Check this out NOT Poliglow...Time will tell..

[Carl V]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

This topic always seems to end up two sides,

Same thing happens on sailing forums, where some people swear by PolyGlo when others sneer at it and call it 'glorified floor wax' !

[madjack]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

Easy answer for me Glenn, I've done the paste wax thing on all the other RVs I've had. 8 hours to two days just to wax them??? Not happening anymore for this guy. 2 hours to strip, 2 hours to wax and my 17 shines great. This topic always seems to end up two sides, cool, but I have to say that the only comments I've received for having a shiny RV has been the egg with the Zep .

Dave, you must have MUCH better knees than me...with my arthritic knees, hips, back, shoulders, elbows, fingers, toes and ankles I can't even wash my trailer in 2 hrs without having to fallout into recovery time for a few hours.

In 8-10hrs,(in 2hr segments) I have 3 coats of the Meguiars Flagship polish on entire trailer(single coat would be 3hr job, which I will now do once a year)...after that, I have Meguiars Marine/RV instant Detailer, which has a polymer wax in it and is a spray and wipe product...after this round, I will be using one coat of the Flagship and the detailer as needed...more than that, someone else will havvta doit...............

madjack

p.s. the main reason I chose the Meguiars, was the Casita, had been in sun for near 3 years without much protection and I wanted something with a cut in it to clean the oxidation off the gel coat and not just cover it up...2 side to everything is correct..................mj

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I still don't understand why some insist on using a product designed for polishing floors, instead of using a product designed for waxing and protecting marine and RV gelcoat.
The companies that offer these products spent a lot of money to create them for a specific purpose.

Anybody use 3M Marine cleaner/wax on their kitchen floor? If not, why not?

Still a big believer in 3M products for fiberglass usage even though I have gone to the dark side of trailers and now have to use something called Walbernizer to get the shine on current trailer. Still use the 3M Marine products on the boats as well as friends Fiberglass trailers though.

3M has a whole line up of products to cover pretty well every level of chalking on the fiberglass and can bring the shine back on pretty well any fiberglass trailer that still has a layer of fiberglass on it.

Once you get a trailer shiny its really pretty easy thing to wax it once a year to keep the shine. A heck of a lot easier than having to strip it and reapply floor wax ever couple of years.

[Chris McVeigh]

This post does start off with Time will tell...
my previous posts are:
#798 page 57
#695 page 50
#246 Page 4
I think anyone with a newer trailer (less than 10-15 years) would still get great results with and should use a fiberglass/boat-wax. Indeed I was able to get my then 30 year old trailer looking new with the 3M system...with a LOT of work. Unfortunately, I found I had to put another coat on after just a few months and by the next season it had lost its shine.
This is my now 40 year old Trillium with the Zep finish. First applied 7 years ago, stripped down and redone 2 years ago. I took this pic today and I have not even washed it yet this season!
As I have said in my previous post if I had any misgivings at all about using Zep on my vintage trailer I could have easily gone back to paste wax after I had stripped it.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I still don't understand why some insist on using a product designed for polishing floors, instead of using a product designed for waxing and protecting marine and RV gelcoat.
The companies that offer these products spent a lot of money to create them for a specific purpose.

Anybody use 3M Marine cleaner/wax on their kitchen floor? If not, why not?

As someone with 35 years experience in the polymer business (but not floor or marine products), I can tell you we would sell the exact same product in different markets for totally different prices. Sometimes the same product would be priced 10X more only because of the end market. We would give them different numbers.

I recall when Bausch and Lomb representative was questioned by Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports had done measurements and tests on the entire B & L contact lenses product line, from the cheap daily disposables to the expensive extended wear models, and found them to be identical. But the B & L representative insisted they were different. Consumer Reports asked: "how are they different?" B & L: "they are differentiated through MARKETING."

There you go, the same product in a different market can enjoy a dramatically different price.

[Joe Romas]

Thanks Thrifty Bill

[Perryb67]

I get a kick out of people who have never used the product tell those who have used it successfully their way is better.

