Restore gel coat or prime and paint

[aterry1067]

If you were going to refinish your fiberglass wingtips and stab tips on a weathered and worn Cherokee, would you restore the gel coat, or just prep/prime/repaint? Why or why not?

Thanks

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Gel coat is a poor excuse for paint.

 

[LesGawlik]

If you've never done gel coat, I would prime and paint. What is the advantage to fixing the gel coat? Are you going to match the other paint?

 

[aterry1067]

If you've never done gel coat, I would prime and paint. What is the advantage to fixing the gel coat? Are you going to match the other paint?

Thanks. No, even if I restored the gel coat, I would still be painting over it. That’s why I wanted to ask the question to get opinions whether restoring the gel coat was worth the effort. From what I understand, the gel coat provides a bit more wear resistant finish and stops the fiber pattern from showing?

 

[LesGawlik]

Does the glass weave pattern show now? Even if it did, I would use a high build primer, sand and paint before I re-gelcoated.

 

[Bell206]

would you restore the gel coat, or just prep/prime/repaint? Why or why not?

The gel coat was simply the process used during manufacture. Current urethane top coats provide a longer life-span/less maintenance than gel coats as they will still breakdown over time. Its that reason I never reapplied gel coats and went with a straight paint solution. But as with any top coat application surface prep is everything. Plus ensure the structural part of the tips (fiberglass) is sound and free of defects before you start the final process. There are a number of prep products and fillers available that can provide a solid foundation for a slick top coat application.

 

[aterry1067]

Thanks all. Prep, prime, and paint it is. Agreed, surface prep is 90% of the job and largely determines the final finish.


Edit: Well....prep, prep, prep, prime, prep, prime, prep, prime, then paint....

 

[kyleb]

If you were going to refinish your fiberglass wingtips and stab tips on a weathered and worn Cherokee, would you restore the gel coat, or just prep/prime/repaint? Why or why not?

Thanks

How long do you want the refurb to last? Personally, I’d clean up all of the cracks by grinding out all of the damaged gel coat. Then I’d contour the gaps with an epoxy based filler. Then I’d apply a lightweight layer of fiberglass cloth to preclude future cracking. Finish it out from there…

Ain’t gonna crack again for decades.

 

[mondtster]

How long do you want the refurb to last? Personally, I’d clean up all of the cracks by grinding out all of the damaged gel coat. Then I’d contour the gaps with an epoxy based filler. Then I’d apply a lightweight layer of fiberglass cloth to preclude future cracking. Finish it out from there….

That's how I'd approach it as well. The actual composite part needs to be good before worrying about the finish that goes on it. Otherwise, it will be rough again in short order.