dmcneane said:
I recently purchased a gelcoat patch kit from our local Grady dealer. I am looking for some tips or a heads-up on how to go about using this product. I am repairing 2 small spots in the gelcoat about the size of a nickel. The gelcoat is missing on one of the locations and the other still has the broken gelcoat in it. Any and all advice would be appreciated.
Those kits are made by Spectrum Color I believe. Hopefully you got instructions with the kit. There are two kinds available. One is a putty like mixture with a hardener. I am familiar with that one. The other is more like a liquid resin.
You have to remove any lose gel coat. Small cracks should be opened a bit and preferable in an inverted V shape, the crack should be a bit wider at the bottom if possible. A dremel like tool with an abrasive disk works very well
Mix the putty if used as directed, use at the recommended temperature and let it sit and activate if the instructions say to do so.
Clean the patch area with acetone and make sure it is dry before applying the paste. Use a plastic resin applicator. For small cracks, you can use a wooden stick ( like tongue depressors).
Try to get a level coat but don't go nuts trying to smooth it out. Sometimes applying a piece of plastic ( like from a food storage bag) over the patch and then rubbing with the applicator will help make the surface smooth. Carefully remove the plastic and let the patch cure per instructions. The patched area can be sanded with fine grit wet and dry sandpaper and some water. I usually use 600 to start, then 1000 and 2000 if needed. A final buffing with a good polishing compound will restore the luster.
For many patches, the sanding may not be needed. It depends on you and what will do for your tastes.
The liquid gel coat is a different beast. I haven't used the Grady stuf but have used other gel coats. They are trickier to get right and may need the plastic cover for curing. Some do, some don't. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
There are some pretty good videos on the internet on gel coat repairs.
