• All mold release agents, waxes or polishes must be removed prior to sanding the surface so it’s important to ensure the surface is properly degreased.
  
  
• To tell if the surface is properly degreased, the water should spread across the surface while flushing. Small droplets of water are an indicator that the surface isn’t fully degreased. If so, repeat the cleaning process.
  
  
• When degreasing with solvent, work with the 2-cloth method: use one cloth soaked with solvent and then wipe straight after with a clean cloth to remove the contamination.
  
  
• Use a slow evaporating solvent to have enough time to wipe the surface with the clean cloth.
  
  
• Change the cloths regularly to avoid spreading the dirt back to the surface.

• Bucket
  
  
• High pressure washer
  
  
• Extension for cleaning tool
  
  
• Sponge and/or cloths
  
  
• Rubber gloves
  
  
• Safety shoes
  
  
• Overalls
  
  
• Eye protection
  
  
• Specialized cleaning product

• Do not sand excessively hard as all you need to do is remove the gloss and/or any oxidized material on aged gel coats.
  
  
• Sanding too hard may reveal porosity deep in the gel coat that can then be very hard to fill.
  
  
• Be careful not to sand over the sealants around the windows or fittings as the sealant can contaminate the surface. Cover these areas with masking tape before sanding.

• Sanding paper 180 - 280 grit (various grades for surface preparation)
  
  
• Cleaning brushes
  
  
• Vacuum cleaner (or compressed air)
  
  
• Cleaning thinner
  
  
• Rubber gloves
  
  
• Dust mask
  
  
• Tack rag or lint free cloth
  
  
• Overalls
  
  
• Sanding machine and/or suitable sanding blocks
  
  
• Eye protection

Working with a roller:

• Applying paint with a roller is a fast method of covering large areas
  
  
• Rollers should be high density closed cell foam types to minimise formation of bubbles that can occur with mohair or large cell foam rollers.
  
  
• If rollering with felt or mohair rollers, wrap masking tape around a new roller and then pull off to remove any loose fibres.
  
  
• Some rollers may be affected by solvents in the product and can swell during use. When they become too soft to use, or look like they are breaking up, replace them with a new one.
  
  
• When using a roller and tray it is a good idea to keep the tray covered loosely to avoid the wind, sun or air creating a skin over the paint during use.
  
  

Working with a brush:

• Brushes should be medium to large width typically 75 – 150mm with long flexible bristles.
  
  
• A smaller 50mm brush will be used for painting around windows or any other fiddly detail.
  
  
• Wash your brushes with the thinner and dry them thoroughly before using to avoid contamination.
  
  
• When applying by brush, clean or change brushes after 20 minutes to avoid overloading with paint.
  
  
• Use a worn brush if possible for the final coat to ensure less brush marks.
  
  
• When tipping-off with a brush, put some thinner inside a container to clean the tipping brush should the bristles start to clog due to curing or thickened paint.
  
  

Other useful tips:

• If it is particularly hot or cold weather conditions, you can add a small amount of suitable thinner (no more than 10%) to help ease the application.
  
  
• If you’re getting runs as the paint is applied then it’s either too thin or you’re applying too much. If you’re seeing runs/sagging that occurs after 5-10 minutes, the paint is too thick and needs to be carefully thinned.
  
  
• Always use lint-free cloths/ tack rags.
  
  
• Never paint wearing wool clothing as the fibres can find their way into your work.
  
  
• Avoid using paint direct from the can as this may introduce contamination and prematurely age the paint from solvent evaporation. Pour the amount you expect to use in 30 minutes into a separate container.
  
  
• You may find some old jam jars or clean dry tin cans are useful for mixing paint. Also metal measuring spoons of various sizes from the supermarket are ideal for measuring small quantities of paint and hardener for the smaller jobs.
  
  
• Normally 2 - 3 coats of finish coat will be needed. After the first coat, assess how much product you used to help you work out how much you'll need to complete the job. Refer to label data for self-on-self re-coating times.
  
  
• Finishes can be applied using a brush and/or roller. stir and leave the mixed paint for around 10 minutes to allow bubbles to disperse.
  
  
• On a hull, it’s best to have two people working side-by-side. One applying vertically by roller and the second following along tipping off vertically with a brush whilst the paint is still wet enough to retain its wet edge.
  
  

• Sanding paper 320 - 400 grit (various grades for topcoat application)
  
  
• Paint roller tray
  
  
• Paint rollers (suitable sizes and types)
  
  
• Paint brushes (suitable size)
  
  
• Tack rag or lint free cloth
  
  
• Safety shoes
  
  
• Face dust masks
  
  
• Hand protection (as per product SDS)
  
  
• Overalls
  
  
• Sanding machine and/or suitable sanding blocks
  
  
• Eye protection