# Commercial Fiberglass Jacuzzi coating.



## kentdalimp (Aug 15, 2013)

Hey everybody.

I've been asked by a friend of mine to research a coating for the inside of what can best be described as: A Commercial Fiberglass Jacuzzi. (It's specifically a baptismal font in a large church.) 

It will be underwater constantly, filtered, warmed, and is subject to chlorine and other pool chemicals.

I guess they have coated it in the past and whenever they have to drain it, they can see that the coating is failing and chalking off of the surface.

I have no idea what was used before but would consider the need to blast it back down to bare fiberglass before application of a new coating.

Not sure what others thoughts are, or if anybody has had any luck with pool type coatings in high traffic situations.

They are looking for a solid solution so even if its beyond my ability I would love to be able to tell him what type of applications would be the most effective.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Do not blast it. Sand the failing coating off completely. Then sand the Gelcoat. Get yourself a suitable size compressor and get a siphon cup gun. Buy some gelcoat along with the hardener activator. Mix and spray. Have some acetone handy for thinning the gelcoat if needed and cleaning the gun. Wear a dual cartridge respirator. The gelcoat will handle continuous immersion much better than anything else. Also, if you get too rough of a texture, you can wet sand the surface and buff it.


----------



## kentdalimp (Aug 15, 2013)

Thanks for the info!

A Couple of questions:

Any recommended product for the gel coat? And what is the time frame for curing before water can be reintroduced?

What is a general recommended mil thickness for this type of application? (I realize its in the paperwork, just trying to get an idea in my head.

Ithanks again for the advice!


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Curing time depends on the thickness of the application. The gel coat is a catalyzed product. It will flash off and then start the curing / hardening process. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations and mixed the gel coat and hardener thoroughly, you should be able to go in 24-48 hours. Mil thickness is something you really want to adhere to. Follow the mfg. recommendations as some will vary. If you can, you really want to do this in a well ventilated area as it's going to stink really bad and can generate some heat when it cures. I used to get my gel coat from Cook Industries in Kansas City, but just google fiberglass/gelcoat dealers.


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Check out Fiberglass Supply.


----------



## kentdalimp (Aug 15, 2013)

Any experience with polyaspartic gelcoats for this type of situation?


----------



## journeymanPainter (Feb 26, 2014)

kentdalimp said:


> Hey everybody.
> 
> I've been asked by a friend of mine to research a coating for the inside of what can best be described as: A Commercial Fiberglass Jacuzzi. (It's specifically a baptismal font in a large church.)
> 
> ...


I didn't read every response, but what I would do if use the same epoxy that's used in pools. It last for years to come. It'll just be stinky for a day or two

Sent from my SGH-T989D using Tapatalk


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

I think Wolf is spot on for this. If it's not something you're comfortable with, steer them to someone who specializes in FG boat repair.


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Don't over-think this repair / coating. In the days this thread has been going on, it could've been done and filled with water.


----------



## kentdalimp (Aug 15, 2013)

Understood Wolfgang about not over-thinking it.

However, its not something we are going to be able to do until its scheduled shutdown in a couple of months. Also it's something that could become spec'ed for others like it that the same church has on a national level.

I'd like to look at what is going to offer the best longevity for the best price point, although if it's something that can offer 10+ years of service then the desire for the product will go way up as well as the price we can offer it at.

I agree a Gel Coat will be a great solution and probably the easiest out there. If they could expect a 5 year lifespan from a simple Gel Coat, that would be great.

However if we could extend the lifespan with something like a Polyaspartic Coating or Non-Foul Marine coating, etc. That is an avenue I would like to look into as well.

Not sure what others experiences are, or what would be an fair estimation on the lifespan of a Gel Coat in this application would be. But if you were trying to develop a method to solve this issue on a scale bigger than a single instance, would you approach it differently?

I'm compiling Data Sheets and MSDS on Gelcoats already, thanks to your advice Wolfgang. I'm just trying to see what other options might exist as well.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

The "anti-fouling" part of anti-fouling paints would make me hesitant to recommend them for this application. Those are biocides or heavy metals to discourage marine growth. Since the water is heated and recirculated, I'd be concerned about those components leaching into the water. Besides, there's already a biocide in the water, chloride. In addition, most of the anti-fouling are sacrificial coatings, so they're not as durable as other choices.


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Check out fiberglass yacht manufacturers. These boats set in the water for extended lengths of time, if not continuously. Their gel coatings seem to handle it just fine, and you're talking waters where an abundance of algae and crustacean life exists. I take it your water will be chlorinated to some extent and changed periodically. You can also check out fiberglass pool manufacturers.


----------



## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Okay, here's the last of my advice:

Hire an experienced pro to do this.

You may end up being "well read" when this discussion ends. There is a huge difference between being "well read" and having the equipment and experience to do this. Spraying a catalyzed gelcoat not only requires the proper equipment, but also the experience of spraying it, trouble shooting both equipment and product applications, and a few other things. This isn't like spraying oils or latex. Think more of professional automotive spray experience; reducing, tip sizes, air pressure, etc.. Is the job profitable enough for you to make the monetary and experience investments? Money wise when all is said and done, you could well be in the $1-2 grand range to have the equipment to take on site. Experience could be anywhere from 6mos and up depending on your skill level and having enough practice.

Hire a pro.


----------



## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

^^^^^ Not to mention the potential downside of doing a passel of these and having them fail prematurely.


----------

