I am not looking to do something that will last for years. Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Cracks due to flexion dont need to be near the latches. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Heres one way to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks we use dynaglass body filler on this repair to make it easy and simpler do do it yourself. My 68 islander has that spider web of little cracks all over the. Will epoxy primer penetrate crazing gelcoat moderated. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it. We have this awesome boat that just cannot take enough of a beating, but. I know gelcoat fixes are neither cheap or easy, so do i just leave it as a cosmetic issue i live with or are there other options. Are spider cracks not usually just cracks in the gelcoat. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Taken from the sherwinwilliams automotive paint troubleshooting guide pdf, page 19.
Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat spider web cracks in gelcoat. Our painter has tried two fixes on test areas 1 compounding, sanding and repainting and 2 putting on a semigloss coat to fill the cracks and repainting with flat. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. To conceal the patched section so it blends with the surrounding sink surface, you may need to tint the porcelain compound before application, or paint over the epoxy adhesive after application.
The gel coat on the floor of the boat is covered with very tiny spider web cracks. When i look at the sidewalls really close and in the right sunlight, i can see a bunch of small little like spider web cracks. Chris craft seahawk is developing spider web cracks in the gelcoat. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. As it is more brittle than the laminate, when something stresses the laminate too much such as flexing or something hard hitting the deck it cracks to resemble a web pattern. The flexion results along the plane of each secure point.
I have found that a cheap can of spray primer from walmart really helps with the imperfections. Looking to purchase a 2004 holiday rambler with dark blue full body paint. Cracking in an automotive paint job may occur in the clear coat over the paint or in the base color of the paint. Craft seahawk is developing spider web cracks in the. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or. Spider webs on paint can be remedied with proper polishes and technique. Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean. I also noticed while starting to take off the 0 coats of bottom paint that the whole gelcoat below the waterline is covered with little tiny cracks, not blisters. Webbing solution gelcoat additive webbing solution is an additive to gel coat or paint that is used to create a surface with a spider web or spattered effect to it. It appears that the gelcoat was probably not waxed for many years and is beat by the sun and has some crazing and spider cracks. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find. If you want to do it yourself and have applied paint to smaller boats in the past, either with a single part enamel or a twopart. I have a 35 year old corbin, gel coat cracks on the deck almost from the beginnng.
Has your fiberglass pool has lost its original luster, is stained and dirty, or has spider cracks in the gelcoat. Webbing solution additive merritt supply wholesale. Craft seahawk is developing spider web cracks in the gelcoat. I have a cultured marble sink and countertop in our bathroom, we have noticed a number of hairline cracks have appeared over the years, around the drain. I have several colors showing on the canoe paint, gel coat, and fiberglass, plus spider web cracks and scratches and it is somewhat hard to see when it is smooth. Of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast.
Spider cracks in paint lexus detailing and car care. You can eliminate spiderwebs and oxidation with high speed buffing and sometimes it is necessary to wet sand the paint in order to restore the paint to the original lustre. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. A fiberglass boat can be repaired to its original state with fiberglass fabric, a lot of skilled work, and some resin. How to repair hairline cracks in fiberglass magicezy. Apply the gelcoat using a brush if youre covering a small area. I did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. He said it is an easy fix and the way to prevent them is to use automotive paint has more flex. Flexural cracks result from near linear cracks which may fan out when the structure is secured in two locations in different planes. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. However, you can easily fix small or hairline cracks in porcelain sinks using repair compound, or cracks in ceramic sinks using epoxy adhesive. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail.
This is usually evidenced by a concentric ring pattern as opposed to random crisscross spider webbing. Use a marine grade fiberglass resin, and be sure to keep it in a separate container until its ready to apply. Avoid spreading the gelcoat too thin or youll get stroke marks. Hairline cracks in gelcoat are not symbolic of structure problems.
Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee. Hi guys, i just looked at a fully restored 20 bertram yesterday and the boat was having the bottom redone. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. I have an area where i have spider cracks in the fiberglass near the engine cover door.
