GemRockEST. 1993
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Repair services

Fibreglass & GRP repair services.

Fibreglass — also called GRP, glass reinforced plastic — is used for everything from chemical tanks to boat hulls because it is strong, light and doesn't rust. When it cracks, leaks or weathers it can often be repaired. We repair it in four sectors, on site and in our workshop.

Get a repair quote How a repair is done
Four repair sectors

What needs repairing?

Pick the closest match. Each page covers what we repair, the typical damage, how it is put right and when replacement is the better answer.

Not sure which applies? Tell us what it is

Damage types

Common fibreglass damage, in plain English.

Most fibreglass damage falls into a handful of types. Knowing which one you have makes an enquiry quicker.

Cracks & crazing

Fine gelcoat cracks from flexing, impact or movement, through to fractures that run into the laminate beneath.

ALL SECTORS

Holes & impact damage

Punctures, crushed laminate and torn panels. The damage behind is often larger than the hole you can see.

ALL SECTORS

Leaks

Tanks, bunds, basins, roofs and pools that no longer hold or shed water — usually at cracks, joints, outlets and pipe entries.

INDUSTRIAL · HOME & BUILDING

Delamination & soft spots

Layers of laminate, or a skin and its core, coming apart. Often felt as a soft, spongy area, or heard as a dull sound when tapped.

MARINE · VEHICLES · ROOFS

Blistering & osmosis

Blisters under the gelcoat, caused by water getting into the laminate. Best known on boat hulls; also seen in pools.

MARINE · POOLS

Faded, chalky or worn surfaces

Sunlight breaks down gelcoat and topcoat over time, leaving a dull, powdery finish that can often be polished back, or recoated.

ALL SECTORS
The process

How a fibreglass repair is done.

Whatever the item, a lasting repair follows the same logic: find the full extent of the damage, get back to sound material, rebuild, then finish.

Surface-only damage — chips, scratches, chalking — is dealt with at the surface, without rebuilding the laminate.

Resin needs the right conditions to cure. Rain, frost, heavy dew and low temperatures all affect how it bonds, so outdoor repairs are planned around the weather.
  1. 01
    Assess
    What the item is made of, how far the damage runs and what caused it. Some damage only shows in full once the area is opened up.
  2. 02
    Cut back
    Loose, cracked or wet material is removed until sound laminate is reached.
  3. 03
    Taper
    The edge is ground to a long taper, so new material overlaps the old across a wide bond instead of meeting it at a butt joint.
  4. 04
    Rebuild
    New glass reinforcement and resin are laid up in layers to restore the thickness of the original.
  5. 05
    Fair and finish
    The repair is faired, then finished in gelcoat, topcoat or paint, matched as closely as the aged surface allows.
Where the work happens

On site, or in our workshop.

Which one depends on the item and the repair. Not everything can be moved, and not every repair can be done in the open.

On site

For things that can't travel: cooling towers, tanks and bunds, flat roofs, pools, fixed cladding and walkways, and larger boats and vehicles. Resin needs dry conditions and a workable temperature to cure, so outdoor work is planned around the weather.

Tell us where the item is when you enquire.

On-site coverage area: to be confirmed · placeholder

In our workshop

For anything that can be brought to us: doors, panels, planters, small craft, jet skis, caravans and removable parts. Working under cover keeps rain, dew and frost away from a repair while it cures.

Workshop address: to be confirmed · placeholder

What decides it

  • Can the item be moved?
  • Does the repair need dry, sheltered conditions to cure?
  • Is there safe access — height, confined spaces, a boat afloat or ashore?
  • How long can the item be out of use?
Repair or replace?

When repair makes sense — and when it doesn't.

Repair is usually worth considering when

  • The damage is local: a crack, a hole, a failed joint, a worn surface.
  • The laminate around it is sound, dry and well bonded.
  • Whatever supports it — a roof deck, a core, a concrete bund — is intact.
  • Replacing the item would be costly or disruptive.

Replacement is usually the better answer when

  • The laminate or its core is wet, soft or delaminated over a wide area.
  • Cracks keep coming back because the structure beneath is moving.
  • The item failed because of how it was designed or installed, and a repair wouldn't change that.
  • The cost of repair approaches the value of the item.

Often it takes an inspection to know which applies.

For a quicker quote

What to tell us.

  • What the item is, and roughly how old.
  • What it is used for, or what it holds.
  • Where the damage is, and roughly how big.
  • Photos: a close-up and a wider view — and the inside or underside if you can reach it.
  • What happened and when, and any earlier repairs.
  • Where the item is, and whether it can be moved.
  • Access: height, confined space, indoors or outdoors.
  • Whether an insurer is involved.
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Questions

Fibreglass repair questions.

Is fibreglass the same as GRP?

Yes. GRP stands for glass reinforced plastic; "fibreglass" is the everyday name for the same material. You may also see FRP (fibre reinforced plastic), particularly for industrial tanks and pipework.

Can damaged fibreglass be repaired?

Often, because new laminate can be bonded to the sound material around the damage. Whether a repair is worthwhile depends on how far the damage extends, what caused it and what the item is worth.

What is gelcoat?

Gelcoat is the coloured outer layer of a fibreglass moulding. It gives the colour and gloss and protects the laminate beneath from moisture and sunlight.

Will a repair match the original colour?

Matching aged gelcoat is difficult: the original has usually faded, and sanding thins the gelcoat around a repair. A close match is the realistic aim; an invisible repair on a weathered surface can't be promised. Recoating or painting the whole panel is sometimes the better finish.

Can fibreglass be repaired in winter or in wet weather?

Resin needs a dry surface and enough warmth to cure. Rain, frost, heavy dew and low temperatures all affect how it bonds, so outdoor repairs are planned for dry conditions. Workshop repairs are not affected in the same way.

Do you repair things that aren't listed here?

Ask. If it is fibreglass or GRP, tell us what it is and we'll tell you whether we can take it on.

My repair is an insurance claim. What should I do?

Tell us when you enquire, and check with your insurer what they need before any work starts.

Do you still manufacture fibreglass?

Yes. Repair is now the main focus of the business, and we still manufacture fibreglass doors, cooling towers and components.

Looking for new fibreglass, not a repair? GemRock also manufactures

Not sure which sector you fit?

It doesn't matter. Tell us what's damaged and we'll take it from there.

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