Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair

  1. Boat Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair
  2. Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair Youtube Videos
  3. Stress Crack Tape
  4. Fixing Stress Cracks In Fiberglass
  5. Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair Youtube Videos
  6. Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair
  7. Gelcoat Crack Filler
  1. Spider cracks are non-structural damage to the gel-coat of a boat. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work! Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gel-coat down to the fiberglass. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth!
  2. Also, you have stress fractures, the minor ones, being around where the grp has been cut-cleats for example. And repair is anything more 'crack' like.

Cosmetic Gelcoat Surface Damage 1 Small Scratches 2 Hairline/Spider Cracks 3 Gelcoat Chips. Apply product to repair area. Sand repaired area flush with surrounding surface. 1 Quick Fix Gelcoat Patch 2 Gelcoat Repair Kits 3 Gelcoat/Coloring Agent. Gelcoat Surface Damage 1 Dings 2 Dents 3 Gouges 4 Small Holes.

What You'll Need
Acetone
Gelcoat repair kit
Roller
What You'll Need
Acetone
Gelcoat repair kit

Boat Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair

Roller

Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques, follow a few simple rules to help you complete this job.

Step 1 - Preparation

Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair Youtube Videos

Carefully sand the crack or cracks. Using sandpaper, you should be able to sand thoroughly into the depths of the crack so that the edges are smooth. You should add a layer of scuffing to the cracks at a wider point than you would need. The next thing to so is to carefully sand the surface of the repair using a rag and some acetone solvent. Wipe away any other dirt and debris that is laying close to the crack.

Stress Crack Tape

Step 2 - Mixing the Gelcoat

Before you add the gelcoat to the cracks, you will need to protect the area around them using painter's tape. This tape will peel away without sticking, so you can remove it without worrying that you may be damaging fiberglass resin beneath it. The tape will help to ensure that your fresh layer of resin doesn't go too far across the surface. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. Take care that they are completely mixed together, otherwise the hardener and gel coat will not set properly, and you will be left with a sticky mess for weeks.

Step 3 - Adding the Gelcoat

Once you have mixed the components together, apply them to the surface using your roller. Be sure to roll backwards and forwards in an even stroke, so that you don't put too much of the coat in one place. You may cover the cracks with just one application, but make sure that the product is sunk completely into the cracks before you consider that you have finished. If the gel coat does not completely cover the coat in one stroke, you should allow the first coat to harden into a sticky lump before applying a second mix. Once you are satisfied that it is completely saturating the gaps, leave the resin to harden.

Step 4 - Finishing

Fixing Stress Cracks In Fiberglass

Once the resin is hard, you can take the sandpaper to the top, and smooth over the edges of the fiberglass until it forms a completely even surface with the surrounding parts. Remove the masking tape and sand down the sides there so that you have a flat edge. You may also like to buff the surface of the resin in order to give it a more uniform appearance, matching the rest of the fiberglass on your boat.

Helpful Links

Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair Youtube Videos

What may be causing this?

Fixing stress cracks in fiberglass

Gelcoat Stress Crack Repair

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Gelcoat Crack Filler

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