New cladding product?

[ScottinMA]

Here in New England the commercials on the TV are pushing a product that is sold at Home Depot for example called Restora (if memory is correct). You paint it on to sun bleached Vinyl shutters for example and it brings it back to it's original luster and supposedly lasts for years. Now wouldn't that be great if it worked on our cladding. Has anyone tried it yet or am I to be the guinea pig?

Oink

[Yefim]

haven't tried it... but looking forward for some pictures from ya :) I can even give you a hand if you want. ;)

[ScottinMA]

Looks like I'll be testing this product. More to follow.

PS. Thanks Yefim but you would have to be insane to try to get over the Sagamore Bridge at this time of the year : )

[transio]

It doesn't appear to be carried by Home Depot. They only carry two flood products right now - both paint additives. It looks like this is a new product. I'd give them a call to see about a place in your area that will carry it.

[ScottinMA]

Steve,

It is a Flood product. Thanks for looking into it. Our Home Depot may not know whether they have it or not. It the kind of Home Depot that you're best looking for yourself rather than counting on anyone there to be of assistance.

[ScottinMA]

I went to our Cape Cod based Home Depot today to purchase "Restora". It is not available here because it contains chemicals that are prohibited for this area. No stores are allowed to carry a wide variety of products that might endanger the ground water supply so I'll need to make a trip somewhere to pick it up at some point. The guy behind the desk at Home Depot said that he gets a dozen or more requests for the product daily so there is some demand for it. I suspect that it might work pretty well for our cladding and may not require the frequent applications that most products require. In fact, three years per application is the advertisement. Would have jumped at the opportunity to try it. I'll post results if I ever get my hands on some of it.

Scott

[TechnoPope]

It is available via the internet. I googled "Flood Restora" and found a few sellers. Here is one example: http://www.epaintstore.com/paint/flood_restora_menu.htm

[ScottinMA]

Why didn't I think of that! I ordered it and I'll post when the experiment is complete.

[ScottinMA]

I used "Restora" on my cladding today. It's a kit that comes from the Flood company that contains everything you need including brushes and the two step chemical process. It goes on like a white milky substance and dries within an hour or two. Unlike everything else I've tried, it doesn't leave a sticky residue to collect dirt. It's guaranteed not to chip, fade etc for years and I must say on initial inspection I am quite impressed. I'll be even more impressed not having to treat my cladding whenever I wash the car. If this works as the claim (for years) then we've stumbled upon a real work saver that gives you the look of freshly treated cladding.

[Mudd]

Restora was discussed on the Chevy Avalanche sites with inconclusive results. I was told that it is the same as Future® Floor Wax. I'm sticking to Mothers Back to Black for now....

[ScottinMA]

If you have the link to where Restora was discussed I'd like to see it.

Scott

[transio]

Scott,

Did you get the low lustre or semi-gloss kit?

Steve

[ScottinMA]

Scott,

Did you get the low lustre or semi-gloss kit?

Steve

low lustre. I'm just into this for one day but I like what I see. Unlike Mothers, this sets up a barrier over the cladding that isn't sticky and may last for much longer per application. If I were to do it again I would forgo the brush and use a soft cotton fabric to apply the chemical (which I'll do the next time I apply it). It reminds me of a product I use on teak for my boat that lasts for a season. I've used Flood products to treat the shingles on our home in the past with great results. I live on Cape Cod and our home takes a beating with the elements so I have some faith with the manufacturer. I'm impressed with this product...my comments are in no way connected to having a relationship with Flood. I just had a prior satisfactory experince with a product they manufactured called CWF that I had used on our home.

Scott

[transio]

I just ordered a kit from epaintstore.

Ouch! $10 for shipping!!!

[transio]

Got my Restora kit today!

I'm gonna apply it and get pics for you guys! :)

[LeDonovan]

I know I'm a girl ;) so my question is whether this product would work on the rear spoiler. Mine is pretty faded.

Thanks for the help!

P.S. Do you guys have any advice on how to go about repairing any dents or cuts in the body cladding? Someone told me that the problem with repairing the cladding is the color may fade or lighten at the repair site....any insight?

[Triathlete]

LeD...
If its a dent I'm sure VXCaver (Bob) will share his technique of using a blow dryer with you this weekend! He rebuilt his VX from a wreck (bought it that way) a :smack: nd although it ain't perfect (yet!) I've seen it come a long way!

[LeDonovan]

Thanks for the tip and looking forward to this weekend! Do you have a generator for my blow dryer?? ;)

[Triathlete]

You'll have to rub two sticks together really fast...oh wait thats for fire!

[ScottinMA]

I was wondering just today whether you got it yet and here is your post. I regret that I didn't take before and after pics. My cladding was not looking too great and the difference is dramatic. So far I have no complaints and I'm looking forward to longevity so I won't need to be doing that task again for a loooong time.

Scott

[transio]

Update on this. This is not a restoration product. It is a paint or resin-like substance that adheres to the vinyl surface, giving a new sheen. It's a good product, but definitely not made for automotive use. It can work well and return that "new" look to your cladding, but it must be applied carefully!!!

