# Is your Fiberglass Dull???



## lx22f/c

If it is dull and not responding and keeping it's shine after hours of waxing? Then you might want to try what i did. I did a lot of research on the subject and read hundreds if post on it. I can say it really works well using the Zep . My 07 jayco was the typical camper, dry and caulky not holding a wax job very long in our texas sun. I followed these instructions and the results are amazing. Just trying to help some 2 coolers that may want to make their rv shine and be free from waxing ever again. Here is some pics and a step by step instructions.














http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/04/ZEP treatment
I used the Zep High Traffic Floor Finish.
This process is for older RVs that have lost their shine and no longer respond to conventional wax.
Restoring the finish of an older RV using ZHTFF
Materials:
-Zep High traffic floor finish(Step 3) (available at Home Depot)
-Bar Keeperâ€™s Friend (powdered)
-TSP (Trisodium Phosphate, powdered)
-3M scrubbies (white, or blue ( non scratch)
-Microfiber rags (white or laundered)
-Latex gloves
Preparing the surface is the most important part, since anything left on the surface will be sealed under the ZHTFF acrylic coating, and improper prep can also result in peeling/flaking later. I repeat: The prep-work is the most important part! Do not try to cut corners here. The cleaner your RV is, the better your final results will be.
Step 1: Start by washing your RV well as you normally would, making sure to include the roof, and rinsing well from the top down.
Step 2: You now want to remove any and all stains, soiling, oxidation, and chalkiness from the surface. Dip a white 3M scrubbie into water and then liberally sprinkle Bar Keeperâ€™s Friend (BKF) on it. Scrub the surface of the motorhome, rinsing the scrubbie and re-applying the BKF often. Do small areas at a time, rinsing well with water and a sponge as you go (Rinsing well is important to remove all BKF residue. I used a "flow-thru" brush attached to a hose to rinse the BKF residue thoroughly).
Step 3: Next you want to make sure that there is absolutely no remaining wax on the RV, since any residual wax can cause the ZHTFFto peel and flake. Mix up a bucket of TSP (1/2 cup) in water (2 gal), and use it to wash the entire RV again. You can use it with a carwash brush, a sponge, a pressure washerâ€¦anything you would normally use to wash your RV. Rinse well as you go, then rinse again and let it dry completely (again, rinsing well is important to remove all TSP residue). You should now be left with a clean and smooth (although dull) wax-free surface. Congrats, the hard part is done!
Step 4: Now comes the easy part. Shake the ZHTFF well, and pour some into a shallow container (a pie pan works well). Fold a microfiber rag to about hand-sized, dip it into the ZHTFF (trust me, use gloves!), and squeeze out the excess. How much/how wet? You want it more than damp, but less than dripping. Now simply wipe down the surface of the RV with the wet microfiber rag. Donâ€™t try to apply a heavy coat or try to â€œrub it inâ€; just wet the surface (imagine wiping off a layer of dust with a damp rag). It really doesnâ€™t matter whether you wipe horizontally, vertically, or in circles, and donâ€™t worry about overlaps; ZHTFF is very thin/watery and you are just trying to â€œmoistenâ€ the surface. Work your way all the way around the RV. The thin coat of ZHTFF will dry very quickly; long before youâ€™ve gone all the way around it will be dry and you can immediately start on the next coat. You can also use a spray bottle to spray on camper and then wipe. I found this very useful when on the ladder.
That first coat will likely look really bad; streaky, blotchy, shiny in some places, dull in othersâ€¦donâ€™t panic. Each additional coat will start to even it out and build up a deep layer of shine. By coat 3, you will be grinning ear to ear. And coat 4 (or 5?) will be the icing on the cake. Not only will your RV shine like it hasnâ€™t shined in years, it will be a deeper color as well*. Even old, faded graphics will have a new lease on life! All for less than $30 total!
*Note: This procedure will slightly change/darken the color/shade of your RV.
Things (I learned) to keep in mind:
-Donâ€™t use new colored microfiber rags until they have been laundered, as the color may bleed.
-Donâ€™t try to â€œover-applyâ€, or try for a heavy coat, or you will get runs. The thinner, the better. Remember, youâ€™re just trying to â€œmoistenâ€ the surface with each thin coat, nothing more. If you are getting a lot of runs, youâ€™re applying it too heavily.
-Be careful around window frames, locks, latches, etc., as the ZHTFF is very watery and will have a tendency to gather and cause runs. ZHTFF dries fast, so keep an eye out for any runs and give them a quick wipe before theyÂ 
start to â€œset upâ€.
-Some older, deteriorated graphics may â€œbleedâ€ color onto the rag and surrounding areas. If you notice any bleeding during the BKF or TSP stage (steps 2 and 3), then give a quick wipe of ZHTFF across the graphics prior to step 4, which will seal them up. Then go ahead and apply the ZHTFF to the entire RV (including the now sealed graphics) as per step 4 of the tutorial.
-After each coat, go around and open/operate all hatches, locks, catches, etc. The ZHTFF acrylic coating can sort of â€œglueâ€ them closed.
Following these directions will give you a beautiful shine that will last and you will never have to wax again. Some have reported that once a year they wash the camper with dawn dish soap and apply a refresher coat to continue the shine. Some of this was copied and pasted to cut down on time. I hope this helps others.Â 
Robert


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## Friendswoodmatt

will this work on a boat?


