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Old 12-02-2019, 03:10 PM   #1
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Name: Denis
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Paint on fiberglass

Hi All was wanting some tips on painting on fiberglass , mostly what paint is better ?? Thanks
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Old 12-02-2019, 03:45 PM   #2
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I depends on what you mean.
An automotive paint job would be great!! but expensive.


If you mean a budget type paint job in a semigloss pastel, then Zinsser Perma -White is great. Use a micro roller and you can get a sprayed on look. below is a trailer which is painted with it.
$25 instead of several thousand.


No primer needed and it has great film strength and is mold and mildew proof.
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Old 12-02-2019, 04:06 PM   #3
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paint

Thanks Floyd . Yes im looking at douing it myself , Im in Canada so dont know that brand but im sure i can find something similar , Thanks again ... Dan
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Old 12-02-2019, 11:05 PM   #4
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Thanks Floyd . Yes im looking at douing it myself , Im in Canada so dont know that brand but im sure i can find something similar , Thanks again ... Dan


It’s available in Ontario through HomeHardware
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Old 12-03-2019, 09:28 AM   #5
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Fiberglass is somewhat porous so cleaning is critical. Paint won't stick to wax or most polishes and FG gets waxed and polished as a rule. That stuff caught in the pores needs to be totally stripped and removed.

Ammonia and soapy water will cut most waxes. There are products for stripping wax, always test in small area. Should be some advice available online. Maybe even check with a local boat shop that does FG repairs to find out what they use for paint prep cleaning.

Some paints will even "draw back" from a bit of wax or oils and leave a "fish eye" in the final coat as it dries. Those have to be sanded off to remove so better to avoid them with good clean surface to paint.

Might look up "roll and tip painting" for some suggestions, tutorials and videos. I did a school bus camper a couple of times like that. Fine brush along any edges then roll over most of my brush work to blend it in. Worked well, and have seen FGRV's done that way that turned out well. Think satin finish rather than high gloss worked better but perhaps those who have painted FG will weigh in on their experiences.
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Old 12-03-2019, 10:57 AM   #6
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Wow great advice.... I was hoping to do this this spring... glad I have enough info to start googling and watching videos! Thanks!
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Old 12-03-2019, 11:23 AM   #7
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Thanks Carol Im in Ontario , so will check it out , Thanks to all , I think ill find what i need ..
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Old 12-03-2019, 11:24 AM   #8
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As with any paint job, the prep is 90% of the work and essential for a good end product. Most quality paints will adhere to fiberglass. If you want a good looking end result, apply several coats and sand between each coat with successively finer grit water paper.
Before you start you have to remove all dirt, wax, oil and especially silicone (armoral type stuff) from the surface.If you don't, sanding will grind these materials into the surface to be painted. Wash and degrease before and after you sand. Apply the first coat and let it completely cure. Sand with a 420 grit and apply a second coat. Sand with 1000 grit water paper and apply a third coat. If you want more shine, sand lightly with a 3000 grit water paper or buff with a polishing compound. When the paint is completely cured apply a good quality automotive wax.
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Old 12-03-2019, 11:34 AM   #9
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It’s available in Ontario through HomeHardware
I've also bought it at Home Depot.
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Old 12-03-2019, 12:45 PM   #10
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https://www.amazon.com/Eastwood-Sili...398465&sr=8-41
Here's some wax and silicone remover for your pre paint prep. But for me if I was going to use a paint that was applied with a roller I would go for a high gloss paint not that satin paint shown in the picture.
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Old 12-04-2019, 04:07 PM   #11
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When we painted Peanut (with a foam hot-dog roller only), we used tons of sandpaper of increasingly fine grit, good wipedowns, followed by a marine enamel primer very thin and two coats of Rustoleum Marine Topside paint, sanded and wiped between coats. It's not totally glossy, but it has a nice look to it.

There are better brands of marine enamel. We bought what was local. We do like marine enamel!

Marine enamel is resistant to UV and is somewhat more flexible than some enamels. Boats take a beating in the sea and sun.

It's been 3 years and Peanut still looks good.

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Old 12-11-2019, 01:03 PM   #12
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Best paint for fibreglass trailers is marine paint....... "Interlux" brightside , comes in lots of colors and they can be mixed (if you have a good eye) to make any color under the sun. I mix the perfect shade of Trillium green using black , yellow and white. Buy it at marine stores.
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Old 12-11-2019, 08:34 PM   #13
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I rolled my Trillium with marine Rust-Oleum paint and it looks great. I actually used a technique called rolling and tipping that gives a high gloss look. There are YouTube videos.
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Old 12-11-2019, 09:45 PM   #14
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I rolled my Trillium with marine Rust-Oleum paint and it looks great. I actually used a technique called rolling and tipping that gives a high gloss look. There are YouTube videos.
Similar to technique used with Interlux paint, brush and tip, or roll. Paint is self levelling, high gloss, and since it is made for fibreglass boats, it is flexible and won't chip or peel. Ive used it on a Trillium 1300 and a Triple e. Both with excellent results. Marine Rust-o-lium is probably similar paint..... maybe easier to find.
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Old 12-12-2019, 06:46 AM   #15
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Hello. I painted vintage camper with exterior enamel and then added a few layers of fiberglass clear coat over the entire camper. Granted, my camper is quite small but it worked very well.
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Old 12-13-2019, 02:33 PM   #16
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Fiberglass paints well when properly prepared, looks great!
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