In order to achieve an almost invisible gelcoat, the new gelcoat to be applied must have the exact colour of the surrounding gelcoat. It is often not possible to achieve the same colour. In this article we explain how you can make colour matching gelcoat yourself and we provide some useful tips. Using our gelcoat, topcoat or gelcoat filler, in combination with various polyester pigments, you can easily make colour matching gelcoat.
You will need the following materials for this:
To perform a gelcoat repair, you will need the following materials:
As soon as a polyester product, such as a boat, camper or gutter, is released from the mould, it is affected by the environment. The product is continuously exposed to light, water, pollution and temperature. This will change the colour of the product.
Colour is the brain's interpretation of what the eye sees. Because it is an interpretation, we must keep as many factors constant as possible every time we colour gelcoat. This ensures a better assessment of the colour and therefore gives better results.
Please note the following when colouring gelcoats:
When evaluating the colour of the gelcoat (which is in colour) and the object (where the colour of the counterfeit should be made), the following aspects should be considered:
You must be able to judge the difference between the colour of the gelcoat and the object. This is divided into 3 categories:
Important:
If a polyester product, such as a boat, a scooter hood or a camper, is less than 2 years old, the correct colour gelcoat can often be reordered from the manufacturer. Because the product's gelcoat is not yet discolored or weathered, a repair can still be carried out almost invisibly with the manufacturer's gelcoat. So you don't have to create this colour yourself.
If the gelcoat is no longer available or if the polyester product is older than 2 years, you must colour match the gelcoat yourself. In this case, a good quality gelcoat can be used in combination with polyester pigments.
First of all, you should thoroughly clean the surface on and around the repair site. Wash away the contamination and sand the surface with 1500 grit to remove chalk, oxidation and contamination. If possible, sand an area of 30 x 30 centimetres directly next to the repair. We are going to use this to colour the gelcoat. Wax the sanded surface. This largely brings back the shine.
After you have properly prepared the surface, you can use a RAL colour chart to see which colour corresponds to the correct gelcoat. If a colour matches, you can order this colour very easily. Unfortunately, a colour fan may also differ slightly, so the colour of the gelcoat may also need to be adjusted slightly.
Is the exact colour not available? Then choose a colour that most closely matches the shade, possibly slightly lighter than the original. For light colours, a white gelcoat can often be used.
Take a generous amount of gelcoat, which is definitely enough for the repair. Making exactly the same colour a second time is almost impossible. So be sure that you make enough colour gelcoat. Please allow 50 grams extra for colouring.
Pour the gelcoat into a mixing cup and use a mixing spatula to a little gelcoat to the substrate where the colour is to be imitated.
Now stand back and observe the colour difference:
| Is the substrate: | Then add: |
| Whiter | White |
| Redder and brighter | Red |
| Redder and grayer | Oxiderood |
| Yellower and brighter | Yellow |
| Yellower and grayer | Oxid yellow/Ochre |
| Bluer and brighter | Dark blue |
| Bluer and grayer | Dark blue and black |
| Greener and brighter | Dark green |
| Greener and grayer | Dark green and black |
Determine which colours of pigment are needed for coloring. These are often black, the dark base colour and possibly other colours. For white objects it is often black, yellow and ochre or brown.
Take a stirring stick/mixing spatula and apply some pigment halfway through the stirring stick. To add the pigment to the gelcoat, follow the following procedure:
1. Add small amounts of pigment at a time, for minor colour corrections. This way you achieve a better and more accurate result. It is not uncommon to make 25-30 colour corrections.
2. A second person can help judge the colour. It can also help to leave for a while and come back after a few minutes.
3. Do not aim for absolute perfection, but for a colour that no longer makes the repair noticeable. Even an expert won't be able to duplicate the exact colour. Ultimately, every repair can be seen under the right circumstances.
Once the gelcoat has the right colour, you can clean the surface with all colour samples with a cloth and acetone. This also removes the applied wax. You can then carry out the repair and polish the product.
In the article above you could read how to colour gelcoat so that your gelcoat repair has the same colour as the rest of the gelcoat and is therefore no longer noticeable. Good luck! Do you have any questions or do you need advice? Please do not hesitate to contact our specialists. They are happy to help you make your project a success.
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