Stooriefit
Well-Known Member
Any suggestions on how to do this?
Removing black vinyl letters from GRP
- Thread starter Stooriefit
- Start date
Channel Ribs
Well-Known Member
Generally warming them up works, but it will depend on how old they are. We just spent many hours pressure washing some ancient and cracked ones off.
SimbaDog
Well-Known Member
Hot water & a razor blade used verycarefully
Then T cut after
Then T cut after
robp
Well-Known Member
Someone once recommended using a hairdrier. Be careful not to use too much heat though.
AIDY
Well-Known Member
Borrow the wife's hairdryer.... works well !
seanfoster
Well-Known Member
Definitely hair dryer is the way to go, done it quite a few times on GRP and plastic.
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
removing vinyl letters from grp
Hi
Yes as stated you just need to warm up the old adhesive underneath and then peel away from grp.
Use a hairdryer rather than a heat gun....
If you are tempted to use a blade (only do so if the removal is proving very difficult) then make sure you take some 1200 or other fine sand paper to the edge of the blade to blunt it a little, so it doesnt bite into the gel.
Then wipe over with some acetone to clean off any remaining adhesive.
Hi
Yes as stated you just need to warm up the old adhesive underneath and then peel away from grp.
Use a hairdryer rather than a heat gun....
If you are tempted to use a blade (only do so if the removal is proving very difficult) then make sure you take some 1200 or other fine sand paper to the edge of the blade to blunt it a little, so it doesnt bite into the gel.
Then wipe over with some acetone to clean off any remaining adhesive.
C
catalac08
Guest
getting the letters off GRP is only half the problem in my experience - on the few occasions I have done this as previously recommended hairdryer/razor blade I have been left with raised areas of gelcoat which clearly show an imprint of the letters. Also if you are unlucky you may have blisters under where the letters have been. Give some thought to this before removing old letters.
jobbie
Well-Known Member
De-solv-it
De-solv-it worked for me. Buy it at Morrisons, good stuff.
De-solv-it worked for me. Buy it at Morrisons, good stuff.
pugsleyaddams
New Member
i wouldn't use acetone on gelcoat, alcohol instead
AIDY
Well-Known Member
why not acetone 
it's what most use to clean grp before repairing
it's what most use to clean grp before repairingpugsleyaddams
New Member
my personal opinion
some say acetone attacks the gelcoat, i wouldn't risk it personally
why not acetone
some say acetone attacks the gelcoat, i wouldn't risk it personally
SimbaDog
Well-Known Member
Of course you could always use an angle grinder 
Won't do the GRP a lot of good but will almost certainly remove the letters.
I'll get my coat..............
Won't do the GRP a lot of good but will almost certainly remove the letters.
I'll get my coat..............
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Hot water and blunt instrument
I used hotwater and blunt instrument or rather SWMBO did! I was surprised how well it worked although a little patience and perseverance is required. As stated by a previous poster it did leave a slight raised impression under each letter but this was disguised when the new name was applied. It's important to remove all traces of glue - I used kitchen surface cleaner as I didn't want to risk solvents - preferred elbow grease especially as it wasn't my elbow!
I used hotwater and blunt instrument or rather SWMBO did! I was surprised how well it worked although a little patience and perseverance is required. As stated by a previous poster it did leave a slight raised impression under each letter but this was disguised when the new name was applied. It's important to remove all traces of glue - I used kitchen surface cleaner as I didn't want to risk solvents - preferred elbow grease especially as it wasn't my elbow!
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
acetone on gelcoat
Acetone is fine for gel-coat. It seems to be very strong but flashes very very fast.
quite like the alcohol idea though mines a pint..
Acetone is fine for gel-coat. It seems to be very strong but flashes very very fast.
quite like the alcohol idea though mines a pint..
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
raised lines
The lines left behind or (ghost names) are simply where the vinyl lettering has offered protection from mild oxidation, UV damage etc... its a good way to see what the condition of your gel-coat was like when new.
You can get kind of the same lines from a canopy cover etc ... anything that has been protecting the gel will show a difference.
The lines left behind or (ghost names) are simply where the vinyl lettering has offered protection from mild oxidation, UV damage etc... its a good way to see what the condition of your gel-coat was like when new.
You can get kind of the same lines from a canopy cover etc ... anything that has been protecting the gel will show a difference.
Csail
N/A
Hairdryer to remove the vinyl. acetone is fine but might need to use feracula to cut it back if its faded.Give me a shout if you need new decals!
Channel Ribs
Well-Known Member
Speaking of vinyls, did you get my PM?
Trundlebug
Well-Known Member
Rather than razor blade I used one of those cheap paint scrapers that have a stanley blade in them. Only a quid or so from the usual suspects, and you can replace the blades when required, but very very useful, and controllable when doing delicate jobs like this.
Bobobolinsky
Well-Known Member
You can use an old credit card as a scraper, once you have warmed the adhesive