Barb
you asked for it, hehe I was smart this time wrote it on word document so I can redo it later if needed.
A few basics,,,, our RV’s have two different coverings,, clear coat covers the ford van metal,, gel coat covers the fiberglass parts. When I went to tech school for painting cars ( I use to paint antique cars) instructor showed us metal, glass, plastic under a microscope,,, even though it looks and feels smooth its not,, there are pits in the surface,,they are of course microscopic but are there so when I use the word holes remember microscopic.
What usually takes place, bare metal a coat of primer is placed on it fills in the holes. Then painted fills in more holes,, then one or two coats of clear coats fills in the holes even more. On some paint jobs 4 coats of clear coat is put over the paint then actually sanded,, you use sandpaper 2000 to 4000 grit,,like using a newspaper to sand haha… now factory cars RV the clear one coat is put on then sent out still looks good. Fiberglass is normally already colored white and a coat of gel coat put on it. If your RV has total paint,,, primer, paint , then gel coat.
As stated earlier the primer paint gel/clear coat fill in the holes,, Why do we wax on wax off hehe,,, fill in more holes. Even though water will fun off your newly waxed RV what happens in few months no water run off WHY ?? those holes are back
Back to the holes, metal (fiberglass),, the reason we put primer, gel/clear coat, paint etc on them is to protect them from oxidation chemical change rust (reaction)etc.. the more protection the less reaction that takes place. You drive down the road sand small rock hits the paint,, causes bigger holes,, you get grime from the road what’s in that grime oil, gas rubber tread,,even worse remember everything we put on the RV primer, paint gel/clear coat are petroleum based,, so all this stuff gets in to holes and we get more reaction.. Sun and UV even worse,, breaks down the wax, gel/clear coat through chemical reaction ,, bugs,, what’s inside a bug, chemicals. Splat some of those chemicals leak into the holes more reaction. Not only that what’s in the air (pollution) more junk to react to your protection.
Now these reactions do take time, so that is why it important to protect your RV,, first protection is wax,, then a cover, then covered storage,,, If my RV was stored outside I would be waxing it 2/3 times a year minimum. I have two cars outside I wax them twice a year,, however I wash them all the time, whenever we get bugs on them wash off asap. I have a van, coverd in my garage, I only have to wax it about every two years,, I have a 62 Willys covered, in the garage have not waxed in 5 years,, I only drive it on the week-ends, never in the rain still looks like it came off the showroom floor
RV when I travel I take a bucket spray bottle and wash off the bugs every day if possible, rules of the rv park,,, I wax once a year,, soon as I get home wash and clean put back in covered storage,,
Now next time you go to an RV park, start looking at the bodies of the RV, you can tell who is taking care of their units. There are a couple of Rv outside where I store mind. If you run your hand on the side of them you get that chalky stuff on your hand (oxidation) especially the fiberglass..
Anyway sorry so long, this is a very complex issue and I wanted to try and explain in layman’s term so we could all understand it, and why it is so important to protect your RV.
alright that worked
David Sparks
2008 PC 2350
Houston
