RV Care · Protection Guide · Part 1

In our previous articles we covered why gelcoat oxidizes faster than paint and the different options for dealing with it once oxidation appears. In this final article, we'll walk through the actual step-by-step process if you decide to tackle polishing yourself.

Make Sure You're Using a True Polish

Not all products labeled as "polish" actually remove oxidation. Many are simply fillers, glazes, or wax and oil-based products that temporarily hide the problem. These products may look good for a short time, but the oxidation will return — often after the very next wash.

A true polish contains abrasives that physically remove the oxidized layer of gelcoat. When choosing a polish, look for products that clearly state they "remove oxidation." There are many high-quality polishes on the market that work very well.

Choosing the Right Equipment

For a complete oxidation removal job on an RV, you're going to want a plug-in polisher. While battery-powered polishers are convenient, they generally don't have enough power or run time for a full RV job. Battery-powered units are fine for small touch-ups, but we don't recommend them for polishing an entire RV.

For DIYers, we strongly recommend using a dual-action (DA) polisher — also commonly called a random orbital polisher — with a foam finishing pad.

Understanding DA Polisher Throw (Orbit) Size

One important detail many first-time buyers don't know is that DA polishers come with different throw sizes. The "throw" (also called orbit) refers to how far the pad moves in a circle as it spins, measured in millimeters.

Short throw polishers (8mm to 12mm orbit) are more controlled and forgiving. They are much safer for beginners because they generate less heat and are less likely to create swirl marks or burn the gelcoat. Long throw polishers (15mm to 21mm orbit) cut faster and cover more area per pass, but they are more aggressive and harder to control, especially on vertical surfaces or around curves.

For a first-time DIYer polishing an RV, we strongly recommend a short throw DA polisher (8mm–12mm orbit). The Porter-Cable 7424XP, which is an 8mm short throw, is an excellent and very popular choice for this exact reason.

You can easily tell the difference by checking the product specifications — manufacturers will list the orbit size as 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, 21mm, etc. If it doesn't clearly state the throw size, it's usually a short throw.

Use only white foam finishing pads that are 5 or 6 inches in diameter and attach with Velcro to a Velcro backing plate. These are the gentlest and most effective pads for removing oxidation without being overly aggressive.

Understanding Foam Polishing Pads

Don't let all the different colored pads and fancy marketing confuse you. You'll see waffle pads, cutting pads, finishing pads, and many different colors. For polishing RV gelcoat, keep it simple. All that matters is that it's a finishing polish pad — this is usually white or black. The polish is what removes the oxidation — not the pad. Just use either a white or black foam finishing pad.

Preparing the Surface

Before you begin polishing, make sure you are working on a clean, dry, cool, and shaded surface. The RV should be washed thoroughly and completely dry. Avoid working in direct sunlight or when the gelcoat is hot, as heat will cause the polish to dry too quickly and make the job much more difficult.

Important Note About Decals

Avoid polishing directly over vinyl decals and graphics. Polishes are too abrasive for the softer vinyl material and can dull or damage the graphics. You may want to consider using a dedicated decal restorer instead.

Decal Restoration

Like gelcoat, vinyl decals will last much longer if they are regularly cleaned and protected from the very beginning. However, polishing decals is not recommended. Polishes are too abrasive for the softer vinyl material and can dull or damage the graphics.

Dedicated decal restorers are primarily oil-based products that can temporarily improve the appearance of faded decals. However, this improvement is short-lived and tends to wash away with normal cleaning.

Once vinyl decals become badly faded or damaged, there is no effective way to truly restore them. This is why it's important to clean and protect your decals regularly, just like you do with the gelcoat.

Priming the Pad and Applying Polish

New foam pads absorb a lot of polish. It's important to remember that a brand new pad needs to be primed. At first, you'll have to use more polish because most of it will be absorbed into the pad. Once the pad is fully primed and saturated, you'll use much less polish.

Your goal is to prime the pad without over-priming it. If the pad becomes too saturated with polish, it will sling a lot more polish onto the surrounding areas, which creates more cleanup work.

Instead of dabbing the polish, apply it in several lines going from the center of the pad out to the edge, like spokes on a wheel. This helps evenly distribute the polish. Place the pad on the surface and rub it around a little before turning the polisher on.

To know the surface is staying wet with polish, lift the polisher off the surface — you should see a thin layer of polish on the gelcoat.

Keep the surface wet with polish while you're working — the polish is what removes the oxidation, not the pad itself.

Polisher Speed Setting

For best performance, you'll want to run the polisher at its highest setting, or very close to it. The faster speed helps the polish work more effectively.

If you're new to using a polisher, you may need to start at a lower speed until you get comfortable controlling it, then gradually work your way up to the higher setting.

Step-by-Step Polishing Process

Start with one square foot at a time. This small area is very important because it helps you dial in your technique and determine exactly how many passes it will take to fully remove the oxidation and achieve the level of shine you want.

Apply the polish, then work that one square foot using a slow, overlapping, side-to-side motion with the polisher at about the speed of the second hand on a clock. Then wipe the one square foot area clean. Remove all the polish with a microfiber towel.

After wiping, inspect the surface closely. Ask yourself: Has the oxidation been removed? Is the shine where I want it to be?

The number of passes you need on that first square foot will be the same number of passes you should do across the entire RV. This consistency is critical. When moving to the next area, make sure you overlap into the previous section. This overlapping helps prevent a blotchy, uneven appearance where some areas are shinier than others.

Once you're comfortable with your technique on one square foot, you can slowly increase your working area to two or three square feet. But don't get too big too fast — it's much better to stay in control than to rush and make mistakes.

When wiping the polish residue off each section, you have a choice. You can use a damp microfiber towel, or you can spray on Wash Wax All and wipe it off. Using Wash Wax All has the added benefit of sealing the gelcoat as you polish. Alternatively, you can polish the entire RV first and then apply Wash Wax All at the end. A properly primed pad will often sling polish onto the surrounding areas — be sure to wipe it off before it dries. If you let the polish sit overnight, it becomes very difficult to remove, almost like trying to wipe off glue.

Polishing Technique Tip

During the initial passes, you can tilt the polisher slightly so that more pressure is applied to one side of the pad. This gives the polish a little more bite and helps remove the oxidation faster. However, this extra bite can leave behind swirl marks.

That's why it's important to go back over the area with a final finishing pass using the polisher perfectly flat on the surface to remove any swirl marks and produce an even shine.

A Note About Two-Stage Polishing

In cases of heavy oxidation, or if you feel the polishing is going too slowly, you may want to consider two-stage polishing, sometimes called two-step polishing.

This involves using a more aggressive cutting polish first, followed by a finishing polish. You use the same techniques we've described above, but you must change to a fresh foam pad when switching from the cutting polish to the finishing polish. Using the same pad for both polishes will cause poor results.

Aero Cosmetics offers a fast-cut polish (green) and a finishing polish (white). In most cases, the white finishing polish alone will be all you need.

Pad Maintenance

Don't bother trying to clean foam pads. While some people use special tools to clean wool pads, there's really no effective way to properly clean a foam pad. Just keep using it until it starts to show signs of deterioration — such as coming apart or shedding foam pieces. That's when it's time to replace it.

At the end of the day, if your pad is still in good condition, you can save it for the next day by putting it in a plastic bag to keep it moist overnight so the polish doesn't dry out and harden in the pad.