Gelcoats

Polyester Gelcoat is an essential part of fibreglass moulding. The Gelcoat available at FibreGlassDirect is available in a wide range of colours and is compatible with polyester pigments should you require bespoke colour. 

Gelcoat is also an essential part of Boat Building and Repairs. Its primary purpose is to protect the underlying layers of fibreglass. It offers a superb finish of superior quality to give the fibreglass strength, protection and a durable surface. This helps to prevent the hull of the boat from weakening from water ingress and ultraviolet light.

Like any finish subject to harsh external environments, over time the Gelcoat will be prone to scratches, chips, gouges from general wear and tear. In boats, Gelcoat may blister as a result of water ingress which has seeped through the Gelcoat layer. The good news is most Gelcoat repairs are easy to carry out without the need for expensive services.

If you are carrying out a Gelcoat Repair, a simple scratch may be repaired with a Gelcoat Filler or Paste. If the crack is deeper you will need to sand back the area in full and re-apply fibreglass materials as needed. For more information on Gelcoat Repairs, we have written a comprehensive guide which is available to read on our website. 

All Gelcoats available on FibreGlassDirect are supplied with sufficient catalyst. Catalyst at room temperature is 2% - for 1kg of Gelcoat this would be 20ml of catalyst. This will give a working time of approximately 20 minutes before the Gelcoat will start to cure.