I am an experienced woodworker with limited experience using glass and
epoxy resins. The question is: I want to reinforce what began as
3/4" teak that forms a part of the decking of my bow pulpit. The teak
has been sanded down so much over the years that is has been reduced
to approx. 1/2", not strong enough in my opinion to take the beating
it takes when the bow dives into waves even though the teak has plenty
of 1" holes to reduce resistance.

So, I am in the process of applying roving/matting/woven biaxial glass
on the bottom side. I plan on building it up to approximately 1/4 of
glass/epoxy to restore the board to its original dimension. Now, the
question is this: Generally n woodworking if you veneer one side of a
board you must veneer the other side or your board will bend due to
unequal stresses. I wonder if this applies to glassing one side as
well. The pulpit boards are well secured to stainless steel tubing
all around their perimeter which should prevent them from bowing but
will the stresses of unequal surfaces cause them to split or crack?

Of course, when one lays a wooden deck one is, in effect, applying
glass/resin to one side only and these decks seem to work. Am I
answering my own question?

Your thoughts appreciated.

Joe

If it has holes, slots or other perforations, it'll be VERY difficult to
apply a structural glass skin well enough that you have reasonable odds that
it'll stay attached. If there are flaws in the encapsulation, even a stable
wood like teak will expand and contract enough to break the bond with a
glass-epoxy skin pretty quickly. Better to replace the plank/grate . You
might take the old one apart and follow its construction or there are a
variety of ways to build these things.. The cost of the teak will be
shocking, in the neighborhood of $15/BF, last i looked. There isn't a good
substitute.


"Joe Bleau" wrote in message
...
I am an experienced woodworker with limited experience using glass and
epoxy resins. The question is: I want to reinforce what began as
3/4" teak that forms a part of the decking of my bow pulpit. The teak
has been sanded down so much over the years that is has been reduced
to approx. 1/2", not strong enough in my opinion to take the beating
it takes when the bow dives into waves even though the teak has plenty
of 1" holes to reduce resistance.

So, I am in the process of applying roving/matting/woven biaxial glass
on the bottom side. I plan on building it up to approximately 1/4 of
glass/epoxy to restore the board to its original dimension. Now, the
question is this: Generally n woodworking if you veneer one side of a
board you must veneer the other side or your board will bend due to
unequal stresses. I wonder if this applies to glassing one side as
well. The pulpit boards are well secured to stainless steel tubing
all around their perimeter which should prevent them from bowing but
will the stresses of unequal surfaces cause them to split or crack?

Of course, when one lays a wooden deck one is, in effect, applying
glass/resin to one side only and these decks seem to work. Am I
answering my own question?

Your thoughts appreciated.

Joe

Have you thought of plating the bottom with either stainless or aluminum
plate?

"Joe Bleau" wrote in message
...
I am an experienced woodworker with limited experience using glass and
epoxy resins. The question is: I want to reinforce what began as
3/4" teak that forms a part of the decking of my bow pulpit. The teak
has been sanded down so much over the years that is has been reduced
to approx. 1/2", not strong enough in my opinion to take the beating
it takes when the bow dives into waves even though the teak has plenty
of 1" holes to reduce resistance.