Cleaning or sanding fibreglass

Count de Monet

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Feb 5, 2011, 3:41:54 AM2/5/11

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Hi

I have just moved home and the outdoor electric meter box has a broken
latch (which I will replace). The previous home-owner has over the years
used a variety of different types of sticky tape to keep the door shut
and this tape has left a lot of adhesive on the door and frame.

How can I remove this sticky gunge prior to re-painting? can these
fibreglass boxes be sanded?

Skipweasel

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Feb 5, 2011, 4:41:28 AM2/5/11

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In article <iij2gb$r6r$1...@speranza.aioe.org>, m...@privacy.net says...

> How can I remove this sticky gunge prior to re-painting?

Lighter-fluid usually shifts most adhesives.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

harry

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Feb 5, 2011, 5:27:04 AM2/5/11

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Fibre glass often has a thin surface gell coat. However it can be
lightly sanded, don't go mad or you will expose the fibre glass matt
underneath. & don't inhale the dust.
Good idea to paint it, UV destroys it over the years.

Nightjar

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Feb 5, 2011, 7:14:09 AM2/5/11

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You would do better to try a solvent cleaner first. Sanding is likely to
damage the gel coat and I doubt it would be that effective at removing
adhesive residue anyway. There are commercial products specifically made
for the job - look in almost any ironmonger - although I would use
petrol as I always keep a can of it for the lawnmower.

Colin Bignell

Chris Wilson

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Feb 5, 2011, 8:31:48 AM2/5/11

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"Nightjar <\"cpb\"@" <"insertmysurnamehere> wrote in news:Pd-
dnYKUpeeJotDQn...@giganews.com:

I'd be tempted to sand the whole kit and caboodle and put on a new gel
coat, a second fine sanding to provide a key then paint.

--

All the best,

Chris

Ronald Raygun

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Feb 5, 2011, 8:27:59 AM2/5/11

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Skipweasel wrote:

> In article <iij2gb$r6r$1...@speranza.aioe.org>, m...@privacy.net says...
>> How can I remove this sticky gunge prior to re-painting?
>
> Lighter-fluid usually shifts most adhesives.

Especially when lit.

Skipweasel

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Feb 5, 2011, 10:47:59 AM2/5/11

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In article <BDc3p.35475$P05....@newsfe23.ams2>,
no....@localhost.localdomain says...

> > Lighter-fluid usually shifts most adhesives.
>
> Especially when lit.
>

Particularly on a gas-meter box?

Nightjar

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Feb 5, 2011, 11:11:07 AM2/5/11

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Gel coat is designed not to cure completely when exposed to air. That
improves the bond to the next layer when you lay up in a mould, but
makes it difficult to apply to existing GRP. It is possible to overcome
that by using cling film, but keeping the existing gel coat is usually
the best option.

Colin Bignell

Tim Watts

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Feb 5, 2011, 12:27:33 PM2/5/11

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(%EMAIL) wibbled on Saturday 05 February 2011 12:14:

+1

I would try:

Surgical spirit,
IPA
White spirit

IPA will shift most gums but can take a bit of rubbing. The other two may be
quicker depending...

--
Tim Watts

Derek G.

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Feb 5, 2011, 4:38:04 PM2/5/11

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On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 17:27:33 +0000, Tim Watts <t...@dionic.net> wrote:

>> You would do better to try a solvent cleaner first. Sanding is likely to
>> damage the gel coat and I doubt it would be that effective at removing
>> adhesive residue anyway. There are commercial products specifically made
>> for the job - look in almost any ironmonger - although I would use
>> petrol as I always keep a can of it for the lawnmower.
>>
>> Colin Bignell
>
>+1
>
>I would try:
>
>Surgical spirit,
>IPA
>White spirit
>
>IPA will shift most gums but can take a bit of rubbing. The other two may be
>quicker depending...

If it's still soft and sticky "Label Remover" is the dog's ...

If not and the tape has left a hard and petrified residue other
solvents (Meths ?) might be better, although no doubt a decorator
would just rub it down and paint it!

Derek G