Pop Top Finish

[Remmy]

Evening , Whats everyones experience and\or expectation on how long the finish should last on a fiberglass pop-top roof . Mine has gone dull\flat after 4 years .. Would have expected it to last longer than that, Its my pride and joy so carefully cleaned\valeted regularly .. Don't fancy the polytrol route and wrap costs are as much as a respray .. Just didnt expect to have to do it so soon .. Located in the UK so it doesnt get that much sun ... Thanks

 

[Salty Spuds]

Evening , Whats everyones experience and\or expectation on how long the finish should last on a fiberglass pop-top roof . Mine has gone dull\flat after 4 years .. Would have expected it to last longer than that, Its my pride and joy so carefully cleaned\valeted regularly .. Don't fancy the polytrol route and wrap costs are as much as a respray .. Just didnt expect to have to do it so soon .. Located in the UK so it doesnt get that much sun ... Thanks

Is it bare GRP or painted?

 

[JumpShip]

Have you 'maintained' it ?

 

[Shaun Witts]

My Reimo pop top was painted to match the van when fitted in 2018, so has been on for nearly 7 years now. There is no noticeable deterioration, and I would not expect there to be. Mind you, it is parked under a car port with a tin roof so is out of the weather most of the time.

 

[Lubrown]

My Reimo pop top was painted to match the van when fitted in 2018, so has been on for nearly 7 years now. There is no noticeable deterioration, and I would not expect there to be. Mind you, it is parked under a car port with a tin roof so is out of the weather most of the time.

Mine looks painted and is also a 2018 vintage. It’s painted black, left outside year round and rarely washed, with polishing/sealing even rarer. It’s not looking so pretty but it lasted 7 years.
I’ll see what I can do to get it back but don’t want to put in too much effort as the paint is flaking from the edge (beneath the seal) so it’s going to need actual remedial work soon.

 

[DXX]

There’s some fairly big discussions on this very subject already on the Forum.
Have a Search with ‘Gel Coat’ and you’ll find quite a few.

 

[DXX]

Evening , Whats everyones experience and\or expectation on how long the finish should last on a fiberglass pop-top roof . Mine has gone dull\flat after 4 years .. Would have expected it to last longer than that, Its my pride and joy so carefully cleaned\valeted regularly .. Don't fancy the polytrol route and wrap costs are as much as a respray .. Just didnt expect to have to do it so soon .. Located in the UK so it doesnt get that much sun ... Thanks

Industry standard paint guarantee is 2 years so you won’t get anywhere with warranty.
Even Reimo roofs have issues with blistering caused by chemical reactions in the laminate. Water based paints don’t help.
If you want a re-spray you’ll need to find a spray shop with a high enough oven to take the whole van or remove the roof.
Baking the roof after prep’ before re-painting will reduce the chance of blistering.

 

[Remmy]

Have you 'maintained' it ?

Very well !!

 

[Remmy]

Is it bare GRP or painted?

Painted

 

[mvw]

Mine's also painted black and was fitted in June 2020 (previous owner), it was bad when I bought it, faded in most areas and almost a matt finish. I tried polytrol and that was ok for a couple of months. In the end it came off with the jet wash, but even before that it had started fading again and it was never a good finish. I've resigned to the fact that it needs to be wet sanded and re-polished. I've tried a few times, but the weather has been so hot I really need a whole day of no sun or rain as have to do it out side. I have already 500 sanded the whole roof and then done parts with 800/1000/2000/3000. It's come up good, not yet perfect. I've cut an polished a small section and then waxed it and that looks good. Again I think it could be better if a pro did it, but definitely acceptable. At the moment I'm thinking cut/polish/wax and then maybe a ceramic coat to try and protect it, but may also just try to keep a wax coat on it every few months (without ceramic) and see if that works as it's easy to apply.

