Discussion
Phil,
I'm sure there are other products but one that springs to mind is...
http://www.renovointernational.com/testimon.html
They say you'll need the soft top cleaner to remove any dirt + any remaining old water proofing... how important that is I don't know.
But if your roof is faded you will need the coloured reviver, which is like a paint on dye for the roof material. You'll also need the water proofing fluid that Renovo supply, although many on here also say the Ronseal water sealer (like the stuff you can put on walls and concrete) is just as good and cheaper.
You could do a quick search on here to find out which Ronseal product it is.
G
I'm sure there are other products but one that springs to mind is...
http://www.renovointernational.com/testimon.html
They say you'll need the soft top cleaner to remove any dirt + any remaining old water proofing... how important that is I don't know.
But if your roof is faded you will need the coloured reviver, which is like a paint on dye for the roof material. You'll also need the water proofing fluid that Renovo supply, although many on here also say the Ronseal water sealer (like the stuff you can put on walls and concrete) is just as good and cheaper.
You could do a quick search on here to find out which Ronseal product it is.
G
Don't use spray on sealers, they just sit on top of the fibres. You need to apply the sealer in liquid form with a paint brush. That way you'll get five years weatherproofing in one application.
My method.
This is good job for a sunny afternoon.
Mohair soft tops get ingrained dust deposits within the weave that cause the roof to appear faded. Normal gentle washing simply drives these dust particles deeper into the weave.
Vacuuming can be effective at removing loose dust. Directional clothes brushes are superb for removing surface contaminants. If however you want a clean roof then you are going to have to remove the waterproofing as well. This isn't a bad thing; reproofing needs to be done periodically and it works better if the old silicon is removed first.
Erect the roof so that all the components are tight. Using a mix of hot water and washing up liquid scrub the roof in a circular motion using a nailbrush. Don't worry, the roof material is tough and won't be harmed by this activity. When you are satisfied that the roof material is scrupulously clean you should use a hosepipe to drench the roof using a deluge of water whilst scrubbing with the nailbrush. Only when you are unable to develop suds on the roof will you know that the soap has been removed. It is essential that all the soap is removed because soap will reduce the adhesion of silicon to mohair.
When complete leave to dry in sunlight. Open fittings to allow joining surfaces to dry. When completely dry you will need to reseal. This should only be done with brush on liquid sealer. Thompson Waterseal or Fabsil liquid will provide effective weather seal that should last for many years.
The method of application is important. This work should be carried out in dry weather but not too hot. It may be worth masking off bodywork and windows because these liquids are very runny and you will need to get into all the edges.
You'll need two paint brushes one 3" and one 1". Pour some sealer into a dish for ease of loading the brush. Use the big brush for most of the work, the small brush for better control at the edges. The trick is to always have enough liquid on the brush so that it doesn't run dry part way through a brush stroke. You should apply in straight lines making sure you overlap the previous line by at least 50% thereby effectively coating twice. It is worth giving extra attention to the joining edges and stitching, the joining areas suffer from wear & tear and the stitched areas are know leak points. Allow the sealer to dry completely then apply a second coat at 90 degrees to the first.
This effort should vastly improve the colour of the fabric and last for many years even in all weather driving.
My method.
This is good job for a sunny afternoon.
Mohair soft tops get ingrained dust deposits within the weave that cause the roof to appear faded. Normal gentle washing simply drives these dust particles deeper into the weave.
Vacuuming can be effective at removing loose dust. Directional clothes brushes are superb for removing surface contaminants. If however you want a clean roof then you are going to have to remove the waterproofing as well. This isn't a bad thing; reproofing needs to be done periodically and it works better if the old silicon is removed first.
Erect the roof so that all the components are tight. Using a mix of hot water and washing up liquid scrub the roof in a circular motion using a nailbrush. Don't worry, the roof material is tough and won't be harmed by this activity. When you are satisfied that the roof material is scrupulously clean you should use a hosepipe to drench the roof using a deluge of water whilst scrubbing with the nailbrush. Only when you are unable to develop suds on the roof will you know that the soap has been removed. It is essential that all the soap is removed because soap will reduce the adhesion of silicon to mohair.
When complete leave to dry in sunlight. Open fittings to allow joining surfaces to dry. When completely dry you will need to reseal. This should only be done with brush on liquid sealer. Thompson Waterseal or Fabsil liquid will provide effective weather seal that should last for many years.
The method of application is important. This work should be carried out in dry weather but not too hot. It may be worth masking off bodywork and windows because these liquids are very runny and you will need to get into all the edges.
You'll need two paint brushes one 3" and one 1". Pour some sealer into a dish for ease of loading the brush. Use the big brush for most of the work, the small brush for better control at the edges. The trick is to always have enough liquid on the brush so that it doesn't run dry part way through a brush stroke. You should apply in straight lines making sure you overlap the previous line by at least 50% thereby effectively coating twice. It is worth giving extra attention to the joining edges and stitching, the joining areas suffer from wear & tear and the stitched areas are know leak points. Allow the sealer to dry completely then apply a second coat at 90 degrees to the first.
This effort should vastly improve the colour of the fabric and last for many years even in all weather driving.
On the simple question of waterproofing... the simple answer is Fabsil, it's a tent waterproofer. I bought a 5 litre can from Ellis Brigham, they sell it in smaller cans in Milletts. I gave it a generous dose in January (about half the can) and since then no water seems to have got in.
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