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Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
A small 2-square-feet area around an inspection hole on the deck of my
fiberglass boat is kind of springy. I believe water has found its way through the flange of the inspection hole into the core, and I believe that the core has become rotten and has delaminated from the fiberglass skin. I am going over books to learn the right way to fix this problem. But I have a question that I don't know the answer. According to the hull/deck repair books from WEST SYSTEM and Don Casey, they both recommend using epoxy to glue the new core and the old fiberglass skin. This makes sense because epoxy is good for attaching dissimilar materials together. So far so good. Both books recommend grind down the edges of the fiberglass skin to create tapered edges, and then put fiberglass cloth and epoxy to link up the old fiberglass skins together with the fiberglass skin on the deck. I buy the idea of using epoxy to join the fiberglass skin. But I have a question on how to finish the surface. If we use epoxy to join the fiberglass skin, the cured epoxy is the outer surface before any finishing is put on top of it. According to Don Casey's book, gelcoat doesn't adhere well with epoxy. He suggested painting with non-skid additive or attaching non-skid overlay over the area to cover up the epoxy area. I am under the impression that paint is not good for high traffic area, right? And I don't know how good a non-skid overlay will look when it is placed on existing non-skid surface. I assume that the existing non-skid surface is made from gelcoat, and I would assume that putting gelcoat with non-skid additive over that area will be better compatible with the non-skid surface on the rest of the deck. Is painting with non-skid additive good enough for high traffic area? Can we sand the area and then spray a thin layer of gelcoat over the epoxy and then add non-skid additive onto the gelcoat using a shaker? What would you do to finish the area? Thanks in advance for any info. Jay Chan |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
For purty, I think you're going to have to paint. What the limits of the
painted area are depends on your esthetics. I have the impression that there are many paints suitable for high traffic areas. Porch & deck enamel?? Creative masking of the edges of the paint can make it look like something that was planned. If your existing non-skid is the sand-in-paint flavor, you can probably match the texture after a few tries. If it's a molded in pattern, then there is a scheme where you make a "mold" from an undamaged area and press it down into/on top of the fixing goop before it hardens. Seems like I've seen a write-up in one of the magazines recently for this technique. Roger http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm wrote in message ups.com... A small 2-square-feet area around an inspection hole on the deck of my fiberglass boat is kind of springy. I believe water has found its way through the flange of the inspection hole into the core, and I believe that the core has become rotten and has delaminated from the fiberglass skin. I am going over books to learn the right way to fix this problem. But I have a question that I don't know the answer. According to the hull/deck repair books from WEST SYSTEM and Don Casey, they both recommend using epoxy to glue the new core and the old fiberglass skin. This makes sense because epoxy is good for attaching dissimilar materials together. So far so good. Both books recommend grind down the edges of the fiberglass skin to create tapered edges, and then put fiberglass cloth and epoxy to link up the old fiberglass skins together with the fiberglass skin on the deck. I buy the idea of using epoxy to join the fiberglass skin. But I have a question on how to finish the surface. If we use epoxy to join the fiberglass skin, the cured epoxy is the outer surface before any finishing is put on top of it. According to Don Casey's book, gelcoat doesn't adhere well with epoxy. He suggested painting with non-skid additive or attaching non-skid overlay over the area to cover up the epoxy area. I am under the impression that paint is not good for high traffic area, right? And I don't know how good a non-skid overlay will look when it is placed on existing non-skid surface. I assume that the existing non-skid surface is made from gelcoat, and I would assume that putting gelcoat with non-skid additive over that area will be better compatible with the non-skid surface on the rest of the deck. Is painting with non-skid additive good enough for high traffic area? Can we sand the area and then spray a thin layer of gelcoat over the epoxy and then add non-skid additive onto the gelcoat using a shaker? What would you do to finish the area? Thanks in advance for any info. Jay Chan |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
For purty, I think you're going to have to paint. What the limits of the
painted area are depends on your esthetics. I have the impression that there are many paints suitable for high traffic areas. Porch & deck enamel?? Creative masking of the edges of the paint can make it look like something that was planned. Good to know that some paint can withstand traffic. Honestly, I am not impressed with paint that people put on porch or deck. They eventually deteriorate after foot traffic especially near the stairway. Therefore, I try to avoid using paint. Hopefully, I can find some intermediate agent that I can put between the cured epoxy and the gelcoat (that I want to put on top of the cured epoxy), and somehow help them to bond together. If your existing non-skid is the sand-in-paint flavor, you can probably match the texture after a few tries. If it's a molded in pattern, then there is a scheme where you make a "mold" from an undamaged area and press it down into/on top of the fixing goop before it hardens. Seems like I've seen a write-up in one of the magazines recently for this technique. Not sure how the existing non-skid surface was created. I will try a couple methods to see which one comes close. Jay Chan |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
|
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
We all deteriorate with traffic. You should have seen me after a few hours
in the Gary, IN, traffic on Thanksgiving eve a few years ago. Roger http://home.insightbb.com/~derbyrm wrote in message oups.com... Good to know that some paint can withstand traffic. Honestly, I am not impressed with paint that people put on porch or deck. They eventually deteriorate after foot traffic especially near the stairway. Therefore, I try to avoid using paint. Hopefully, I can find some intermediate agent that I can put between the cured epoxy and the gelcoat (that I want to put on top of the cured epoxy), and somehow help them to bond together. If your existing non-skid is the sand-in-paint flavor, you can probably match the texture after a few tries. If it's a molded in pattern, then there is a scheme where you make a "mold" from an undamaged area and press it down into/on top of the fixing goop before it hardens. Seems like I've seen a write-up in one of the magazines recently for this technique. Not sure how the existing non-skid surface was created. I will try a couple methods to see which one comes close. Jay Chan |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
