Awlgrip Maintenance and Upkeep ?

[Tspringer]

I'm giving thought to the purchase of a boat that had the topsides Awlgripped back in '99 and had the deck done in '02. Both are said to still be in good shape but I am told they would benefit from "buffing and waxing" or from having the awlgrip clear coated again? The boat is in the tropics so it gets lots of sun.

How long does Awlgrip usually last? Is it pretty durable when it comes to having it buffed out and waxed? Anyone ever heard of clear coating again?

General opinions on an awlgripped finish of this age are appreciated.



Terry

[GordMay]

FOR BOTH AWLGRIP AND AWLCRAFT® 2000: Protecting the surface with AWLCARE™ (73240) will help maintain the gloss of AWLGRIP® and AWLCRAFT® 2000. AWLCARE™ is a hand applied, non-abrasive, synthetic polymer. It will remove mild stains, water spots and diesel soot while increasing resistance to attack from acid rain and other pollutants, when applied regularly. It contains no harsh abrasives. AWLCARE™ leaves a non-yellowing, protective polymer coating which lasts through multiple washings. Use AWLCARE™ to temporarily seal and restore gloss to painted surfaces dulled by age or mistreatment.

Do not use traditional waxes. General: Traditional waxes break down rapidly. The residue can cause the topcoat to appear yellow, plus it attracts dirt. This creates the need to maintain the wax, increasing overall maintenance. Traditional waxes which contain no abrasives probably do little harm to the coating, but offer no benefit.

Awlgrip has developed AWLCARE™ Protective Polymer Sealer (73240) for those who want to enhance their finish and need the additional cleaning power of a hand applied, dry wash product. AWLCARE™ is a non-yellowing sealer that will protect both AWLGRIP® and AWLCRAFT® 2000 with regular applications. Hand applied AWLCARE™ will not harm Awlgrip’s topcoats and can easily be removed with AWL-PREP® PLUS-T0115 (or T0340 Surface Cleaner in Europe) when it is time to repaint.

AWLGRIP® Only: Regular applications of AWLCARE™ will help temporarily seal and restore shine to painted surfaces that have become porous due to age or mistreatment, helping to maintain a satisfactory appearance until there is time to repaint.

AWLCRAFT® 2000 Only: AWLCARE™ Protective Polymer Sealer will help maintain the gloss on AWLCRAFT™ 2000 topcoats with regular applications. Especially those which have been buffed or polished. Remember, AWLCARE™ is only applied and buffed by hand. Never apply or buff AWLCARE™ with a machine.

Do not use abrasives, scratch pads, or compounds. Scratching the surface gives dirt a place to cling while wearing out the resin layer. Using abrasives of any kind will reduce the overall life of the finish and voids the AWLGRIP® Limited Warranty.

Do not allow contact between AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoat and teak cleaners. Most teak cleaners contain acids or caustic agents that stain and discolor an AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoat.

Do not allow metal polishes to dry on the surface of AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000. Metal polishes may discolor and stain the painted surface. Metal polishes contain acids. Rain water and dew running off metal fittings will spread metal polish residue onto the paint surface and will etch and dull the paint finish. Washing freshly polished metal fittings thoroughly with AWLWASH™ and water can help eliminate polish residue and reduce the metal polish run off.

Do not use strong solvents (e.g. lacquer thinner, M.E.K., acetone) to clean AWLCRAFT® 2000, AWL-BRITE® PLUS or AWLSPAR® Varnish.

Do not allow wet equipment (e.g., seat cushions, coils of line, sails, sail covers, coolers) to trap and hold moisture against AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoats. This condition can result in blistering or delamination of the AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoat.

Do not use acrylic Teflon coatings over an AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Finish. Use of these coatings void the AWLGRIP® Limited Warranty.

AWLGRIP® AND AWLCRAFT® 2000 WINTER STORAGE
Do not “shrink wrap” or tightly bind AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoat surfaces with plastic wrappings.

[Pblais]

How long does Awlgrip usually last? Is it pretty durable when it comes to having it buffed out and waxed? Anyone ever heard of clear coating again?

I have some Awlgrip from 1991 it still looks good. Just to summarize Gord. Don't be applying anything unless it's an Alwgrip product. When it's time you may have to reapply Awlgrip. Using another "top coat" product would not be advised. Some colors last better than others.

Alwgrip is a coating and it can be UV damaged over time. I would try the above products as applicable. If you need to recoat the boat redoing Awlgrip will start the clock again and it will last longer than just about every other product you can apply.

[Joli]

Terry, you'll need to know if the finish is Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000. The Awlcraft is easier to touch up. The guidelines from Gord are spot on.

We have a short season around here so the finish holds up quite well. We enjoy fresh water, a low sun, and 6 months of winter while the boat is stored indoors. I have seen 20 year old paint jobs that look new. Even with your boat south you probably have many years of paint life before you need to repaint.

Hatteras paints all their boats. Funny, they mount all the hardware then paint around the hardware that is masked. They are afraid they might damage the finish if they paint first then mount the hardware. Maybe Fastcat can chime in, they paint their boats I think I read.

The price around here is ~$150/ft for topsides and ~$500/ft for a deck. Gotta be cheaper down south.