Definitely DO NOT USE THE BRUSH to apply this stuff. It leaves a fine brush texture if you do. I would say Scott's cottonball suggestion sounds perfect. Apply the stuff on a COMPLETELY DRY CAR, and in a COVERED LOCATION... preferably an enclosed garage, where bugs can't get stuck to the stuff. I got little water drip marks in a few places, and now the product is peeling off. Put it on in THIN LAYERS. Do not follow the instructions on the package. Make sure your cladding is CLEAN. I mean CLEAN. Every inch (even underneath). You'll want to apply the Restora all the way down.

I totally messed up my first application of this product, but it still looks good from a distance. Up close (5 feet or less) you can see the texture and the drip marks. I'm going to remove it and reapply it this weekend.

I'll update again then.

[ScottinMA]

Steve,

I'm interested in your impressions. I've now had it on for 1 1/2 months and it appears as good as they day I first applied it. I had a couple scuff marks that I resolved by taking a terri cloth rag and wiping over the area with a little Restora on it. SO much better than re-applying mother's, etc all the time. I never care much for the bleached cladding look and tended to hit the cladding when ever I washed the car.

Scott

[transio]

Scott,

The cladding has a great shine to it, but it still has some fine brush texture in it. I also made the mistake of applying the stuff to the hood :eek: before I realized what it was. I'm gonna take a weekend soon and strip it all off (somehow lol) and reapply it with a cottonball or terry cloth as you suggest.

[ScottinMA]

Just for the record, in case others are interested in doing this, use an old cotton t-shirt and cut it into small "applicators." Dip the material into the Restora and wipe it on the cladding. Make sure the cladding is very clean before you do it. Less is better but be sure you cover the area with the product.

Scott

[Child's Play]

Man, this sounds like a great idea. Thanks Scott & Transio! Does anyone have any pics to show the rest of us how the cladding looks after application. Definitely interested in doing this, would like to see the cladding in a pic.

Thanks,
Adam

[E-ZooZoo One]

Does anyone have any long-term opinions/impressions about this product?


With the weather finally breaking, I ran ours through the local brushless car wash yesterday, cleaning it for the first time since we got it... Even though our cladding was looking a bit grey before doing so, apparently someone must have put 'something' on there before we bought it, because now the cladding is VERY grey - much more so than before.


In my search today, I read where a lot of people recommend Mother's Back-to-Black, but if the Restora really lasts so much longer (without problems), I’m thinking it might be the better way to go – especially since right now the cladding on ours is obviously quite free of any residues from previous product applications.

TIA!

[TechnoPope]

E-ZooZoo One,
Check this post for recent impressions: http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=8314

[E-ZooZoo One]

I’m not sure how I missed that thread, but THANK YOU for posting the link!

Looks like it’s Mother’s for me (unless anyone knows of something better).


Cheers!
Smiley

[transio]

Smiley,

After getting Scott's long-term feedback, I decided that I'm going to try to patch up my restora application rather than remove the whole thing.

I think if you apply it correctly (NOT as per the instructions), it's got potential to be a great product. However, it's a real commitment. Once you decide to use it, you're stuck with it.

PS - If and when you apply it, do it in your garage. Otherwise bugs and dirt could get trapped in it.

[E-ZooZoo One]

Ummm... What's a garage? :p

Seriously, that just sounds like one more reason for me NOT to use the Restora...
I've got a driveway that's long enough for about 7 or 8 vehicles to park nose-to-tail, but the 2-story building at the far end of it is a 'garage' in name only - with a door that's barely wide enough to roll a push mower in and out.


It's such a nice day, I think I'm gonna head over to Advance Auto for some Mother's right after I post this message.


Cheers!
Smiley

[crager34]

I have used the Mothers product with great results, but it doesn't last long. Gonna look into this product now. It takes awhile to apply anything correctly and I only want to do it once. So...it's this or Line-X.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[ScottinMA]

I gather that I am the orginal experiment here. IMHO the product does just what it claims. It puts up a barrier to fading that lasts and lasts. But you need to have some common sense. For example, the directions tell you to use a paintbrush as if you would be applying it to your house siding. To begin with, clean the cladding very carefully to get all the dirt off of it. Use an old t-shirt and cut it into small patches. Apply the product and rub it on to cover the cladding but not so much as that it's running down the cladding. I used a little as needed to cover and if I missed a spot I went over it later. Once it dries it looks like new cladding IMHO. When applying the product it goes on with a white color and and dries clear over the cladding. Also, it doesn't fade and takes a good deal of abuse. Eventually you will see where it needs to be reapplied (people hitting your car with their doors, etc). Feather it in as if you were painting a patch on a wall. Don't glob it on. It's a commitment from the sense that you won't be using Mother's every time you wash your car like I was doing due to the fading. I go over the cladding to feather in spots from time to time (like once since I first applied it when I posted the original article and it could use another but I'll wait until the weather is better here in New England). This is NOT a product for just anyone. So don't assume I'm trying to sell this on you. I'm (personally) just very satisfied with this product since I don't appreciate the work of applying Mother's and other short term shine products on my vehicle.

[ScottinMA]

Crager,

Line-X is final. You'll never need to do anything to it after it's applied.

S

[blacksambo]

Have you tried Meguiar's #42 Rubber Treatment from their professional line? Beats Mother's hands down..lasts longer goes on easier. Try it.

[climbcovey]

I think I like the idea of Rhino lining the cladding!!!

[Ruflyf]

Meguiars exterior trim detailer has worked very well for me, although it is a lil difficult to find it in stores. Only place I can get it locally is O'Reileys automotive. Excellent product though