How Do I Polish and Care for Carbon Fiber

[jpegs13]

I recently purchased a rear spoiler and Sv type bumper for my LP640 both components are carbon fiber. What products do I use to polish them?

Here they are:
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[AndrewBall]

ballin!


might want to look into marine care products. since carbon fiber has a gel coat rather then a clear coat. i would say to care for it the same way you would marine surfaces. which are also gel coats. Im going to say you definitely want something with some UV protection.

 

[aerogt01]

If the parts are ready to be installed on the car, then they will be clearcoated. This clearcoat finish polishes exactly like regular paint.

If they look good, throw a coat of wax on them and enjoy!

 

[jpegs13]

Sorry, I just figured out how to resize

 

[AndrewBall]

If the parts are ready to be installed on the car, then they will be clearcoated. This clearcoat finish polishes exactly like regular paint.

If they look good, throw a coat of wax on them and enjoy!

Carbon fiber doesnt get clear coat as car body panels do. its typically a gel coat similar to fiberglass. unless the parts are painted, then they would be primed, colored, and clear coated.

I am not sure how normal automotive products designed for clear coats would settle on a gel-coat. which in my experience seems to be similar to single stage paints its thick, and generally softer.

 

[jpegs13]

Carbon fiber doesnt get clear coat as car body panels do. its typically a gel coat similar to fiberglass. unless the parts are painted, then they would be primed, colored, and clear coated.

I am not sure how normal automotive products designed for clear coats would settle on a gel-coat. which in my experience seems to be similar to single stage paints its thick, and generally softer.

That's correct, they don't get clearcoated. The upper portion of the bumper will be painted to match the body color while the bottom portion will be the raw carbon fiber. The spoiler will not be painted.

 

[Lasthope05]

You could actually use the same polishes you use on a car. No need to go out and get separate polishes just because its carbon fiber.

Since you are getting the front bumper cover partially painted make sure the body shop clears the entire front bumper or else there will be a very noticeable grove between the painted and bare carbon fiber section.

 

[aerogt01]

Carbon fiber doesnt get clear coat as car body panels do. its typically a gel coat similar to fiberglass. unless the parts are painted, then they would be primed, colored, and clear coated.

I am not sure how normal automotive products designed for clear coats would settle on a gel-coat. which in my experience seems to be similar to single stage paints its thick, and generally softer.

Gotcha. In the aviation industry we typically fill, prime, color, and clear. I have seen a few demonstration pieces that were simply cleared. Do you know why its a gelcoat instead of clear? (Innocent threadjack.)

I believe automotive products should work on a gelcoat, they just may not work as well.

 

[aerogt01]

. . . the bottom portion will be the raw carbon fiber.

I hope not, otherwise it needs a clearcoat. The resin systems used in carbon fiber will absorb water. If they absorb enough they will degrade.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

You could actually use the same polishes you use on a car. No need to go out and get separate polishes just because its carbon fiber.

Since you are getting the front bumper cover partially painted make sure the body shop clears the entire front bumper or else there will be a very noticeable grove between the painted and bare carbon fiber section.

Agreed. It should turn out just like the carbon fiber roof on a ZR1 Corvette -- it's raw CF, but has clear coat paint on top of it.

 

[AndrewBall]

Gotcha. In the aviation industry we typically fill, prime, color, and clear. I have seen a few demonstration pieces that were simply cleared. Do you know why its a gelcoat instead of clear? (Innocent threadjack.)

I believe automotive products should work on a gelcoat, they just may not work as well.

clear coat is generally very soft and thin. Gelcoat is not. I believe gel coat is much thicker and can finish out to a smooth surface even if applied on a rough surface. Ie... fiberglass or carbon fiber weave.

i could be wrong. ive worked with carbon fiber very little just going from my experiences with Boats and working with fiberglass

 

[Lasthope05]

clear coat is generally very soft and thin. Gelcoat is not. I believe gel coat is much thicker and can finish out to a smooth surface even if applied on a rough surface. Ie... fiberglass or carbon fiber weave.

Gel coat is not applied on top of carbon fiber. The gelcoat is the base foundation(resin/epoxy) and the fiber weaves(carbon or fiber glass) is added for strength. How smooth the finish is is dependent upon the mold its casted in.

 

[AndrewBall]

Gel coat is not applied on top of carbon fiber. The gelcoat is the base foundation(resin/epoxy) and the fiber weaves(carbon or fiber glass) is added for strength. How smooth the finish is is dependent upon the mold its casted in.

well yeah, but the gel coat is still a major component of the finish. unless left raw.

 

[aerogt01]

Just to clear some things up. . .
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEhSaFfaSKg]YouTube - How It's Made: Fiberglass Boats[/video]

Notice how in the video the mold (red) is shiny and they spray paint on top of it. This mold has been coated with a glossy release agent and the paint is then sprayed on top of it, gelcoat, color, etc.

When they release the mold (approx. 3:24), the white paint they sprayed comes off the mold with the part along with any gelcoat they may have sprayed.

The glass reinforced plastic (fiberglass, as it is commonly called) contains resin and hardener, but this has nothing to do with the gelcoat.

If the part mentioned above came from the factory floor with a gel/clearcoat, I have would guess this is how they did it. Judging by the pictures, I believe it did.