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## lx22f/c

Here is the end result pics.







http://img.tapatalk.com/d/
14/01/04/u9avanan.jpg
You may ask how does it hold up?
My brother did his motorhome over a year ago and it is still shining like new. Mine was done in october and i smile every time i see it.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## lx22f/c

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## lx22f/c

Friendswoodmatt said:


> will this work on a boat?


Above the water line i bet would work just fine i believe. I have no knowledge of how it would stand up to saltwater though. I am not a pro or dealer. Just a rv owner trying to help others.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## mas360

That looks awesome. 
Do you also use it on the roof?


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## lx22f/c

mas360 said:


> That looks awesome.
> Do you also use it on the roof?


No. I have a rubber roof.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## Muleman

Did you do it on the aluminum pieces also?


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## lx22f/c

Muleman said:


> Did you do it on the aluminum pieces also?


Yes, the corner trim got coated also.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## Muleman

*Dull RV*

Did you let the camper dry for a day before the treatment


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## lx22f/c

Muleman said:


> Did you let the camper dry for a day before the treatment


Yes

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## fishfeeder

Great post! Thanks for the info!


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## monkeyman1

Sounds like a good business opportunity for someone - lots of work! Thanks for the tip.

PS: How long did this take to do?


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## Slip

Thanks for info! I am doing my RV this weekend. Washed yesterday and applying today. Question is however, why would this be bad for the roof, even if EPDM rubber? Not doing it.......yet.....just questioning why would't it not be good?


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## Slip

I put 4 coats of the Zep Wet Look Floor Finish on my motorhome today. It took approximately 5 hours to put four coats on it (scrubbed and washed as instructions said yesterday). I did as the instructions say and took all four coats to give a great look. 3 was close to doing it, but stuck with the proven 4. Man, my motorhome got bigger each coat I put on it. I love it! Looks much better than before. I bought this motorhome last year and is a 98 model Four Winds and looks as good as it ever did except for probably when the folks were driving off the shown room floor. Hope it holds up well and by what I have seen others say on doing the same, it should look good for a long time and likely put a refresher coat next year to keep looking good. Here is final results. Didn't take before pictures, but the after sure if impressive. It was very dull looking prior to performing this finish. Time for some muscle relaxers however, I'm pooped out.


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## djwag94

That's a lot of work but your MH looks great. Y'all got me interested in doing mine but my arms & back keeping saying "Oh Heck no". lol


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## lx22f/c

slip knot said:


> I put 4 coats of the Zep Wet Look Floor Finish on my motorhome today. It took approximately 5 hours to put four coats on it (scrubbed and washed as instructions said yesterday). I did as the instructions say and took all four coats to give a great look. 3 was close to doing it, but stuck with the proven 4. Man, my motorhome got bigger each coat I put on it. I love it! Looks much better than before. I bought this motorhome last year and is a 98 model Four Winds and looks as good as it ever did except for probably when the folks were driving off the shown room floor. Hope it holds up well and by what I have seen others say on doing the same, it should look good for a long time and likely put a refresher coat next year to keep looking good. Here is final results. Didn't take before pictures, but the after sure if impressive. It was very dull looking prior to performing this finish. Time for some muscle relaxers however, I'm pooped out.


Looks great!!!! It does take some elbow grease it they are really dirty and chalky but when you are done its all smiles.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain You;


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## Little Jimmy Cook

*dull fiberglass*

This sounds great. I hate the dull fiberglass on my trailer and poly glow or whatever it was did not do a good job.

I think I will try this and see how it goes.

Any good ideas on removing the decals because the sun has faded and deteriorated mine to the point that they need to be removed from the front and rear and the wording only decals on the sides. The main decorative sweep decals are fine. Maybe a heat gun?


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## glampers

very well thought out and informative. Thank you. Going to park my TT on the coast from now on so looking for ways to make it last longer. Again thanks


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## rlw

Little Jimmy Cook said:


> This sounds great. I hate the dull fiberglass on my trailer and poly glow or whatever it was did not do a good job.
> 
> I think I will try this and see how it goes.
> 
> Any good ideas on removing the decals because the sun has faded and deteriorated mine to the point that they need to be removed from the front and rear and the wording only decals on the sides. The main decorative sweep decals are fine. Maybe a heat gun?


Great post I hve to try this on mine. And my decals on one side are faded
and peeling also.


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## wisslbritches

I'll save this one for future use. Thanks!


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## rglide09

Thanks Robert for sharing this info. I thought our 2004 Montana was down for the count on it's dull finish. Unfortunately it has lived outside it's entire life. I've spent a few afternoons just compounding and buffing the front cap so I could get the bugs off. I tried the method you posted and WOW! The RV looks great, I'll post photos from my phone to show the results. 
I used the "spray and wipe" method for the floor polish since we have a 5th wheel and most of the work was from a ladder. 
Follow the instructions to clean the RV first or you will be polishing dirt! I bet your RV will never be as clean as when you wash it 3 times before applying the polish. This method sure beats trying to rub in compound/wax and using a buffer to not see results. I put 4 coats of polish on. Definitley wear gloves, past the wrist if you can find them. Time will tell how good this works but our Montana has never looked this good! I want to go camping now and show it off!
I got lucky and had a cool/cloudy day to do this work in, helps to keep the sun off it while working..


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## lx22f/c

Renny, glad it worked out for you. Mine has been on for 6 months now and still shining!!! Post up some pics when you can. 


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## Law Dog

That looks awesome. Thanks for sharing!


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## rglide09

Before and after photos....if they make it! 

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## rglide09

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## rglide09

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## lx22f/c

Looks great. Now i know why you want to show it off!!!


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