1983 24' Grady White Gel Coat Restoration | Liquid Crystal Armour Nano Ceramic Top Coat

Marine Nano Shop offers DIY and professional boat care products and coatings that focus on Nano Technology. Our products and services are available to DIYers, professional detailers or can be installed by one of the select professional detailers. In most cases, our product line has been developed by the chemist who works very closely with detailers who work specifically on larger vessels with very expensive paint jobs.

The evolution of nanocoatings is no surprise. The ability to hold up and last much longer than traditional products on the market is because of their rigid bonding properties. Nanocoatings, on a molecular level, are 100's of times smaller than the molecules in traditional wax.

Wax only sticks to the top of the surface and typically lasts anywhere from 3-6 months. It provides a deep luster and shine for your paint, but will not hold up under the elements.

Getting started with a polymer sealant for boats

Polymer sealants a.k.a synthetic wax, provide paint protection that traditional wax cannot. It fills the void and also has a longer life span which typically ranges from 6-12 months. These type of sealants prevent fading from U.V. exposure, they're hydrophobic and fight against etching and staining.

Coatings come in a variety of different types: acrylic, ceramic, silicate or glass. Marine Nano Shops offers a variety of different ceramic coatings as they hold up the best under the harshest conditions.

To restore the gel coat back to its original factory finish is a lengthy process, but well worth the hard work and time. It all starts with removing the oxidized layer from the surface. This can be achieved with either a heavy cut compound or wet sanding depending on the condition of the gel coat. We recommend testing a few spots with different cuts of the compound to observe how much oxidation and gel coat is being removed from the surface.

Common boat restoration issues with a nano-ceramic top coat

If the compound is not working well, then that leaves you with no other choice but to wet sand. Wet sanding is more of an art than a science. You may be asking yourself, well which grit should I start with? That is a good question. I recommend starting with 1000 grit Mirka Abralon Mesh Abrasive sanding disc. If possible, use a 6'' 8mm DA Polisher for best results.

After wet sanding, start with a heavy cut compound and then move up to a medium-cut or lite cut compound to remove all scratches and swirl marks. We recommend using a rotary buffer with a wool pad to get the best results.

Once the gel coat is compounded, prepare the gel coat for the ceramic nanocoating with one of our finishing polishes to bring out deep luster and shine. We recommend using a rotary buffer with a synthetic wool pad to achieve optimal results.

Applying your nano-ceramic topcoat

Now the surface is ready for the coating, but before applying, the surface must be completely free and clear of any polishing residues. Using our Surface Prep, an alcohol-based solution, clean the surface with a white cloth and remove all contaminants and residues. This is preparing the surface for the maximum level of bondage. Without this step, you run the risk of the coating not properly adhering to the surface and drastically shortening the lifespan of the product.

You've made it! you are now ready to apply the Ceramic Nano Coating.  Use application pad to apply Liquid Crystal Armour in small areas, 14” by 14” at a time. Then, immediately after applying to the area, use a clean microfiber towel to buff out the area to a uniform shine. Repeat this process on the entire boat or yacht overlapping all areas to ensure complete coverage.

Allow for 8 hours of drying time if applying a second coat. For best results wait 24 hours before allowing the surface to come in contact with water. 

Sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You have just created a surface that will be easy to maintain and a long-lasting shine that will hold up for 12+ months!