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27
Nov
Are you a DIYer or hobbyist, excited to try your hand at using gel coat for the first time? If so, welcome! Gel coat can be a fantastic addition to your project, giving it a professional and durable finish. However, as with any new skill or material, there can be some challenges along the way. We have a series of troubleshooting posts going over common problems, but in today's installment, we are discussing alligatoring, blisters and delamination. We go over possible causes and solutions so this does not happen to you in the future.
| PROBLEM | CAUSE | SOLUTIONS OR ITEM TO CHECK FOR |
|---|---|---|
| Alligatoring (wrinkling of the gel coat) |
Solvents and contaminates |
Do not reduce with solvents. Check for contamination. |
|
Thin gel coat |
Use a minimum of 12 mils gel coat | |
|
Insufficiently cured gel coat |
Make sure to use the correct amount of catalyst. Make sure the temperature is not too low. Allow sufficient time between layers. Avoid any contamination. | |
| Blisters |
Under cured |
Use correct catalyst levels, mix well |
|
Air pockets |
Check roll out | |
| Delamination In Spots |
Contamination |
Make sure area is free from dust, solvent and moisture |
| Delamination in Large Area |
Gel Coat too Fully Cured |
Use correct catalyst level. Don't let the gel coat cure too long. |
Check out the rest of our Gel Coat Trouble Shooting posts here-
Dallin Leach
