RV Detailing

route66detail

route66detail

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I hope you had a good weekend. Question... are there some types of RVs that simply DONT get polished? Only cleaned? I went to an RV show this weekend (to prospect our business) and I was looking closely at the finishes of a few of the RVs. Looked like there were some fibers in the exterior of a few of the finishes. I'm assuming that's fiberglass? Anyway... the exteriors looked dull and had some texture to them. Guys polishing these? I know Mike says if its painted it gets polished but I'm curious.

ALSO...

What about the travel trailers with sides that are ribbed? I know you can't hit that with a DA polisher (or are people doing that?) but how are you polishing those? Hand polishing? Side to side? And... some have stickers ALL over them. I'm only washing THAT right?

We have our first RV scheduled and know we'll be doing much more soon so.... I need some advice. As always thanks for any help you could give.

Rob
 
RV gel coat when oxidized requires an aggressive compound "heavy duty machine compound " I will typically use this with a high speed buffer and wool pad. I also get great results with the LC purple wool pad on the flex 3401 or G21 buffers. I will then go to an RV or marine polish/wax by machine. In general your better off using marine/RV specific products. Just be careful on some of the high end rv's the finish is more like automotive paint so being too aggressive will swirl up the paint. These high end finishes are more glossy and don't usually oxidize like the gel coat ones do.
 
With stickers test them out. Most of the time they are very durable and will require some polishing or compounding if dull. I do tend to be less aggressive on stickers just in case. The McKee RV line has a specific product for these stickers which I have not yet tried but may work well.
 
On the ribbed trailers you can do by hand or use a high speed or da with a smaller pad 3" or 4" for example.
 
I have had some RV surfaces which are so bad that they would require sanding prior to buffing.
 
Elite,

Thanks so much! Wow... There is a product for stickers? That blows me away. Ok, compound and a wool pad. Got it. Like a boat... Makes sense. For gel coat.
As far as painted surfaces, I'll definitely stick with a DA and an LC pad. I'm thinking white for a 1 step cleaner wax. What do you think?
Thanks for helping with the ribbed travel trailers.
Have a great night!

Rob
 
I did 3 rvs this year and faded so bad,first off when washing the roof whether it's a bleach or apc ,someone has to be on the ground keep the side wet ,if not you will get etching especially the graphics 2 is to sand with 3000 to pull out some of the oxidation 3 spray pledge on a panel this will help with nourish the gel coat and prevent buffer hop or walking 4using compound I use Meg's 300 red compound,I think that's what is called mix in with menzerna into one bottle ,while the pledge is still wet start with buffing as you're being concentration,take your time ,if you speed with rotary u will get high and lows or tiger stripes,sometime textured gel coat is very hard to pull out oxidation,but with texture u can do one step with no swirls,if u do da finish u will heat up gelcoats and turns the spot or panel into faded state again,I don't know why it does that ,and a lot rvs won't accept wax either fades right back out again these are very complicated to do ,the traditional higher end rv are a lot different one those there are no texture ,so a two step is required if not u will have major halograms and the top end accept wax. These things are very time consuming ,if you're not getting compensated just leave these thing are hard to do ,the last one I did was a f450 Winnebago took ten day and I chArged 1800 these thing will really beat u up.
 
Sounds good, just give yourself more time then you expect when starting out. And be sure to charge a good price. You should charge a price that you feel is uncomfortably high. Also I always do at least 3 test spots on each RV before taking the job. Both so I know how much work is involved and also so the client can see what to expect in advance. I will tell them to take a look at the work I did in the sun, in the shade, straight up & on an angle. Typically I do an estimate one or two weeks before I can come back to do the work, so this gives them plenty of time to be sure they are satisfied with what can be done.
 
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