gel coating floor

Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
5
I have a Kenner Boat that is carpeted inside. I would like to remove the carpet and gel coat the floor and the sides.
The floor is fiberglassed but not gel coated.

How do I apply the gelcoat?

Where do I purchase the gel coat?

thanks
 

Yacht Dr.

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5,581
Re: gel coating floor

welcome to Iboats m8..

um..walt..do you want a Finished gelcoat ( glossy type finish ) or just gel it ?

how do you apply ? depends on what you want once again..

purchase..look under boat repair or boat supplies in your local yellow pages..

or use CCP..

http://www.ccponline.com/dist_gel.html

YD.
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
5
Re: gel coating floor

I just want the type of gel coat that comes in many bay boats.
It is not a slick glossy finish but more of a non skid sreface.
I've seen some that are a rough white with a spattered looking paint that matches the trim color of the boat.

I would be satisified with a dull grey finish that is on some of the newer kennerboats.
 

Yacht Dr.

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5,581
Re: gel coating floor

yea..but if you have bare FG. then you will run into pinholes..

sounds to me like you want a "spatter coat " you have to have that gelcoat ( dif. color ) ready to go..you spray your base down...then quickly mix your spatter coat..

you need to be fast about it though..its all a chemical bond..you have no time to reprep it..( if im thinking what your thinking.. )

YD.
 

sdunt

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 11, 2005
Messages
389
Re: gel coating floor

us composites, www.uscomposites.com also carries gelcoat. For must of us that DO NOT have high capacity spray equipment I have heard that spraying is difficult. I have collected some notes on spraying gelcoat, for non slip try this:

Merton (from Mertons.com) had a great idea for gelcoating the floor with a no-skid texture. Put down 1 coat smooth. Tape off an area that you want textured. Mix up some gelcoat with cabasol to a ketchup consistency. Roll on to taped off area. You will end up with an intense orange peel effect.

One 'recipe' I have on spraying Gelcoat is:

The mix for 25 sq ft coverage was:

14 cc Mineral Spirits
30 cc Wax S10
40 cc Acetone
1 qt Gel-Coat
9 cc Catalyst
 
Joined
Apr 4, 2007
Messages
5
Re: gel coating floor

Sdunt

Thanks for your reply. Your Tiny Tinnic Project looks like it turned out well

I once change out the floor in a 60s model Lone Star runabout, It was quite a job. All i did to the floor that time was paint it.

Thanks again for your insite

Walter
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: gel coating floor

You can easily roll on a one color non skid gel coat surface, if you want it webbed, then it adds to the work.


Webbing needs to be sprayed for the best results, you can use a very cheap $19.00 spray gun from Harbor Freight, but you need to buy the webbing solution. You can get it at fiberglass supply stores, or on the internet, but it may be a little harder to find than gel coat. The more webbing solution you add to the gel coat, the stringier it gets, air pressure and volume will change the pattern also, you just need try a few things and see what look you like.

You will need to remove all the glue and sand the surface very well, pits in the glass won't be a problem if you roll the gel coat. You can get non skid sand at most any hardware store, use a very fine grit.

Roll on the first coat of gel coat and before it hardens sprinkle the sand on it, a salt shaker or similar container works well. You can mix the sand into the first layer of gel coat instead, but sometimes it clumps up when you roll it on. Apply as much, or as little sand as you want, it's up to you.

The second layer of gel coat will have wax in it so the surface will cure tack free. If you want it webbed, then you need to spray it on before the second layer of gel coat hardens.
 

flashback

Captain
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Messages
3,665
Re: gel coating floor

Walt, you want a nice non-slip floor using gelcoat, I have a simple method that has worked well for me for many jobs, including the roof on house boats.. Get the carpet out, then remove all traces of glue, then scuff up the glass with a DA sander and some 60 or 80 grit.. clean it up with a vac and roll the gel on with a 3/8 nap roller. gel will not flatten out much and this will give you the texture.. practice on a scrap piece of plywood to get the texture you want. I did the deck of a sailboat once and got too much "grip" ,main thing is try a couple of different roller naps and see what you like... then when your done rolling the gel, put some PVA (poly vinyl acetate) in a cheap pump up garden sprayer and spray it on the gel. this will make the gel dry. Or use gel with wax mixed in it and skip the pva.. d:)
 

Yacht Dr.

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 26, 2005
Messages
5,581
Re: gel coating floor

walter said:
I have a Kenner Boat that is carpeted inside. I would like to remove the carpet and gel coat the floor and the sides.
The floor is fiberglassed but not gel coated.

How do I apply the gelcoat?

Where do I purchase the gel coat?

thanks

Walter..I know what affect you "want"

There is no other way to do it then how I described m8..

If you want a different Nonskid on the deck thats another thing as what you first described...

Yes..Prep your sides..carboard your deck and mask everythning else..spray sides with patchaid mixed gel...spray your other patchaided color with your spatter asap. yes..this can be done with a regular gun..

Do your deck the same way..apply gell and spatter..

or just Rhino coat your deck lol..

YD.
 

wiz

Cadet
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
8
Re: gel coating floor

I have a kenner boat also just got done taking all the capet out and removing all the excess glue and carpet spots. Now for the sanding and then gelcoating inside. While removing the old glue and carpet couldn't help notice the lousy resin job under carpet(now i know why they put carpet in boats!). It has lots of little low spots, big raised glass fibers on the gunnel rails with low spots too. I know i have to sand all this down and fix needed bad spots. My question is can i let the gelcoat fill in some of the low spots or should i fix them with resin first before gelcoating? How thick is too thick for gelcoat? Is there anything special to do when doing the vertical gunnel walls and transom to keep it from running all down?
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: gel coating floor

You don't want to just fill the low spots with gel coat or resin, you need to use glass with either of these to do any filling, there are some fillers that will work if the areas aren't too low though. Gel coat shouldn't be any more than about 30 mils thick, much thcker and cracking can be a problem.

Applying gel coat to the sides is no different than painting the walls in your house, just roll on, if it runs you put on too much.
 
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