[David M]

I have a boat that is 100% painted in Awlgrip. It is really easy to maintain. Always use a very soft bristled brush so as not to put micro-scratches in the paint, which hold dirt, and some mild detergent. I use some SoftScrub on it about once a year to get any crud off the surface. It really does not oxidize...not like gelcoat does.

[camaraderie]

I am gonna jump in here and say BEWARE!! All of the comments about maintenance above are true and Awlgrip can last a long long time and be quite lovely. BUT...you are looking at buying an awlgripped boat that does NOT look lovely right now and trusting someone else's word that it would "benefit from a buffing and waxing". Let us substitute Awlcare or 3mFinesse-it for "waxing" as that is the one thing you never do to all-grip.
BUT....once AWL-GRIP has been abraded...it is NOT recoverable without a new paint job. Cases of "dock rash" from fenders etc. are NOT buffable. To be SURE of what you are getting...I would find the worst looking part of the boat and polish and buff a small area to see exactly what is simply surface dirt and dullness...vs. what may be a problem you can't make significantly better without a paint job. She may clean up nicely...but if it has been waxed in the past or if the surface has been abraded, you'll want to factor that into your offer.

[Geoff S.]

I'll second camaraderie's caveat. Back when I was shopping in 02, I ended up getting chummy with a couple yacht brokers, and one of them confided over many beers that when an owner says they had their boat painted back in (year) many brokers just add the boilerplate "Awlgripped in (year)" to the listing, as it's the most recognizable paint brand out there...whether the paint in question really was Awlgrip or not. Of course, he said HE would never do that... Depending on how far along you are in negotiations with the seller, I think you're entitled to see an actual receipt for said Awlgrip.

[markpj23]

Originally Posted by GordMay

FOR BOTH AWLGRIP AND AWLCRAFT® 2000: Protecting the surface with AWLCARE™ (73240) will help maintain the gloss of AWLGRIP® and AWLCRAFT® 2000. AWLCARE™ is a hand applied, non-abrasive, synthetic polymer. It will remove mild stains, water spots and diesel soot while increasing resistance to attack from acid rain and other pollutants, when applied regularly. It contains no harsh abrasives. AWLCARE™ leaves a non-yellowing, protective polymer coating which lasts through multiple washings. Use AWLCARE™ to temporarily seal and restore gloss to painted surfaces dulled by age or mistreatment.

Do not use acrylic Teflon coatings over an AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Finish. Use of these coatings void the AWLGRIP® Limited Warranty.

AWLGRIP® AND AWLCRAFT® 2000 WINTER STORAGE
Do not “shrink wrap” or tightly bind AWLGRIP® or AWLCRAFT® 2000 Topcoat surfaces with plastic wrappings.

Hmm - so does this mean you cannot use PoliGlow over an Awlgrip boot stripe?

[Pblais]

Hmm - so does this mean you cannot use PoliGlow over an Awlgrip boot stripe?

Yes. Alwcare is the only product designed to be used with Awlgrip. Mild washing is the only other requirement.

[BMS]

I may not know what I am talking about but I dont ever remember seeing Awlash or Awlcare untill recently say 5 or so yrs . Correct me if I am wrong on this but if I am correct --what did the company recommend then to clean, wax, and care for an awlgrip job. I suggest that the old awlgrip jobs are either ruined from washing and waxing with other products or alternatively the finish is not that fragile.

[donradcliffe]

I wouldn't trust anyone who said awlgrip could/should be 'buffed and waxed' or 'clearcoated'. Does he blow-dry his hair??

If the awlgrip has been in the tropics for 10 years, the top surface is breaking down and getting porous, and its going to get more and more difficult to make it look good until you repaint it (buffing ruins it, and clearcoating is just as much work).

[Captcoffee]

Originally Posted by Tspringer

I'm giving thought to the purchase of a boat that had the topsides Awlgripped back in '99 and had the deck done in '02. Both are said to still be in good shape but I am told they would benefit from "buffing and waxing" or from having the awlgrip clear coated again? The boat is in the tropics so it gets lots of sun.

How long does Awlgrip usually last? Is it pretty durable when it comes to having it buffed out and waxed? Anyone ever heard of clear coating again?

General opinions on an awlgripped finish of this age are appreciated.



Terry

As previously mentioned, once an AwlGrip paintjob is gone, AwlCare (or any other AkzoNobel product) is not going to bring it back - aside from a fresh paint job. Once you've hit that point you can buff it and make it look beautiful again. But once you get to this point you have got to keep up with it. And every time you buff you're taking more and more paint off. Once i finish buffing I apply the AwlCare topped with a quality synthetic wax to prolong the AwlCare application. Keep it coated constantly or you'll be buffing constantly. My suggestion is to get a good DuPont Imron paintjob. Very heavy duty and easy to maintain. Good luck!

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by Captcoffee

As previously mentioned, once an AwlGrip paintjob is gone, AwlCare (or any other AkzoNobel product) is not going to bring it back - aside from a fresh paint job. Once you've hit that point you can buff it and make it look beautiful again. But once you get to this point you have got to keep up with it. And every time you buff you're taking more and more paint off. Once i finish buffing I apply the AwlCare topped with a quality synthetic wax to prolong the AwlCare application. Keep it coated constantly or you'll be buffing constantly. My suggestion is to get a good DuPont Imron paintjob. Very heavy duty and easy to maintain. Good luck!

After 8 years you may be advising a ghost