Painting a fiberglass pool can be a great diy pool restoration project. Under impact the fiberglass moves and the gel coat does not, hence the spider web cracks. This crazing and cracking is different from the stress cracks that occur around stanchions, cleats and other deck hardware. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. Does anyone know a way these can be filled and look close to new again without much expense. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. We tried west marine gel coat scratch patch, and although very careful, the results werent really an improvement. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. There is a bit of flex in the canoe hull where these showed up. Is it just inevitable that youll eventually get small spider cracks in the gelcoat around ram mounting points due to the weight of todays electronics and the flex youll get in. Do i grind the stress lines back to the laminate then fill with epoxy 1978 thompson 18 spider cracks. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. They almost look like they originate from the center of a spider web. The spider web crack was just in the gelcoat, not in the fibergalss.
Brush the gelcoat onto the fiberglass using short vertical strokes. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. I have repaired two holes with west systems epoxy and plan to paint with interlux brightsides linear polyurethane. On one wall, interestingly enough, the cracking surrounds every electrical outlet, door frame, vent, door stopper, etc. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen. Know what the causes are and fix them,then finish off with repairing the gelcoat cracks and. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. From my understanding i can get by with the paint rather than applying a gel coat. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue.
After masking off the area with painters tape, use a paint brush to apply gel coat. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Epoxy paint bonds well to fiberglass and wears well, becoming thin over time. Can this be safely repainted and the cracks not come back through the. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. I have an old hull, maybe 1012 years old, its gelcoatfiberglass hand laid build, and has bee basically sitting out in the full sun upside down in the backyard rain and shine for 6 years in my posession. If you are trying to save money and are going to buff it your self make sure you have experience. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. Prime and paint the fiberglass to match the surrounding surface if needed. They blasted off the bottom paint to gelcoat and i noticed that the gel coat had spider cracks throughout the bottom.
There may be a structural issue in the sheet metal below the paint that results in cracking. How to repair spiderweb cracks in fiberglass with gelcoat. Also there is a hole in front where it looks like it hit or rubbed something for a long time. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. It was not been taken care of very well and has spider web like microcracks and is very faded. Is there just some kind of paint that sticks to gelcoat that i. They are the best resource i have found somebody w gelcoat background might tell you that gelcoat might fill the spider cracks.
I see these all over the motorhome but only if i look close and the sun is right. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats. Not having ever used gelcoat but tons of experience with epoxy and wood boats, my bet is you are on target with epoxy to fair the boat before paint or gelcoat. Also im painting to top because it is dull but it also has a lot of spider web type cracks in the gelcoat.
My sc400 has spider web cracks in the paint on the front bumper were it seems that the bumper has bumped into something and flexed the paint so that it cracks in a spider web pattern. How to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks youtube. Usually the cracks are there and only become apparent when polish or wax fills them in. I would rather get it smooth glossy finish for better plaining. The effect is dependent upon the air pressure of the spray gun that you use to apply itsetting the spray gun to 10 to 15 psi creates a spider web effect, air pressure between. Ive done it many times, in all colors, and the results were always fantastic.
Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. To apply the gelcoat with a brush, dip the brush in the gelcoat so theres a liberal amount of gelcoat on it. A excessive film thickness of the undercoat andor topcoat. Sstv 1 dealing with spider cracksprepping and painting boat. My seadoo is about 10 years old and im getting some spider web type cracks in the footwells,, there not really like cracks, i mean there isnt any gap in them or anything,, and they are flush with the finish,, whats the deal with these. The countertop itself is in great shape, so we would prefer repairing the sink rather than having to replace the whole onepiece unit. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. Once it is, make sure that the brush doesnt have any loose bristles. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Cracking checking, crazing, spitting, alligatoring, crowsfeet cracks or lines of various lengths and widths in the topcoat finish often resembling the cracking of dried mud. Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. I have read a lot on the forums about redoing this. My prob is as i started to sand one of the holes i repaired with the orbital sander, there has appeared several other star shaped cracks in the gelcoat.