If you are the owner of a wood bottomed boat that you have always wanted to cover in fiberglass, you are not alone. Fiberglass boats are enduring and attractive looking. It is a challenging, but doable project to fiberglass a boat. This article covers the necessary steps to effectively fiberglass your boat.
Materials and Tools Necessary for the Project:
- Resin
- Disposable Brushes
- Foam rollers
- Squeege
- Power Sander
- Foam Pad Backing Disk
- Waterless Resin Cleaner
- Solvents like lacquer thinner, acetone, or alcohol
Surface Preparation
The most critical element in making your fiberglass application process work effectively lies in having a clean surface on which to work. A surface should be both dry, clean, and bare wood that does not contain any dust, dirt, oil, wax, grease, or paint. A rough surface is permissible, more effective than one which has been covered with wood preservatives.
All seams, holes, dents, cracks, and gouges must be filled in using a resin compatible wood putty that is not oily, or alternatively, utilizing an epoxy filler. This needs to then be sanded down to an even level with the surrounding wood before the first coat is applied. All of the corners of the portion to be outfitted with fiberglass must be well radiused, on the outside and the inside.
Sequence of Application
The fiberglass application process is affected using four solid coats of resin. The first of these coats is the seal coat, which seals up the wood before the cloth is applied. The second coat is known as the bond coat, useful for wetting out and bonding the fiberglass cloth to the surface itself. A third coat is called the fill coat, which fills in the cloth’s weave. The fourth and final coat is called the finish coat, and it offers sufficient resin build up for the last of the sanding and finishing of the fiberglass. Never put on more resin than you need to successfully address the needs of the coat in question.
Seal Coat Application
Once the surface preparation is completed, put on the first resin coat to all surfaces to be covered in fiberglass. A high density roller made from foam which is thin will work best. You should utilize long strokes in many directions and apply solid pressure. The coat needs to be both even and thin, without any low or high areas, sags, runs, or dry spots. Following about fifteen minutes, investigate the surface for dry spots, then re-coat. You are looking for small bubbles to show up. The coat should be permitted to cure, preferably overnight. Any areas which appear to be covered in sags or runs will need to be sanded down. This sanding ought to be done by hand using a solvent wipe, without the power sander at this stage. A light sanding on the entire coating is a good idea before going on to the next coating application. Also, wipe down with a solvent wipe using lacquer thinner, acetone, or alcohol after the sanding has been completed. Finally, the surface must be entirely dry before putting down the next coat.
Fiberglass Application
Although there are both wet and dry means of applying the fiberglass cloth, the dry method will prove easier and more effective for you. When using the dry method, the cloth should be placed on to the surface without adhesive. The resin coat is then put directly on to the cloth in order to make it wet. Before you do this, though, you should cut, fit out, and place the fiberglass cloth on the wood first. It is a good idea to gain some practice and experience with the fiberglass cloth by beginning in a smaller area. The cloth can be held in place using masking tape, staples, or tacks. These have to be taken out before the resin begins to harden. Start at one end of the hull itself, then work all the way to the other end
Final Coats Applications and Finishing
The fill coats and finish coats should be applied once the fiberglass cloth has cured and bonded to the wooden surface. Follow the instructions as with the previous two coats. When the final coat is completely dry, the power sander can be effectively used to make the entire surface even.
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