I've used ZEP products and they work. Haven't used my buffer in years and would rather spend the time I save camping.

We're purchasing a new Escape 5.0 TA the end of October, and when the time comes, will be using ZEP products to shine our new baby.

TETO,

Perry

[thrifty bill]

I’d love to see a recent update from Randy who started this thread. As I recall several of Randy’s trailers are stored outside and he is in Alabama where they get plenty of sun and weather. That’s a good test!

[Kevin K]

I put poliglow on 4 years ago (4 coats) now the top half of my trailer, all the poliglow is flaking off.

[Randy Bishop]

I've updated this thread several times... As far as the Campers, I've done several over the years and sold most of them but the two that I posted at the beginning of this thread I still have and the one I done in Red MAX ( It's called ZEP now) out lasted the one I done with POLIGLOW hands down by at least two to 3 years.. The POLIGLOW one I had to strip and redo with Zep about 2 years after I did it and the with RED MAX I didn't do anything to it didn't re-coat it or even wash it for a year or more. It's been 10 years already and the one with the RED MAX has places where it has peeled off along the belly band, around the bottom and on the roof all of it is gone, needs to be stripped and re-applied but haven't done it yet... Places where it is still on there still looks shiny…
There is just no way I would ever go back to waxing, polishing and buffing way too much work for a old man with back problems.. With the Zep products it's just a good washing and then a hour or so applying 4 to 5 coats and your done for at least 2 to 3 years or more. Hands down the Zep way to me is the best way.. HOPE THIS HELPS

[Randy Bishop]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Still a big believer in 3M products for fiberglass usage even though I have gone to the dark side of trailers and now have to use something called Walbernizer to get the shine on current trailer. Still use the 3M Marine products on the boats as well as friends Fiberglass trailers though.

3M has a whole line up of products to cover pretty well every level of chalking on the fiberglass and can bring the shine back on pretty well any fiberglass trailer that still has a layer of fiberglass on it.

Once you get a trailer shiny its really pretty easy thing to wax it once a year to keep the shine. A heck of a lot easier than having to strip it and reapply floor wax ever couple of years.

You just haven't tried the Zep products, if you like waxing once a year "then go for it" is all I can say, but if you want something that shines like glass and last at least 5 to 7 years without doing anything but wash it once in awhile then Zep is the way to go in my opinion.....

[thrifty bill]

Thanks Randy, I'll follow your recommendations for sure!

Myself, I put a lot of faith in someone who has restored many trailers and keeps a collection of six or more.

Its wonderful that we get continued participation from people that have restored many trailers. Its more than enough work to refurbish one trailer. To refurbish 6 or even 10? I can't imagine the effort and learning involved. I put a high value on tips and tricks from such veterans. If I can somehow shortcut the learning process by information they share, I benefit greatly.

I am on other forums where the seasoned veterans, who have a lot of knowledge to share, get tired of the same questions and debates and exit. The forum loses valuable information.

[David Tilston]

I agree Bill. Randy is one of the great resources on FiberglassRV.com.

[thrifty bill]

Well, I followed Randy's suggestions and polished up the 1977 Trillium today. First I scrubbed/cleaned off 41 years of gunk with Bar Keepers Friend and a green scrub pad (actually several).

I waited until the windows were done prior to polishing.

Started with a very dull finish, after pictures don't do it justice.

Thanks Randy!

Before (after cleaning):

1977 Trillium Outside Clean and Polish by wrk101, on Flickr


After:

1977 Trillium Outside Clean and Polish by wrk101, on Flickr

1977 Trillium Outside Clean and Polish by wrk101, on Flickr

1977 Trillium Outside Clean and Polish by wrk101, on Flickr

[Roamer]

As a younger man I used to refinish floors in my job, so this caught my eye.
There is a big difference between quality of waxes for floors. Some I just could never get to shine. Best I used was Johnson&Johnson. On floors you really needed to use a base coat which is different from the top coat being discussed here. Without a base coat I could never get a true deep shine.

