Part of our interest in acrylic hull restorers is due to the wide range of opinions on these products. Marketing materials often position these products as miracle cures for aging gelcoat, and the examples of restored boats appearing on the Internet or in brochures often seem too good to be true. While user reports are generally positive, some disappointing reports also crop up on sailing forums.
So whats the difference between acrylic coatings and conventional waxes and polishes? Waxes and polishes fill in minor surface imperfections and give the gelcoat a reflective surface. Acrylic fiberglass coatings – an alternative when waxes and polishes wont revive your gelcoat – leave a hard, clear plastic coating on gelcoat.
Acrylic coatings differ significantly from ordinary bottle or paste waxes in both their chemistry and how they are applied. Conventional carnauba paste waxes (those made from the carnauba bean) mechanically stick to the surface of the hull and usually require rubbing to get them to crystallize and shine. Buffing drives wax into the surface pores.
Synthetic polymer waxes penetrate pores and chemically bond to the boats surface. Some synthetics resist abrasion and chemicals better than true waxes, but the line between conventional waxes and polymer waxes is fuzzy. Even products that are true carnauba waxes often rely on polymer technology.
To read the details on our acrylic gelcoat restorers test as well as more tips and advice on the care and cleaning of your gelcoat, purchase and download Gelcoat Restoration & Maintenance today!
Want to read about the cleaning and maintenance of all your boating surfaces? Available for purchase and download is Practical Sailor’s ebook series, MARINE CLEANERS. This three volume set contains the ebooks GELCOAT MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION, ESSENTIAL MARINE CLEANERS and SPECIALTY MARINE CLEANERS.
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