Types of fiberglass

[tennpenn]

I'm getting ready to order my fiber glass materials to glass in my new floor. I've read many of the fiberglass posts and the epoxy vs poly posts.<br /><br />I haven't yet decided whether to go with poly or expoxy but understand the differences between them. <br /><br />What I am still confused about is which fiberglass cloth/mat/woven roving/tape to use with poly versus which ones to use with expoxy when glassing the floor in. Nor do I know what weight to use...6 oz, 10 oz, etc.<br /><br />Can somebody straigthen out a confused 1st time fiber glasser? <br /><br />This is the one part of the boat restoration project I'm nervous about and do not want to screw it up...it was mess a getting it out the 1st time, don't want to have to do it again.

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: Types of fiberglass

I would use the mat, and use epoxy resin no matter which glass you choose. If you are just going to glass the section you discribed in your other thread, then a couple of layers of the 6 oz. if ok. If you plan on glassing in the back of the stringers by the engine mount I would go with a 10 oz. mat. Take a sander to the wood and "rough it up" for a better bond. And when you mix up the epoxy and hardener, be exact, or else it won't harden.

 

[Pan-one]

Re: Types of fiberglass

http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,147,00.html <br /><br />I used 6oz on mine and came out well. The best price is from http://www.uscomposites.com/ <br /><br />It's not hard to do just take your time! Good Luck !

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Types of fiberglass

MJ<br /><br />I think you meant cloth not mat.<br /><br />TP<br />If you use epoxy, cloth works well. If you use poly, don't use cloth as a first layer, it won't bond well, always use mat (3/4 or 1.5 oz) as the first layer. Any of the types of glass can be used in combination to do a good job, so don't stress out over it. 1 cloth and 1 mat will work on the floor, at the edges where it meets the hull, double or triple it. It's more important that no water gets to the wood if you want it to last a long time.

 

[tennpenn]

Re: Types of fiberglass

Mark's Joy...I will be glassing in the sister stringers discussed in the other thread and about a 5 foot by 6 foot area of new floor decking. So this needs to be tied back to the hull and glassed over to tie back to the remaining section of the old floor.<br /><br />Sounds like the 6oz is the prevailing weight to use, but this is where I get confused. Mark's Joy you say 'use the mat' but when I look at US Composites web site...they don't have any 6 oz mat...just 3/4, 1.5, and 2 oz mat. They have 6 oz cloth...is that the same as the mat? I just really don't get when the different types of fiber glass should be used and for what application.<br /><br />Also, will the 6 oz still be sufficient to tie the floor back to the hull on the sides or do I need a heavier weight there?

 

[tennpenn]

Re: Types of fiberglass

Hey ondarvr..that clears it up for me.<br /><br />Epoxy = cloth.<br /><br />Poly = mat with cloth on top.<br /><br />Double or Triple the sides to the hull.<br /><br />Thanks all!

 

[Chief101]

Re: Types of fiberglass

Hey tennpenn, sound like you have the recipe.

 

[tennpenn]

Re: Types of fiberglass

Not me Chief...I'm just copying from the chefs that actually know what they're doing!

 

[andy6374]

Re: Types of fiberglass

FWIW: I like to use double bias stitchmat (1708 or 1808) in combination with the mat. I used vinylester resin exclusively on my transom/floor/stringer project.