When I applied the coat it looked OK, but it really needed to be polished to look its best. After polish it was much smoother and deeper.
The polish would dissolve the wax, move it around and re-dry instantly, or that's what it seemed to be doing.

With a camper that never gets foot traffic I would think you could just re-polish it and never have to re-coat. Recoating floors is to put new wax down to replace the old wax that has been scuffed off/worn off, or chemically removed when the "red" polishing pad worked on it. Unless you drive through a lot of trees or walk on your camper…. The wax should never leave the surface except on your polishing rag.
High speed polishers are another method for polishing; they don't chemically polish, they just remove the wax and leave very fine scratches in the surface that give it the same shine as buffing it with chemicals. This is typically how floors are done (in your grocery store, or dept store).
I have never used a car wax on floors, so do not know any other method.

Have any of you polished the camper with floor buffing compound? I would think you would have to use a power tool to generate enough heat and friction.

you need to have the camper clean first as any dirt will become re-integrated into the wax.

[Randy Bishop]

Originally Posted by Roamer

As a younger man I used to refinish floors in my job, so this caught my eye.
There is a big difference between quality of waxes for floors. Some I just could never get to shine. Best I used was Johnson&Johnson. On floors you really needed to use a base coat which is different from the top coat being discussed here. Without a base coat I could never get a true deep shine.

When I applied the coat it looked OK, but it really needed to be polished to look its best. After polish it was much smoother and deeper.
The polish would dissolve the wax, move it around and re-dry instantly, or that's what it seemed to be doing.

With a camper that never gets foot traffic I would think you could just re-polish it and never have to re-coat. Recoating floors is to put new wax down to replace the old wax that has been scuffed off/worn off, or chemically removed when the "red" polishing pad worked on it. Unless you drive through a lot of trees or walk on your camper…. The wax should never leave the surface except on your polishing rag.
High speed polishers are another method for polishing; they don't chemically polish, they just remove the wax and leave very fine scratches in the surface that give it the same shine as buffing it with chemicals. This is typically how floors are done (in your grocery store, or dept store).
I have never used a car wax on floors, so do not know any other method.

Have any of you polished the camper with floor buffing compound? I would think you would have to use a power tool to generate enough heat and friction.

you need to have the camper clean first as any dirt will become re-integrated into the wax.

I've said this I know at least a hundred times the product is 'NOT" wax. It's a a no wax coating for high traffic floors...

[Roamer]

Wax or non-wax, they would be treated the same with a floor buffer. All floors get polished.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Roamer

Wax or non-wax, they would be treated the same with a floor buffer. All floors get polished.

Buffing is a lot more work. I am more than satisfied with how mine turned out without buffing.

Curiously, my trailer came with a buffer which I will be donating to Salvation Army.

[Ramsey]

Good morning Forvm members

I like many others on the forvm applied Zep finish to my '94 Scamp several years ago. Due to several circumstances, the camper sat idle in the sun for the most part during summers and was put in a clean covered barn over winters. As i am now once again in a position to use the Scamp i want to refinish the Zep finish. The finish is now very uneven or spotty with some retaining the gloss while other areas with little or no gloss evident.

I have applied the Zep Heavy Duty Remover and BarKeepers Friend products to remove all shine and start from scratch however with only margnal success. QUESTION: for those who have refinished their previously ""Zepped" finish to what extent and effort did you go to remove the entire old Zep finish Did you leave some of the previous good finish intact applying the suggest 4-5 coats over the now spotty looking Zep finish?

any input would be appreciated, thanks, Ramsey

[Chris McVeigh]

After 5 years I did totally strip off Zep finish using the stripper full strength and then wet sand using 1000 grit paper and a garden hose - I'd think Barkeepers Friend would achieve the same result.
Every couple of years I touch up by with giving a light buff to affected areas and recoating. I would say you could still get great results without a total strip down.
see page 57, post#798