Flood Restora Cladding Protectant - 3 month review

[transio]

[EDIT: upon further use of the product, I have changed my review to a positive... read later posts]

Ok,

So I put on this Flood Restora product on my VX a few months ago. (See here for details.) It's intended for vinyl siding on homes, but Scott tried it on the VX cladding with some success, so I decided to give it a shot.

My initial thoughts were that I was very happy with the product, but dissatisfied with my application of it on the VX. It darkens the cladding to a very attractive, shiny black color that lasts for one year, according to the manufacturer's specs. However, because it goes on like paint, you can see a visible texture in the film if you apply it too thick.

After 3 months, my opinion has changed drastically! The product is definitely not intended for vehicular applications, and it shows! Stones that would normally bounce off the cladding without leaving a mark now leave scratches and discolorations in the Restora film. It's very soft, and almost any abrasive contact will make it look terrible.

Furthermore, it cannot be removed except by peeling it away, leaving a raised edge, and making it impossible to apply a new coat over the affected area without having it look, well, botched.

I decided to remove the product entirely from my vehicle. Getting it off the cladding is bad enough. I spent 3 hours last Sunday with a heat gun trying to peel it away, and only got about 1/10th of the way through... this is gonna be a real pain. I also made the mistake of applying it to my hood. The heat gun didn't work there, and I had to go in with sandpaper to get it down. I started with 300 grit, which made my hood look milky. Now I'm gonna have to get some 600 grit, and maybe buff it out when done to get the hood shiny again.

All in all, I would say this was a horrible experience, and although I was thinking about reapplying this stuff before, I would definitely NOT do it again considering the ungodly toil involved in removing it.

So there you have it - thumbs down. Seems like a great product for what it was intended to do (revitalize paneling on houses), but definitely NOT for the VX!!!

[mbeach]

Thanks for the tip!

I saw this stuff at Lowe's the other day and I was wondering if anyone had tried it out.

[ScottinMA]

Well, I gotta respond to this. I'm still quite happy with the experince and have absolutely no desire to remove it. When I get a scratch on the cladding I use a soft cloth and wipe it on and I'm done with it. The cladding does not fade which is what attracted me. However, I do indeed feel sorry for Steve and the hell he is going through. Given his dissatisfaction I take back my recommendation. I must add that I've had it on about two months longer than Steve. I also used a soft cloth to apply it whereas he used a paint brush. Maybe that's why he is unsatisfied.

[transio]

7 month review...

I figured a few things out:

1. Flood Restora will come off with Acetone or Lacquer Thinner, which will not damage the cladding.
   
   
2. Thinning the product with some Paint Thinner (or equivalent) prior to application significantly improves the appearance.
   
   
3. Definitely use a terry cloth to apply it instead of the paintbrush it comes with.

My new opinion of the product is that it's a really good option for the cladding - especially if it's faded. This stuff goes on and lasts forever... literally... all you have to do is wash it and your cladding looks like new!

[Ruflyf]

anyone able to past a coupe detailed pics?

[transio]

Here are some pictures of my car with it on, after a simple wash...



There is some damage on the bottom-left side of my rear bumper. Notice how it's barely visible here.


Notice a little texture on the right side of the rear bumper? That was due to poor application of hte product. I have since corrected that problem.

[ScottinMA]

Steve,

Time to put the thumb in the up direction?

Scott

[transio]

LOL! Done.

[nfpgasmask]

Do you think this stuff helps "take out" scratches?

Bart

[transio]

Hey Bart,

It doesn't remove scratches. The product is a clear polymer-based "paint" that bonds to the plastic cladding. As such, it will add a "clear coat" layer on top of your cladding, removing any fading and filling small scratches. Furthermore, you can add a little texture to it using a terry cloth rag to apply it, which will mask scratches even better.

[Ruflyf]

Sounds good. Other than a good wash and whatever the directions recommend, got any pretreatment suggests for prepping the cladding?

[ScottinMA]

Sounds good. Other than a good wash and whatever the directions recommend, got any pretreatment suggests for prepping the cladding?

When you purchase the product it contains a pre-treatment spray on step that assists in the bonding. Nothing more to purchase. Once on...there is really nothing left to do but wash the car.

Scott