How to Repair and Paint a Fiberglass Hood

Welcome to my channel, Homes for Beginners where I show you how to do repairs around the house yourself. Please don't forget to hit that LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE for future videos.
In this video I will be showing you how to repair any light damage and paint a fiberglass hood for a lawn tractor. This is more on the budget friendly side, if done right you can achieve excellent results. This can be used on other forms of fiberglass panels as well such as boats, snowmobiles, other recreational equipment, etc.
Here are the Amazon links for some of the products used in the video:
USA:
Chemical rust treatment: amzn.to/3onBdoE
Wax and grease remover: amzn.to/2M6xvCV
Glazing putty: amzn.to/3iQiAbS
Filler Primer: amzn.to/3iQSOnT
Backing pad: amzn.to/3qUc5rl
220 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3sZf5V7
320 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YfzAPt
400 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3qOEO0G
600 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3t020uP
Safety glasses: amzn.to/3b3xMix
Rubber gloves: amzn.to/3tXng51
Canada:
Chemical rust treatment: amzn.to/3osNlVK
Wax and grease remover: amzn.to/39nLn4F
Glazing putty: amzn.to/3pmn1Ob
Filler Primer: amzn.to/2NucGl5
Backing pad: amzn.to/2M71Hhg
220 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YjmoJe
320 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/36cqjfi
400 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3qVYXlK
600 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YhR9OJ
Safety glasses: amzn.to/37hVPJw
Rubber gloves: amzn.to/2NpGwHF
Peel off any decals and remove any leftover residue from the decal using a wax and grease remover.
Block the hood with 320 grit sandpaper. I have a flexible rubber backing pad on the backside of the sandpaper to keep a smooth sanding surface so I don’t create any deformities. For any surface damage, use 220 sandpaper by hand to remove any loose material in these areas. Clean the area with a wax and grease remover. Use a two part spot or also known as a glazing filler to fill in any of the light surface damage. Apply the filler with the plastic applicator.
Using 320 grit sandpaper with a rubber backer to keep the surface free of any waves and sand the filler. Clean the hood with a wax and grease remover again, both on the inside and outside. Any cut edges were sanded with 320 grit sandpaper too.
Applying a primer. Primer is available in a variety of colors, a primer color can affect the final paint color too so be mindful of that. This is a high build primer which is great for filling in any sanding marks or slight imperfections that I may have missed. Start with lighter coats first, then medium coats after without causing any runs. All spots with filler have primer applied, otherwise you’ll be left with outlining or ghosting in the final paint finish. The cut edges also have primer applied. Typically you’ll need to wait 10 minutes in between coats, however this can vary based on the thickness of primer applied and temperature.
Once dry, using 400 grit sandpaper, again with a backing pad, the whole hood is sanded. Removing any overspray and orange peel left being from the primer. Work in multiple directions, ensuring the whole hood is sanded and you have an even surface.
Clean any sanding debris with a clean cloth, then finished wiping down the surface with a lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol. Both the inside and outside of the hood were cleaned.
First is painting the inside, the part which you’ll want the nicest finish will be left for the last. Mix the paint accordingly, there is a variety of paints available on the market. This is a single-stage paint, so no clear coat is needed. A two-stage paint could also be used which is a base and clear coat and you can even have custom colors mixed based on your project.
The first coat will be light, try to get the hard to reach edges first and direct the spray in such a way where you’re pushing the overspray away from a newly applied coat, this will help minimize overspray and orange peel. Wait about 10 minutes in between coats, this can vary depending on your paint thickness and temperature. Always ensure the can is mixed. Three coats were applied on the inside, first was the light coat, then was two medium coats.
I let the hood dry for about 30min, then flipped it over. I have a stand that only had contact on the center of the hood where no paint was applied. The hood is cleaned out the outside again with isopropyl alcohol.
Mix the paint accordingly again, using the same process, apply a light coat hear starting with the hard to reach edges first, then finish up on the large exposed areas pushing away the overspray from the newly applied paint. Dry times do vary, I left it for 48hrs before installing it back onto the tractor.
© Homes for Beginners 2019
All Rights Reserved
No part of this video or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author.

