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Old 09-03-2020, 01:19 PM   #1
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What cost to restore exterior fiberglass luster?

The exterior of our 08 was not very well protected when we bought it. The shine and luster is is dull and the graphics are faded and cracked At this point it is way to much for me to attempt to restore to it's original glory. I want to find an outfit that specializes in fiberglass restore work in the S.W. near Las Vegas vicinity. I spoke with one outfit who quoted me $1000. plus whatever it took to remove and replace my already purchased new graphics. Not much detail as to what the were going to do or the products to be used. Has anyone had experiance with hiring a pro to refinish the fiberglass? What information should I ask them for? What's a reasonable cost for this service? Is ceramic type coating worth the additional cost?
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Old 09-03-2020, 03:00 PM   #2
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I spent a bit of time finding the right guy who had the proper experience to do a really good job of removing some stubborn oxidation, particularly on the driver's side where I know now the constant drip of dew & condensation left its mark.

An auto detailer who had specific knowledge/tools/products did this for me and it did come out really good. Charged me $425 for all the sides, he wouldn't go on the roof. That was ok, as I didn't have the same issue up there and I maintained it. Took 2 guys 5 hours. Compound, wax, then polish. That was 6 months ago; now it is easy to clean.

A boat builder quoted me $1,200 and would have done the roof. Both of them showed me the 3M Compound- 3M Marine Compound and Finishing Material (06044)– For Boats and RVs – 32 Ounces

A buddy with a 5.0 happened on this mobile detailer doing work on a large A Class at a dealer and got his info. Went to see how the work was on the 5'er and saw the man knew what he was doing. Having him come to my house was a bonus. Best of luck finding someone out there- lot of boats so shouldn't be too hard.
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Old 09-03-2020, 03:13 PM   #3
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I restored an EggCamper that was dull with floor polish, 5 coats and it was shiny again-RedMaxxPro
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Old 09-03-2020, 05:22 PM   #4
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me, I'd remove the graphics, and just buff it out. gel coat is quite thick and can be brought back to a nice polish with rubbing and polishing compounds, faster if you use a buffer wheel, but doable with hand buffing. I suggest finding someone who details boats as they are far more used to dealing with fiberglass gel coats than anyone who does regular RVs and/or cars.

once its buffed out, you can use anything from a simple paste wax to a high tech polymer or ceramic coat. if you do use a ceramic coating, you have to get the surface very clean and shiny before applying the ceramic coat, once its cleaned and polished properly, you just rub on the coating and wipe off the excess with a clean rag.

conventional waxes last a few months and need touching up but are easy to apply once you've done the full buff job to restore the surface smoothness. polymer coats last up to a year, ceramic coats last several years.
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Old 09-03-2020, 05:57 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dykstra99664@hotmail.com View Post
The exterior of our 08 was not very well protected when we bought it. The shine and luster is is dull and the graphics are faded and cracked At this point it is way to much for me to attempt to restore to it's original glory. I want to find an outfit that specializes in fiberglass restore work in the S.W. near Las Vegas vicinity. I spoke with one outfit who quoted me $1000. plus whatever it took to remove and replace my already purchased new graphics. Not much detail as to what the were going to do or the products to be used. Has anyone had experiance with hiring a pro to refinish the fiberglass? What information should I ask them for? What's a reasonable cost for this service? Is ceramic type coating worth the additional cost?
Hi: dykstra99664@hotmail.com... Here's a pic from my detailer's spa picking up our 5.0TA. He told me they put 24 man hours in to cutting the chalky finish off and waxing with Meguiar's marine wax. They also masked off all the black trim. Cost $1200. CDN. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 09-03-2020, 08:24 PM   #6
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When we bought our 2007 17B, it had moss growing on the roof. I bought the Meguiars 3 step marine restoration kit off amazon and had it looking brand new in no time. I carefully used a 8” dual action polisher The decals are good for about 5 years and should be removed.
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Old 09-03-2020, 08:31 PM   #7
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My decals are 12 years old, trailer never covered, lives under a cedar tree. Some colours are more durable ( the dark ones ).

I wash with Simonize Wash 'n' Wax and give a good was once or twice a year ( OK, once ).
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Old 09-03-2020, 08:55 PM   #8
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yeah, my black decals are still in good shape at 6-7 years, parked outside, and not taken very good care of (trailer is *FILTHY* from the ash and soot from the forest fires here)
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Old 09-03-2020, 09:54 PM   #9
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Restoration

Some time ago I bought a 16 year old 16' Casita. Very caulky appearance on the fiberglass. I used a product, Poli-Glo cleaner and coating, which I'd previously used on a sailboat I had. Poli-Glo cleaner with some Barkeepers mild abrasive material, washdown, 5 coats of the Poli-Glo coating. 5 coats sounds laborious, but it goes on so thin and dries so quickly you can just keep going and finish in an afternoon. 10 years later it still looks fine. Some folks use floor waxes, and have experienced issues due to UV degradation. Floor wax is for....what?...floors? Don't scrimp on materials, or effort. It can pay off, and this project is work, but not difficult...just tedious.
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