A high-polish mold is another option, and it is commonly used. However, in any composite layup it is difficult/near impossible to produce something with that much reflectivity right out of the tool without a surface coat (paint/filler etc.). Not to say it's not possible, however I have released wet layup parts from a glass plate that had little to no "shiny-ness" to them.

Andrew: If a gelcoat can be as thick as people say, you are right in that it could fill small voids in the material and leave a shiny surface.

If a composite is left 'raw' - no surface coat - then it must be protected. Both from UV and from moisture. I don't think it matters whether this is by a gelcoat or clearcoat. DO NOT try and polish a raw composite. If it was made well it has only what resin is necessary in it. If you remove this resin, you may cause a weakness. Also, you could start damaging fibers if you got deep enough. Finally, if you are using a water-based polish the resin will absorb some of this water. Once again, this weakens it.

I would think the bumper is already coated (gel or clear), especially judging by the pictures, but I would ask a painter to be sure. For a gelcoat Meguiar's marine line gets great reviews.

(I do not know which is commonly used for vehicles, gel or clear. Heck, it may even depend on the composites shop it came from.)

 

[AndrewBall]

yeah, i was digging a bit deeper and i seemed to get a few hits on carbon fiber being coated in a urethane? but i am not sure. I am pretty positive carbon fiber gets coated with something along the lines of a gel coat because i have seen carbon fiber hoods that have something that looks strikingly similar to clear coat failure. Likely helped along by heat, but having nothing on it to protect it from UV light i think also cause its deterioration.

Acura Integra Type R *56k warning* - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

it also seems the hoods are extremely susceptible to oxidation. much like most boats are. the link above seems to illustrate this problem.

Here is a link where our very own Mike Philips post some very useful information on this subject matter
White haze on my Carbon Fiber hood - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

 

[aerogt01]

Thanks for the linkages! Those will do a good job of answering the OP's question. That Acura oxidation looks exactly like the gel coat on boats.

Otherwise:
Carbon fiber should get coated, yes. To be honest I'm surprised CF parts are actually produced and sold that are not coated or instructed to be coated. Also, polyurethane can be used as a binding agent (in place of a resin).

I realize now that it may be common to polish uncoated composite parts. However, as an engineer it makes me shudder. I guess what I was trying to say was the OP should not try to polish his brand new bumper if it is not coated. Instead, coat it then polish it if needed.

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

John, can't wait to see the finished product!!! :dblthumb2:

 

[jpegs13]

yeah, i was digging a bit deeper and i seemed to get a few hits on carbon fiber being coated in a urethane? but i am not sure. I am pretty positive carbon fiber gets coated with something along the lines of a gel coat because i have seen carbon fiber hoods that have something that looks strikingly similar to clear coat failure. Likely helped along by heat, but having nothing on it to protect it from UV light i think also cause its deterioration.

Acura Integra Type R *56k warning* - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

it also seems the hoods are extremely susceptible to oxidation. much like most boats are. the link above seems to illustrate this problem.

Here is a link where our very own Mike Philips post some very useful information on this subject matter
White haze on my Carbon Fiber hood - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

That's great information thanks much! Good old Mike, seems to pop up everywhere....:xyxthumbs:

 

[jpegs13]

John, can't wait to see the finished product!!! :dblthumb2:

Thanks Mark! My Lambo's going to be laid up for the winter, so might as well get a few mods done.....:dblthumb2:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

That's great information thanks much! Good old Mike, seems to pop up everywhere....:xyxthumbs:

There's a lot of young guys in SoCal that bolt on carbon fiber components but never maintain them as as a result we had a lot of cars come to the TNOG's and Saturday classes with extremely oxidized carbon fiber.

Here's what I've learned over the years from interacting with a number of people in this industry including the mold release industry and for what it's worth I wrote all the label copy, technical bulletins, application bulletins and a flow chart for the Meguiar's Velocity Liquid Polymer Mold Release System.

There are two general categories of carbon fiber components, there is straight resin and coated, straight resin is just that, it's either a part made with polyester resin, or an epoxy resin, I've been told that neither of these types of resins can have a UV inhibitor in them and this is one of the reasons why straight resin carbon fiber components will oxidize easily and readily.

Coated carbon fiber components are just that, the have a urethane clear coat sprayed over them and just like your car's paint has UV protection in it, the coating sprayed over carbon fiber has UV protection. This prevents the polyester or epoxy resins from readily oxidizing or fading. The clear layer prevents the resin from oxidizing because it seals it so moisture and oxygen cannot interact with the resin itself, the UV protection probably has more to do with protecting it from fading or failing from exposure to UV rays. This is just conjecture on my part and it would be great for a real expert from this industry to chime in.

But an analogy would be similar to what I wrote in this article,

The practical differences between single stage paints and a clear coat paints



And the effect of age, exposure and wear-n-tear to the two categories of carbon fiber components is similar to what we see with single stage paints and basecoat/clearcoat paints, that is single stage paints will oxidize readily while basecoat/clearcoat paint systems don't normally have oxidation issues, just swirls and scratches.

As others have said, using quality automotive polishes and waxes should work well to maintain the finish on your new components. The key is to find something you like and use it often.

The reason we had so many cars come to our Saturday classes and TNOG classes with severely oxidized carbon fiber was because most of the owners of these cars were not into detailing, thus no regular maintenance, just exposure to the SoCal sun all the time...