clean and polish strataglass panels....

[CliffA]

it is time to think about installing the strataglass camper panels on my boat for the winter.....they are only 2 years old so they are in good condition....I want to give them a thorough cleaning and polish before I install them this year...I have the IMAR products for this.....cleaning will be simple enough but I have a question about polishing the panels....can I lay the panels out on an old quilt or bedspread and use a small random orbital buffer with a foam pad and the IMAR polish to polish the panels?......

any other suggestions on how to polish the panels are welcomed.....

cliff

 

[Little Ducky]

Have you ever used plexus plastic cleaner or 210 plastic cleaner?

It works great on clear plastic .... and just plastic in general.

 

[CliffA]

Have you ever used plexus plastic cleaner or 210 plastic cleaner?

It works great on clear plastic .... and just plastic in general.

nope....have not used that product but will keep it in mind when I run out of the IMAR cleaner....

cliff

 

[bahamabreisus]

First of all, its way to early for camper canvas.. As for the question, do you really have Stratoglass or Isenglass. If you do have Strato then follow their recommendations, if Eisenglass, I use 303, keeps it UV protected and doesnt scratch.

 

[JimG]

My plastic is 10 years old (original with the boat) and looks better than all my friends that use all of these chemicals and polishes. I use a clean terry cloth towel and water... that's it! My glass is up and down every weekend and stored rolled up, in the original boot provided by Sea Ray.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Strata specifically warns against the use of Plexus, which fascinates me because I unknowlingly had Strata in my last enclosure and used Plexus on it for many years. It lasted and looked SO MUCH BETTER than my new set, which has only seen the recommended Imar products.

I know that Strata has many loyal fans, but my own experience suggests that their secret-special scratch resistant coating doesn't even exist, and that Plexus works better than Imar on it. flame away. lol

 

[CliffA]

First of all, its way to early for camper canvas.. As for the question, do you really have Stratoglass or Isenglass. If you do have Strato then follow their recommendations, if Eisenglass, I use 303, keeps it UV protected and doesnt scratch.

I do have strataglass....at least that is what I paid for......I agree I don't really want to think about colder weather coming but it is just around the corner.....water temp in our lake is down to 85*F......we won't have many more WE's for swimming/floating if the weather stays cools....

cliff

 

[CliffA]

Strata specifically warns against the use of Plexus, which fascinates me because I unknowlingly had Strata in my last enclosure and used Plexus on it for many years. It lasted and looked SO MUCH BETTER than my new set, which has only seen the recommended Imar products.

I know that Strata has many loyal fans, but my own experience suggests that their secret-special scratch resistant coating doesn't even exist, and that Plexus works better than Imar on it. flame away. lol

no flames from me.....I did pay a premium price for the strataglass so as you can imagine I am reluctant about deviating from their care and maintenance guidelines....glad the Plexus worked out well for you....

cliff

 

[Jaybeaux]

Here is a link with tips that I found when searching how to care for my strata glass.

http://rnr-marine.com/Maintenance.shtml#Clear-Vinyl

 

[Strypes]

We laid ours out on a folding card table and the boats dinette table. I use the IMAR 301 Strataglass cleaner and the Admiral puts the IMAR 302 Strataglass conditioner on. We just use clean cloths and elbow grease. Works great!

 

[fwebster]

Both Strataglass and isinglass begin life as extruded vinyl sheeting. The difference between the 2 are the coatings applied, or not applied, to the vinyl material. Strataglass has UV inhibiting and a scratch resistant coatings applied to the sheet. Plexus is a solvent for the protective coatings and using it may end up with a clean shiny clear panel, but continued use will remove the protective coatings.

Why would you pay for clear panels with UV and coatings to resist scratching, then proceed to remove then with a known solvent?

That is a puzzlement of the first order.

 

[juggernaut1]

I just apply the IMAR polish to my clears by hand in situ - but mine are also in place all year round and I don't remove.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Why would you pay for clear panels with UV and coatings to resist scratching, then proceed to remove then with a known solvent?

That is a puzzlement of the first order.

Is it though?

In my own experience of brand-new Strataglass panels, I've seen the slightest brush against it with a wet microfiber towel result in fine scratches while Plexus the solvent hides those scratches and keeps the panels clear for many years.

So I have to wonder: why buy a breath mint without Retsin, or a car without SkyActive Technology, or boatwax without Teflon or bottled water that didn't come from a spring?

Call me crazy, but I don't always believe marketing hype just because they charge me for it.

 

[keokie]

My line of work requires me to have a full understanding of clear vinyl surfaces. Protective coatings on clear vinyl generally don't like solvents. You can get a way with it for a little while, but the degrading of the surface will eventually be evident. It isn't the marketing guys telling you not to use Plexus, they would love to say sure. It's the guys in manufacturing, because they are held accountable for product failures.

 

[RollerCoastr]

I hear ya, but what's odd about Strataglass is that I've never seen or heard of damage from Plexus (my panels outlive my canvas), yet I've seen a LOT of damage by fine scratches. It makes me question their claims - from all depts.

 

[fwebster]

Obviously Strataglass doesn't work for you, so my question stands: Why spend the money for it if it doesn't work and if you are going to remove the coatings with an unapproved cleaner/polish?

My experience, however is just the opposite. I've used both and Strataglass handled properly lasts significantly longer without getting hazy.

To each his own……..I just wanted to be sure the facts were posted so unsuspecting Strataglass owners didn't ruin their panels.

 

[RollerCoastr]

Frank, I just said my Strataglass panels have outlived my canvas! No haze whatsoever after buying Plexus in BULK for YEARS, because it hides the fine scratches that occur when only Imar products are used.

I just want this discussion to continue, because something doesn't seem right about the claims Strataglass makes. Right now I have a large aft panel that looks terrible - nearly opaque. It's never seen anything but Imar, but the way people roll it up results in folding/creasing and it's as far as I can tell permanently damaging it. My friends have a softer 40-mil that they roll with a screen inserts with no such damage. It's interesting to me.

BTW, I've never upgraded to Strata. When my last set was commissioned, I didn't choose Strata, so I used Plexus on it the entire time. When time came to have the whole canvas enclosure redone, the quote included Strata. I told him I don't want it because the last set did me fine. The shop owner then told me that he couldn't offer a choice last time, so he gave it to me anyway.

I applied caution to this set knowing that it's Strata, yet that hasn't served me well. The front panels that I baby as much as I can don't look as good after 4 years as the last set did at twice that age.

 

[importmonkey]

Honestly, I didn't think mine was that bad until I started driving it and realized how much of a PITA it is to see through. Constantly ducking under to look out the windshield. I got the Meguiars line (M17 then M10 then M18). Put the First Engineer to work.

They turned out noticeably better, but I still have a kinda "blotchiness" to them? I don't know if 210 or Plexus will get it out - especially if the Meguiars didn't, but what do you think?

Before/After