painting fiberglass...

[mgaidica 10+ year member]

well i may make a fiberglass box, if i want it shinny black, what paint do i use? primer -> (spray paint?)

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[BASSBOY 10+ year member]

ok first off, if you want it decent looking, spray bombs are a nono, but primer cans are allright if you spray then sand smooth then spray and sand smooth........ get a paint shop to spray it for you it will look a million times better.

 

[mgaidica 10+ year member]

what will that run me ??$$$

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, if you want it shiny you gotta get something with clear coat. Either the kind with it already in, enamel i think it is, or you paint then clear coat it. I wish i knew the paint i used on my inner fender wells, it's shiny. Maybe it's acrylic, dammit, i don't know. You'd probably be better off getting a shop to do it for you. To keep it cheap just do all the primering, sanding, and masking yourself. For black paint it shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

You can spray can it if you are very careful and patient.. use primer first (a filling primer is recomended for fiberglass, to get the surface filled in.. a few coats, sanded between)..

For good spray-painting, you want to keep the layers light.. don't get it too heavy or you will get runs that are a bitc.h to get out.. put on each coat, then sand (wet sand toward the end) till smooth...

To get it shiny, either use a 'gloss' paint for the last few coats, or apply a laqure or gel coat (maybe several layers, wet sanding between).. that should give you a very nice finish..

Or, take it to a shop, but depending on size, get ready to drop some coin..

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

i say a couple of coats of high build poly primer....sand smooth.....2-4 coats of paint......then 2-6coats of clear coat depending on how shinny u want....make sure to wet sand when done for smooth finish

 

[Mark_ab 5,000+ posts]

It is a myth that spray cans are crappy, and the fact of the matter is (which I've learned from some wiser than myself) if done properly, you can do **** near as well with spray bombs as in a shop. The key here is, "done properly". It isn't a one day endeavor. You have to let things cure, and it involves a lot of sanding.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by Savant  

To get it shiny, either use a 'gloss' paint for the last few coats, or apply a laqure or gel coat (maybe several layers, wet sanding between).. that should give you a very nice finish..

 

We used laquer on the frame of my father's nomad. That stuff looks sweet. It's really shiny and almost rubbery. Good stuff, kind of expensive though.

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

Originally posted by tommyk90 We used laquer on the frame of my father's nomad. That stuff looks sweet. It's really shiny and almost rubbery. Good stuff, kind of expensive though.

There are tons (I want to say hundreds, but that might be too many //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif ) of different types.. some will yellow over time, some won't... some are slightly flexable, some get like glass.. some only work in one coat, some can be layered.. just depends.. I'd say call a fiberglass shop and ask.. or, just by some paint/gloss from a fiberglass site.. that's probably the best way since that gloss/laqure/get coat should be 'made' for fiberglass applications..

 

[TeamRF4life]

im about to paint my fiberglass box (after i fill a couple cracks with bondo) im going to spray paint it untill i get my spoiler/bumper put on. What type of sand paper should i use. and should i wet sand towards the last coats?

thanks

matt

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by Savant There are tons (I want to say hundreds, but that might be too many //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif ) of different types.. some will yellow over time, some won't... some are slightly flexable, some get like glass.. some only work in one coat, some can be layered.

Well, i know ours won't yellow, and it is very rubbery. Man, that car is so clean. You look underneath and it looks better than some cars on the outside. It's not a trailer queen either.

 

[BASSBOY 10+ year member]

hehe, im an autobody technition apprentice, so i can paint my own fibreglass for the price of the paint.

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

Originally posted by TeamRF4life im about to paint my fiberglass box (after i fill a couple cracks with bondo) im going to spray paint it untill i get my spoiler/bumper put on. What type of sand paper should i use. and should i wet sand towards the last coats?

thanks

matt

First, depending on the size of the cracks, I'd say use resin to fill them (maybe even a little glass if big enough)..

Second, you want ~400+ grit (IIRC.. up to 800 IIRC for the final 2 coats) for wet sanding.. it's almost like buffing.. but with a bit more 'umph' than just cloth.. but not much.. type would be something that isn't gonna leave a lot of 'grit' behind.. can't recall the kind at the moment.. sorry.. you can probally find out at Home Depot or your local hobby shop/auto shop/or hardware store..

for when to wet sand.. the smoother the 'full' thing, the deeper the final sheen can be.. If you sand betwen coats with like 200+ grit until the last 4 coats, then switch to wet with 400 for 2, then maybe 600 for one or two, then 800 for one or two, then 'gloss' it, you should have a nice deep shine...

 

[Savant 10+ year member]

Originally posted by tommyk90 Well, i know ours won't yellow, and it is very rubbery. Man, that car is so clean. You look underneath and it looks better than some cars on the outside. It's not a trailer queen either.

Sounds durable.. recall the brand/kind? I might try that for my box..

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Originally posted by Savant Sounds durable.. recall the brand/kind? I might try that for my box..

I'll have to ask my father tomorrow. I'll get back to ya. Yeah, i know it's good stuff because he got it from his work, International Trucks. It may be Dupont? Akzo-Nobel? I'll ask for ya.