Avoiding gelcoat overspray?

[Ryban]

I'm considering spraying gelcoat on some of my non-skid sections that have worn through but still have their diamond pattern. My biggest concerns are not the technical aspects of spraying or the color matching, but rather how to avoid any overspray.

The last thing I want is to get any gelcoat overspray on any of my neighbor's boats, or anywhere unintended on my own boat. Given I have not sprayed gelcoat before, I'm not actually sure how big of a concern this is if done properly, but from watching other people spray gelcoat, it does seem like some of the gelcoat ends up suspended in the air.

If it's an issue, I'm thinking large tarps draped over the boat to form a tent to enclose the portions of deck that will be sprayed, and diligent masking and covering of hardware in nearby areas.

[neilpride]

Set the gun, gelcoat does not fly like 2 part linear poly topcoat, mask all the hardware on your deck, plastic film around the stanchions, if you are going to dissolve it with styrene, don't overdo it, test on a piece of cardboard before you start with the gelcoat without catalyzing.

Try to do the test with the minimum pressure in the gun, if you see gelcoat dripping, open a little bit, choose a day without wind.

A serious warning, I have already screwed up a few spray guns with gelcoat, always have Acetone on hand, do it in small amounts, go fast and when you see that the gelcoat in the spray gun cup is reaching its cure, throw it away and clean the gun with lots of acetone.

[Ryban]

Originally Posted by neilpride

Set the gun, gelcoat does not fly like 2 part linear poly topcoat, mask all the hardware on your deck, plastic film around the stanchions, if you are going to dissolve it with styrene, don't overdo it

Are you usually spraying normal gelcoat and cutting with styrene or are you using spraying gelcoat?

[neilpride]

Originally Posted by Ryban

Are you usually spraying normal gelcoat and cutting with styrene or are you using spraying gelcoat?

Let's say I've already painted a few boats with Gelcoat.

I use styrene, if you dont thin the Gel then you need a tip in the gun wide open, Primer guns can handle the gel but I prefer a HLVP.

The first coats I use Gel without wax, last coat with wax, I catalyze it depending on the outside temperature, 1.5% is ok in a sunny hot day, sometimes to 1% if it is really very hot.

I leave you some photos of the last one I repaired, a before and after.