T/T to Wheels - a good example of fibreglass preparation before being wrapped in carbon effect film.
Below pics of the same dash in various prep stages, and with final carbon wrap looking great.
The great thing about fibreglass yachts is that they are ready to wrap out of the mould, no preparation required.. you can wrap brand new yachts to change colour or protect the surface underneath with virtually no prep.
But older yachts can have cracks, breakouts and deformations in the gelcoat that will need addressing before the wrap is applied.
Tip #1 - Flatting back/Fairing
You can't just wrap over cracks, breakouts or bulges and expect to have a great finish.
- the fairer the surface underneath the better.
- small note, films with effects like carbon, leather are easier on the eye than gloss, which will show all imperfections underneath.
- if you are filling and fairing, we can wrap over primer like Awlgrip 545
Spend the time making sure the surface underneath is filled/faired and smooth.
Tip #2 - 600 Grit
Do your filling and fairing, its really important!, then flat back with 600 grit to give a smooth surface for the wrap to stick to. Films adhere best to high gloss surfaces, but we have found that flatting back to 600 grit is good enough.
"Its the opposite to paint, which needs a rough surface to key into - wraps adhere best to a high gloss surface" – Greg
Tip #3 - Clean
Just before wrapping, clean the surfaces to remove all dust and grit that may be caught under the wrap. The cleaner the better, when the adhesive is exposed it attracts dust and grit - so clean more than just the surface to be wrapped - clean the surrounding area too.
If you have oil/grease on the surface then clean using an alcohol cleaner.
Tip #4 - Clean again
Seriously, literally just before wrapping clean again - make sure that other trades stop making dust or grinding nearby, clean clean clean.
Tip #5 - Protect
Once the wrap is finished, protect it - especially if the yacht is in a refit and there are more trades with things to do. You really don't want the wrap getting an inch of dust and grit all over it as it may scratch and damage the beautiful finish you have!
So to finish, the fairer and the cleaner the better.
It's worth doing the prep, Wild Wraps will carry out smaller preparation but if there is a lot of work to do we would suggest a yard take this on before the wrap is applied.