ready for the showroom but a single coat over acrylic is going to be 98% there.

Good luck with the shining!

[cannesdo]

All of these products -- a good oxidation removal should be done first before anything else, yes?

[cannesdo]

westend wrote:

Something that just wipes on and doesn't have to be wiped back off?

Parfe wax, it's a liquid wax that is sprayed onto the surface.

Acrylic sealers last longer, as does buffing out a good hard wax.

Commercial application or can you do it yourself?

[cannesdo]

Thanks for the input....I just want to get it back to looking more like it did when it was new. It makes me nervous to be floor sealers etc...on gel coat though...? Is this something a lot of people do? Any "cons" to this route?

And all these things you guys have mentioned -- just for the nose? Or the whole rig? I have a smooth fiberglass w/ gel coat exterior.

I'm so confused. I'd like to see some pics of a 2000-2005 rig with some of these products on them so I have some idea what it looks like.

Sounds like I've done the best I can with the oxidation remover though. There is just more to be done to get a better shine. The nose is definitely especially difficult so I'd like to give that special attention.

[Joe417]

In the dark, light travels from the source and reflect off the camper surface to your eye. It's called the angle of incidence. If there's an imperfection it reflects light in another direction. Light during the day comes from all directions, so your eye will see light reflected toward it even at the points of imperfection.

Search for info on ZEP. It's an acrylic coating(floor sealer). You wipe it on and let it dry. You have to put on about 3 thin coats(depends on how rough the surface) and it will start to look good.(It fills the imperfections)

It's sold at many stores including Lowes. Requires clean fiberglass to adhere good. Lasts about a year.(for me anyway) Can be remove with an Ammonia based floor stripper.

For me, makes cleaning the bugs after a trip very easy. I scrub the front with a scotch bright pad( which removes some the coating) and then put another coat of ZEP on. Much easier than scrubbing and waxing.

[cannesdo]

Why does my wax job look so terrible in the streetlight light? Did I do something wrong -- not get enough oxidation off? Or is that just what it looks like until you add more product to get a more wet-look finish?

[cannesdo]

donn0128 wrote:
I like the Colinite polishing compound in liquid and paste fleetwax. Noth excellent products to work with. Power buffer make the job a snap.

Do you use one then the other? Or one *or* the other? Do you do do these after an oxidation/wax product? That's where I'm at. Which product would you use next? I have an orbital buffer. Are you talking about using it for application? And dry buffing after? Or just one or the other?

Can you use an orbital buffer with a paste?

[cannesdo]

westend wrote:

Something that just wipes on and doesn't have to be wiped back off?

Parfe wax, it's a liquid wax that is sprayed onto the surface.

Acrylic sealers last longer, as does buffing out a good hard wax.

How are acrylic sealers applied? Is Colinite a hard wax?

[creeper]

If you're going to use a sealant you'll need to do more work on the fiberglass, which can be a nearly impossible without a machine. Then again you'll have to see if the gelcoat is just too far gone.

There are special gel coat restoration acrylics that will get the shine back, but then a year or so later it has to be stripped and reapplied.

Gel coat that is allowed to go to far in the beginning is really tough to bring back. Gel coat needs to be taken care of starting day one.

At this point I wouldn't bother sealing it unless you get it shinning like you want. Sealant will shine like wa and last about a year. Go with some colinite 845 in a liquid and see how that works for you. Colinite is a good protector..

Use it sparingly as a little goes a long way.

Tip: if you put wax, compound and it dries and is hard to get off. 1. You used too much of the product. 2. Spritz it with some quick detailer and it will come right off.