|
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
It's possible to mix white pigment (titanitum oxide?) into the resin so
surface wear and scratches in paint or gelcoat aren't as noticeable. |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
Unfortunately for me there is no easy access to the underside. The
boat is a small 18-ft center console, and the space between the deck and the structure below deck is only a couple inches. Therefore, I will have to fix it from the top side. Jay Chan Jim wrote: You are supposed to do repairs like this from the underside. Not breaking the outside skin. So, what's to paint, except the INSIDE? wrote: A small 2-square-feet area around an inspection hole on the deck of my fiberglass boat is kind of springy. I believe water has found its way through the flange of the inspection hole into the core, and I believe that the core has become rotten and has delaminated from the fiberglass skin. I am going over books to learn the right way to fix this problem. But I have a question that I don't know the answer. According to the hull/deck repair books from WEST SYSTEM and Don Casey, they both recommend using epoxy to glue the new core and the old fiberglass skin. This makes sense because epoxy is good for attaching dissimilar materials together. So far so good. Both books recommend grind down the edges of the fiberglass skin to create tapered edges, and then put fiberglass cloth and epoxy to link up the old fiberglass skins together with the fiberglass skin on the deck. I buy the idea of using epoxy to join the fiberglass skin. But I have a question on how to finish the surface. If we use epoxy to join the fiberglass skin, the cured epoxy is the outer surface before any finishing is put on top of it. According to Don Casey's book, gelcoat doesn't adhere well with epoxy. He suggested painting with non-skid additive or attaching non-skid overlay over the area to cover up the epoxy area. I am under the impression that paint is not good for high traffic area, right? And I don't know how good a non-skid overlay will look when it is placed on existing non-skid surface. I assume that the existing non-skid surface is made from gelcoat, and I would assume that putting gelcoat with non-skid additive over that area will be better compatible with the non-skid surface on the rest of the deck. Is painting with non-skid additive good enough for high traffic area? Can we sand the area and then spray a thin layer of gelcoat over the epoxy and then add non-skid additive onto the gelcoat using a shaker? What would you do to finish the area? Thanks in advance for any info. Jay Chan |
Epoxy or Polyester for Fixing Rotten Core on Deck?
Terry Spragg wrote:
wrote: A small 2-square-feet area around an inspection hole on the deck of my fiberglass boat is kind of springy. I believe water has found its way through the flange of the inspection hole into the core, and I believe that the core has become rotten and has delaminated from the fiberglass skin. I am going over books to learn the right way to fix this problem. But I have a question that I don't know the answer. According to the hull/deck repair books from WEST SYSTEM and Don Casey, they both recommend using epoxy to glue the new core and the old fiberglass skin. This makes sense because epoxy is good for attaching dissimilar materials together. So far so good. Both books recommend grind down the edges of the fiberglass skin to create tapered edges, and then put fiberglass cloth and epoxy to link up the old fiberglass skins together with the fiberglass skin on the deck. I buy the idea of using epoxy to join the fiberglass skin. But I have a question on how to finish the surface. If we use epoxy to join the fiberglass skin, the cured epoxy is the outer surface before any finishing is put on top of it. According to Don Casey's book, gelcoat doesn't adhere well with epoxy. He suggested painting with non-skid additive or attaching non-skid overlay over the area to cover up the epoxy area. I am under the impression that paint is not good for high traffic area, right? And I don't know how good a non-skid overlay will look when it is placed on existing non-skid surface. I assume that the existing non-skid surface is made from gelcoat, and I would assume that putting gelcoat with non-skid additive over that area will be better compatible with the non-skid surface on the rest of the deck. Is painting with non-skid additive good enough for high traffic area? Can we sand the area and then spray a thin layer of gelcoat over the epoxy and then add non-skid additive onto the gelcoat using a shaker? What would you do to finish the area? Thanks in advance for any info. Jay Chan I put the original top deck pieces back, using epoxy goo and adjustable height guide screws under the top bits, into the new core. Wipe of the excess with plasic baggies, possibly to re-use and then with dampened acetone rags, pressing gently, and weight down lightly to cure with poly bags of dirt. The poly doesn't stick. Clean up the pattern with a spoon, then when hard, a dremel, and you stand a chance of never noticing the scars, if you cut it off sensibly with a thin dremel cutter wheel. Spring will tell if, instead of whittling for a week, I should have put down an overlay of glass, resin, poly plastic sheet, and expanded metal grille to form antiskid. It's been two years now, and I am not afraid to do the stbd side, in about 10 more, the same way. Terry K I am trying to understand what you are saying. What do you mean by using "adjustable height guide screws under the top bits, into the new core"? Do you mean using screws (and epoxy) to attach the old fiberglass skin to the new core? Then you need to deal with covering up the screw heads, right? What's the purpose of using screws? Should we simply use epoxy alone instead? When you said "Clean up the pattern with a spoon", I assume you mean using a spoon to remove the excess epoxy that gets sequeezed out from the joint, right? What you said "..., a dremel, and you stand a chance of never noticing the scars, if you cut it off sensibly with a thin dremel cutter wheel", I assume you mean using a small Dremel power tool to cut out the excess epoxy that gets sequeezed out from the joints and has become hardened. I don't understand when you said: "Spring will tell if, instead of whittling for a week, I should have put down an overlay of glass, resin, poly plastic sheet, and expanded metal grille to form antiskid. It's been two years now, and I am not afraid to do the stbd side, in about 10 more, the same way." I have a feeling that you are trying to say that your method should be as good as another method, and the other method would take more steps to get done. What I don't understand is that if you had already done the repair ten years ago, you should have known the result by now. I am wondering why you still need to wait for next spring to know the result. Jay Chan |
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