When you own a boat that has a fiberglass hull, protecting that hull for the long term is important to protecting the life of the entire boat. While your boat will come from the manufacturer with a protective coating on the fiberglass material, this coating can and does wear away with time. Therefore, it will eventually become necessary to add a new finish with a proper marine fiberglass top coating. If adding a topcoat is an unfamiliar process for you, you will feel a little lost when you head to the marine supply store to get the supplies you need. Here is a look at some of the different types of marine topcoat and their advantages. 

Ceramic Coating 

Ceramic coating is of the higher-grade fiberglass topcoat materials you can buy, and it comes with a full list of advantages that explain why it is one of the most popular. Ceramic coating is formulated with actual ceramic powders, so when it hardens, it provides a supreme layer of protection. Ceramic topcoats will protect the hull of your boat from things like oxidation, corrosion, stains, and even UV rays. If you constantly have your vessel in salty water, ceramic topcoats are possibly the best variety to use when refinishing. 

Polymer Coating

Polymer coatings are made with rubberized polymers, so the formulation is pretty resilient when all is said and done. Polymer coatings are usually less expensive than ceramic, so they often get picked up as an inexpensive solution to add a quick layer of protection. Polymer coatings do come across as fairly resilient, but they also are not as long-lived. They tend to have to be replaced faster than some of the higher-end finishes. If you rarely get the opportunity to pull your boat from the water to refinish the top coat, it is best to stick with something more resilient. 

Wax Coatings 

Wax coatings are pretty much a temporary solution for fiberglass refinishing. This top coat material is wax-based, so it basically gets rubbed in place and will wear away with minimal force. Although the wax is a quick way to protect the fiberglass of your hull from the water, it is a super short-lived solution. The wax particles can and will break down with prolonged moisture exposure, so reapplication every little bit would be an all-out must. Wax coatings are most often used on small vessels that do not spend long periods in the water. 

Learn more from a company such as Glidecoat.

Share