I wouldn't recommend polytrol, although it could definitely been the way I applied it. I think if I didn't try that I could have got away with just a cut and polish

 

[Remmy]

Mine's also painted black and was fitted in June 2020 (previous owner), it was bad when I bought it, faded in most areas and almost a matt finish. I tried polytrol and that was ok for a couple of months. In the end it came off with the jet wash, but even before that it had started fading again and it was never a good finish. I've resigned to the fact that it needs to be wet sanded and re-polished. I've tried a few times, but the weather has been so hot I really need a whole day of no sun or rain as have to do it out side. I have already 500 sanded the whole roof and then done parts with 800/1000/2000/3000. It's come up good, not yet perfect. I've cut an polished a small section and then waxed it and that looks good. Again I think it could be better if a pro did it, but definitely acceptable. At the moment I'm thinking cut/polish/wax and then maybe a ceramic coat to try and protect it, but may also just try to keep a wax coat on it every few months (without ceramic) and see if that works as it's easy to apply.

I wouldn't recommend polytrol, although it could definitely been the way I applied it. I think if I didn't try that I could have got away with just a cut and polish

Seems like GRP is just a pain to keep a good finish on however its done .. I think i'm going to go down the wrap route ....

 

[Salty Spuds]

Painted

If it's painted as in sprayed to match the van, then it shouldn't take any more looking after than the rest of the van TBH. Ours is sprayed Oryx White and still looks good after 8 years. I just wash & polish it with the rest of the van. Is the GRP starting to delaminate under the paint. Usually if GRP isn't painted, the gelcoat starts to degrade with UV exposure after a few years, if it really is painted, I wouldn't expect this to happen.

 

[Remmy]

If it's painted as in sprayed to match the van, then it shouldn't take any more looking after than the rest of the van TBH. Ours is sprayed Oryx White and still looks good after 8 years. I just wash & polish it with the rest of the van. Is the GRP starting to delaminate under the paint. Usually if GRP isn't painted, the gelcoat starts to degrade with UV exposure after a few years, if it really is painted, I wouldn't expect this to happen.

Thanks , Apparently its Gel Coat which ties in with what your saying ...

 

[Salty Spuds]

Thanks , Apparently its Gel Coat which ties in with what your saying ...

If the gelcoat is going dull you might be getting a pinhole effect on the surface. You can revive tired gelcoat with compound & polish, but you have to be careful as the gelcoat is only a very thin layer. If you’re to aggressive, you can cut through the gelcoat into the GRP underneath. I’d be tempted to give it a light compounding & then a good polish or ceramic coating.

 

[Frigo110]

At the moment I'm thinking cut/polish/wax and then maybe a ceramic coat to try and protect it, but may also just try to keep a wax coat on it every few months (without ceramic) and see if that works as it's easy to apply.

I wouldn't recommend polytrol, although it could definitely been the way I applied it. I think if I didn't try that I could have got away with just a cut and polish

Ceramic coating needs a "clean" surface - a cleansing wipe-down to remove any remaining oils, waxes, or silicones is necessary before applying.
Process order is wash, clay bar, polish, wipe-down, coating.

 

[Fintious maximus]

What’s everyone’s experience with Polytrol? Seen a guy on you tube did it to his roof and he was raving about it - I guess it’s not a long lasting finish? I put a deposit on van yesterday and the black roof looks a bit dull so am going to try and revive it. On my old caravan I used a polish that said it was for GRP panels on boats and it worked quite well but was hard work to apply so wouldn’t fancy doing a full roof.

 

[Sasquatch]

What’s everyone’s experience with Polytrol? Seen a guy on you tube did it to his roof and he was raving about it - I guess it’s not a long lasting finish? I put a deposit on van yesterday and the black roof looks a bit dull so am going to try and revive it. On my old caravan I used a polish that said it was for GRP panels on boats and it worked quite well but was hard work to apply so wouldn’t fancy doing a full roof.

Owatrol Polytrol is superb. Probably a little better than Vista Concept, albeit a little more expensive.

Yes, its long lasting. Annually or even less frequently depending on the surface and how clean you keep the van.

Easy application on large smooth-ish surfaces. I use a new washing up type sponge to apply it and rub it on (and I then bin the sponge - I'm not that tight!)

 

[Fintious maximus]

I’ll get some and give it a go - I’m a bit of a clean and polish freak so van will always be looked after - I assume you can used regular car shampoo on the roof once it’s been Owatrol’d?

 

[Sasquatch]

I assume you can used regular car shampoo on the roof once it’s been Owatrol’d?

Affirmative.