Gelcoat/fiberglass-safe adhesive remover?

[ValiantV]

I'm removing some old self-destruct vinyl lettering from the side of our boat. (A really awful previous owners attempt at naming a boat) and I'll need to do a little cleanup and likely some minor "sanding" to get the previously protected gelcoat under the old letters to match my delightful chalky weathered hull. But first, I need to remove traces of the old adhesive.

So really 2 questions - what solvent can I use to get off old lettering adhesive but not attack the gelcoat? Would be great it it was a hardware store item rather than a West Marine expensive juice.

Next is trying to erase any old "shadow" the old lettering caused. Really fine sandpaper? Scotchbrite? It looks too pronounced for mere rubbing compound to fix. (Though I may try that first).

Thanks. I'd attach a picture, but there's little visible contrast that the camera would actually capture.

[Calif.Ted]

The hardware store will carry several brands of "Adhesive Remover" which is what I've used, still takes plenty of clean disposable rags and elbow grease.
Ideally you'd like to make the REST of the boat look like the protected part under the old vinyl. After you buff and wax the rest of the hull a few times the shadow will either fade or you won't notice much anymore.

[Benz]

My go-to adhesive removers are, in order: denatured alcohol, acetone, MEK. I've never met a glue one of those wouldn't remove, and they're safe for gelcoat.
I agree that after some buffing and waxing the print from the old letters will fade. But you should buff and wax the entire hull....

[ValiantV]

Originally Posted by Benz

My go-to adhesive removers are, in order: denatured alcohol, acetone, MEK. I've never met a glue one of those wouldn't remove, and they're safe for gelcoat.
I agree that after some buffing and waxing the print from the old letters will fade. But you should buff and wax the entire hull....

Agreed on buffing out the rest of the hull.

I think that the areas protected by the old lettering were never buffed, and as the surrounding area chalked and was compounded & waxed, these areas "receded" as old, chalked gelcoat was buffed away and was lost over several buffing. So what I have is raised areas that were previously under the lettering.

That nay explain why the last owner opted to keep the goofy name... Easier than fixing the gelcoat.

[Cheechako]

I'll just add Sometimes Lacquer thinner will do what Acetone wont. DId you use a heat gun to remove the lettering?

[zeehag]

acetone works well. never hurt any corvettes nor racing cars made of fg that i worked with, nor my boats. use in well ventilated area. donot smoke when using acetone or you will become akin to crispy critter, a fellow race worker who forgot that minor detail. oops.

[RickG]

Just did this exercise on 14 year old vinyl lettering. First pass was with a heat gun (carefully) and a stiff scraper/putty knife. Second pass was adhesive remover. Third pass was acetone. The boat was clean, but a buff/wax was required to move the white shadow of the old graphics. It was no fun doing this in the water, but it looks good.

Cheers, RickG

[minaret]

No substitute for Citrus, for a general solvent free safe adhesive remover that works super well and smells pleasant instead of nasty. No respirator necessary, if you spray it on and tape plastic over it it'll take just about anything off. Usually just spray on once or twice and let sit for a minute though.



https://www.amazon.com/3M-6040-ADHES.../dp/B003ZHOZRO

[ValiantV]

Originally Posted by minaret

No substitute for Citrus, for a general solvent free safe adhesive remover that works super well and smells pleasant instead of nasty. No respirator necessary, if you spray it on and tape plastic over it it'll take just about anything off. Usually just spray on once or twice and let sit for a minute though.



https://www.amazon.com/3M-6040-ADHES.../dp/B003ZHOZRO

Thanks for all the great suggestions on the solvents. Luckily, I'm quite outside, so fumes won't be an issue. I'll likely try the orange oil first and move up from there.

Laquer thinner is pretty nasty stuff and I remember it would take pretty much anything off. Good to know frp is immune.

As for my removal, it pretty much peeled right off. Still pliable. I think a previous owner replaced the lettering on one side where it had dock rash. Looks like the same lettering was there previously, just off by a fraction of an inch the prior time. No heat gun was required. (Then again, southern Louisiana in June is already pretty hot.)

Any suggestions for the abrasive step? Maybe 600 wet/dry on a stiff sanding block to knock the raised areas down more than the low areas?

[Flyingriki]

I too have had good luck with the citrus. Kind of surprised MEK is safe on gelcoat!

[hellosailor]

Call the folks at 3M, they make a variety of products that do the job. Auto body shop suppliers carry it all for working on cars, especially fiberglass cars (Corvette) for many years.

3M makes solvents that will dissolve the glue without attacking the glass, although the usual vinyl glue is naphtha based and rubber cement thinner will loosen it, with more patience. Heating the vinyl also helps loosen the glue and let it peel off in one piece, or bigger pieces.

And one of 3M's secret weapons is a "rubber" wheel that you put in an electric drill. It is a specific compound that grips the vinyl and "polishes" it off, without harming the fiberglass or paint underneath it. Body shop suppliers or the better auto chain stores.

No matter what you do, there may be a ghost of the vinyl because it has protected part of the hull from weathering. In which case you're looking at polishing the whole area as well, to try to get that blended in.

No caustic or magic chemicals needed, either way. (Avoid any "stripper" that is lye-based, those need to be neutralized or they can and will stain or eat the hull.)

[UNCIVILIZED]

Not that it solves this problem directly, but one can always add a new "sticker" to cover the "tan lines" created by the old one. Whether it's the boat's name, or artwork, a logo, etc. And paint's an option for this too, obviously.

Some boats even go with a full on tiger stripe pattern, or similar, on the hull. That or the full NASCAR sponsors' sticker route. Albeit the latter is usually done on racing boats with sponsorship by the same companies who's names are plastered all over the hull.

[ValiantV]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

.

No matter what you do, there may be a ghost of the vinyl because it has protected part of the hull from weathering. In which case you're looking at polishing the whole area as well, to try to get that blended in.

hull.)

That is indeed the most obvious issue at hand. The vinyl lettering peeled off easily, mostly in large pieces, and actually left very little adhesive behind. I'm hoping the acetone will take care of that.

The bigger problem is the difference between the previously covered areas, which are shiny, smooth, and off-white - and the exposed areas, that are weathered, rough, chalky, and ghostly white.

I know a little gentle abrasion will remove the chalkiness, but I'm afraid the previously protected areas will be higher and gave more sound gelcoat intact. Trying to smooth them out without wearing through the (surely) thin remaining gelcoat that is weathered will be there trick.

I'm hoping some fine (600 wet/dry) sandpaper will be gentle enough not to remove too much material. Also reasoning that putting it on a fairly stiff sanding block (hard rubber) will cause it to put most of the "weight" on the thicker, protected gelcoat.

Hopefully, I can exorcise the ghost of the old name without needing a paint job...

[ValiantV]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Not that it solves this problem directly, but one can always add a new "sticker" to cover the "tan lines" created by the old one. Whether it's the boat's name, or artwork, a logo, etc. And paint's an option for this too, obviously.

Some boats even go with a full on tiger stripe pattern, or similar, on the hull. That or the full NASCAR sponsors' sticker route. Albeit the latter is usually done on racing boats with sponsorship by the same companies who's names are plastered all over the hull.

Maybe I can get a corporate sponsor....


Suppose STP will pony up some $$$ along with a couple of 4' wide stickers?

But seriously. Depending how successful the dermabrasion is, I may need to consider some kind of coating...

[Diesel Bill]

Just went through this last week on my boat. Had to change the home port decals on the stern. I used a heat gun and putty knife to remove and then windex on a rag to clean up the gel coat prior to putting on new decals. The windex worked pretty good. I had the spray citrus on standby just in case but didn't need it.