[@diverdon184]

Great video but do you have any replacements for your Suggested grease remover (gallon only, $60) and platinum glaze ($37). I'm only doing one hood. By the time I purchase these products I could spend close to enough $ to buy a decent used hood. How about plain old Bondo and Simple Green? Thanks for the excellent instructions.

[@indistinctchatter6677]

Great video. I find it bizarre that I was looking at a John Deere lawn tractor with hood damage last night on Marketplace and had googled for used hoods. Instructables suggested this video today. I guess it's timely.

[@homesforbeginners]

Thank you so much! Almost every single STX I see for sale has a broken hood. Definitely can't beat the old fiberglass or steel hoods.

[@dirtyaznstyle4156]

Wait you can’t rebuild a c pillar with bondo?!?!

[@eyeballll]

Looks good but your hood definitely didn't match the rest of the mower.

[@gary24752]

Should have been wearing a resipirtor mask.

[@baldeagle242]

Just found your channel. I've done the same thing but used the quart cans of JD Green and mixed it 50/50 with acetone, and sprayed it. You have a new subscriber! 👍

[@homesforbeginners]

Here are the Amazon links for some of the products used in the video: USA: Wax and grease remover: amzn.to/2M6xvCV Glazing putty: amzn.to/3iQiAbS Filler Primer: amzn.to/3iQSOnT Backing pad: amzn.to/3qUc5rl 220 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3sZf5V7 320 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YfzAPt 400 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3qOEO0G 600 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3t020uP Safety glasses: amzn.to/3b3xMix Rubber gloves: amzn.to/3tXng51 Canada: Wax and grease remover: amzn.to/39nLn4F Glazing putty: amzn.to/3pmn1Ob Filler Primer: amzn.to/2NucGl5 Backing pad: amzn.to/2M71Hhg 220 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YjmoJe 320 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/36cqjfi 400 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/3qVYXlK 600 grit sandpaper: amzn.to/2YhR9OJ Safety glasses: amzn.to/37hVPJw Rubber gloves: amzn.to/2NpGwHF

[@bluehill1275]

Great video! I have an old STX38 with hood cracking issues. It’s the same hood as your STX46. I’ve just purchased everything that I need to do a plastic weld repair, but I’m sure going to keep your solution in mind. The alternate hood that you used looks great!

[@homesforbeginners]

Thank you so much! Sadly these plastic hoods don't seem to last. Not sure what you were considering for a repair, but you can solder the plastic. I've done it many times on car bumpers using a soldering iron and the repair stays strong.

[@bluehill1275]

I used the hot staple method. It’s all stapled back together and now I intend to add a layer of fibreglass over the staples for extra strength. Fingers crossed.

[@TimmyTheToolman]

solid tutorial - thanks for making this

[@diverdon184]

OK to wet sand? The glazing filler I'm using is OK to wet sand.

[@dirtyaznstyle4156]

Oh you were itchy before you even wiped down the hood for sanding. Now show us how to gelcoat a ford ranger

[@chriswilliams9832]

No need for air tools.... Next tool compressed air blower 🤣 Cool video tho

[@The_Real_Indiana_Joe]

FYI furniture polish makes them look better when they get old.

[@karenjackson6100]

can you use a poxy enamel

[@homesforbeginners]

Yes you can.

[@cboyslim5490]

nice i'm gonna try this with my 165

[@edjak]

Do you have a link for the hood hinge set up you did? Thanks!

[@homesforbeginners]

Here is the hinges I ordered amzn.to/3L5IBnt

[@websitesthatneedanem]

7:36 - Do you mean, spray towards or away from the area you've just sprayed?

[@homesforbeginners]

Push the spray across the panel, just like what was demonstrated in the video. The whole idea is that you want to avoid any overspray on any paint you just applied in that coat, otherwise you'll be left with a hazy surface.