T2 pop top roof cleaning

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by spinkoli, Jan 10, 2020.

  1. Hi all, not sure if this is the right place to post this but has anyone got any good tips for deep cleaning a T2 pop top roof? Mine has lost it's shine, has got a real ingrained dirty grime and is slightly furry! Unfortunately, I haven't got a close up but you can just about see it on the attached pic. It's sort of just going greyer and greyer!

    So, was wondering what the best way would be to get it back to it's former glory. Any tips would be great! Thanks in advance!

    Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 09.49.42.png Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 09.49.42.png
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 10, 2020
  2. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    At some point the gel coat loses its shine.
    You can polish it with T-cut or Farecla or similar.
    Or clean it and sand it and treat it to either one- pack or two pack polyurethane yacht emamel. You may have to add a smidge of yellow and blue or black to get a less blinding white.
     
    spinkoli likes this.
  3. Pudelwagen

    Pudelwagen Supporter

    Or use Rustoleum L90D pastel white.
     
    spinkoli likes this.
  4. What you need to start off with is a great big, long hosepipe brush what you get for cleaning caravans, from caravan centres.
    Or power wash it.
    If neither of those works,
    Pop up the roof, and drive the bus back into your garage or car port and claim for a new roof cap on your insurance.
     
    spinkoli, Purple, Soggz and 4 others like this.
  5. Day

    Day

    As above. .
    Clean, rub down then a coat of paint.
     
  6. Give it a good scrub with Barkeeper's Friend, then wax it.
     
    spinkoli likes this.
  7. Thanks for the tip! Am going to try some T-Cut tomorrow :)
     
  8. Ha! love that thought.
     
  9. Thanks for all the tips people. Going to spend the weekend doing some experiments on getting Biko's roof clean!
    Will post some pics if I succeed!

    Have a good 'un.
     
  10. I used a non scratch cream bathroom type cleaner came up a treat, I then applied a layer of wax polish.
     
  11. That's what Barry uses on his legs...
     
    crossy2112 and spinkoli like this.
  12. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    Basically theres about 0.3 to 0.5 mm of gel coat painted into the mould first to be shiny, then the laminate is laid up inside .

    The result is a shiny surface then a thin layer of pigment coated resin.
    If there were air bubbles in the gel coat these eventually get exposed as pits as the surface weathers and then fill with mould and dirt.
    By the time you have polished it you may have no gelcoat left and instead you just have raw resin with glass fibres embedded in it. So a paint job will be needed just like old boats.
     
    spinkoli likes this.
  13. I'm glad my boat has a thicker layer of gelcoat
     
    spinkoli likes this.
  14. Arrr an old Navy deck swabbing trick !:D
     
    spinkoli, snotty and Pickles like this.
  15. nicktuft

    nicktuft Supporter

    I use farecla available from a boat Chandler's as @mikedjames mentioned.
    Works well and keeps its shine. Follow instructions and do a bit at a time and use regularly.
     
  16. mikedjames

    mikedjames Supporter

    My pot of Farecla came from a car paint supplier in Pompey, an alternative.
     
  17. I use Fenwicks 304 motorhome cleaner, comes up pretty good, though I do need to repaint it at some point.
     

Share This Page