Epoxy topic or question.

[Lectro88]

Hello all.
As most of you know I have mostly used epoxy, and several kinds or brands.
I recently stumbled across a what seemed to be an economical brand…. Warning…
Too good to be true.

Well I coated a piece of cedar and after it cured I washed with dawn and warm water and took it to the boat and checked fitment.
Anyway it got left out and it rained on it.
Today I gathered it up and to my dismay it looked cloudy.
Now I have built stands and epoxied and they have been outside in elements for over 2 years and not showed signs of any water intrusion.
My new transom is epoxy coated and been exposed countless times and never showed any clouding.
So needless to say I was shocked and baffled.
I called the seller and they informed me that their “marine” epoxy was intended for repairs and typically protected from elements by paint or unexposed.
So I guess I learned yet again cheaper is not better. Almost never better.
My $100+ Per gallon epoxy was a better bargain in hind sight.








Below the runs in the epoxy really shows what seems to be moisture penetrating the epoxy
This is not Amine Blush. As stated it’s been washed and almost a week old before exposed to elements.




So I guess this is why I experiment with my products before I get too involved in 1 direction.
Well I thought I would pass this along and I welcome advice or your input as well.
So not all epoxies are equal
Cheap epoxy is cheap for a reason.
Thanks in advance.

Edit.
I will add that I sanded and put a 2nd coat.
So this did have 2 layers.
A failed attempt to repair previous runs.
That ended up with runs anyway.

 

[Lectro88]

So my question is after all my editing.
You see the cloudiness.
Am I correct in thinking that this particular epoxy may not be protecting the wood from moisture.
Or is this just needless concern.

My thought up remedy was sand and coat with a better grade of epoxy.

I regret buying 4 gallons of this stuff

Thank you again.

 

[Lectro88]

Mods. I have a duplicate thread.
Not sure how it happened but I did have trouble making post.
Please delete the duplicate.
Thank you

 

[Bondo]

So my question is after all my editing.
You see the cloudiness.
Am I correct in thinking that this particular epoxy may not be protecting the wood from moisture.
Or is this just needless concern.

My thought up remedy was sand and coat with a better grade of epoxy.

I regret buying 4 gallons of this stuff

Thank you again.

Ayuh,.... Epoxy ain't uv stabilized, so makes a poor top coat,......

'n it's my guess the 4 gallons ya bought would make fine laminating resin, where looks don't matter,.....

 

[Lectro88]

Ayuh,.... Epoxy ain't uv stabilized, so makes a poor top coat,......

'n it's my guess the 4 gallons ya bought would make fine laminating resin, where looks don't matter,.....

Thanks for the reply Bondo.

Long reply…
I know the UV part.
And never intended it to really be exposed to open elements.
My thought was not laminating, but pre-coat stringers and such as a water barrier, to protect from say wet foam in the future. As that seems to be common. Or water in general getting to the structure.
Yes, you would have tabbing and fiberglass going over the stringers. But
Being in vertical position, epoxy and everything else likes to run or drain down, and my pre-coat idea was the safety net for spots missed, or lean areas. and I saw plenty of that in the original construction. Or tear out.
I was saving my better high dollar top shelf for more critical applications.
I have 3-4 other brands that have proven to be very trustworthy.
And I had I haven’t done inventory but I probably have 8-12 gallons of the other “good” epoxy.

So far as the transom… I know it’s exposed right now and the epoxy I used on it is protecting the wood from the elements just fine until I fiberglass over it.
Like I said that transom has been done over 6 months and the epoxy is clear as a bell.
This piece of cedar that I coated the other week turned milky after 1 night left out in the rain.
And to me that’s just not like epoxy,.. or epoxy that I’m used to.
I guess I was being greedy or misering trying to conserve my good epoxy for laminating and structural.
I will find a use for it or use it up I’m sure.
This is the prime reason I test every product before I jump in and start full steam.
The racks and stands I coated 2 years ago are prime example, they have been fully exposed again 2 years and this other brand turned milky after 1 night. And it’s stayed milky and discolored.
It’s almost like it hadn’t cured enough, but it had been a week and the weather had warmed up.
Lesson learned I guess.
Cheap epoxy is cheap for a reason, pick your battles. Or in other words know your products.