Fiberglass a Boat
Fiberglass is used to build boats for many reasons. Chief among these are its durability, but also its easy to repair. You can patch boat holes in an afternoon and fiberglass a boat in just a couple of days. This article covers how to fiberglass a boat using epoxy resin.
Steps
- Prepare the boat for fiber-glassing. Before you begin the process of applying fiberglass to your boat, you need to prepare the boat. There are several preparations to consider.
- Removing extra items from the bottom of the boat. You should remove the keel, any lift stakes or rails, and anything else that should not be covered in fiberglass.
- Repair any holes with appropriate filler. To repair a hole, cut out the damaged section, wash and apply a dewaxing solvent, grind the area with a disk sander, apply a laminate or acrylic patch to the outside of the hull with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) mold release, apply a fiberglass patch measured and cut to fit the hole. Apply resin, repeat the fiberglass/resin application process as necessary and add hardener.
- Clean the hull of the boat. The hull should be clear of debris, barnacles, dust, dirt and mold.
- Sand the boat. For best results, the surface should be a little rough. Too much sanding can cause rippling.
- Mix resin and hardener according to package directions and pour the solution into a paint tray immediately. After about 30 minutes, the solution should be significantly hardened and ready to apply to the hull of the boat.
- Apply the first coat of resin. This first coat is called the seal coat. Using a foam roller, apply firm pressure and directional strokes to spread the resin as evenly as possible. Wait for the surface to no longer be tacky before doing additional work on the hull.
- Prepare and install the fiberglass cloth. Cut fiberglass cloth to the shape needed. Attach the fiberglass cloth to the hull using tape, tacks or staples.
- Apply a second coat of resin. This coat is called the bond coat. If you have waited for a while, consider sanding the hull again. Working from one end of the hull to the other, apply the bond coat over the fiberglass cloth. Remove the material you have used to attach the fiberglass cloth to the boat before the bond coat sets up completely.
- Apply another coat of resin. This coat is known as the fill coat. Wait for the previous coat to set up hard. If you have waited a significant period of time, clean and sand the hull again.
- Apply a final coat of resin. The finish coat should be smooth and even, but should also be thick enough to allow you to sand the hull evenly without damaging the cloth.
- Sand the hull. Give the final coat enough time to dry, preferably overnight. Use lower grit paper at first and finish with a higher grit paper.
- Apply a protective agent. This can be paint or another boat hull finish. Apply the protective agent according to the package directions.
Tips
- Work in a shaded, dry area, preferably with a temperature between 70 F and 85 F (21 C and 29 C).
Things You'll Need
- Dewaxing solvent
- Belt sander
- Mold release
- Fiberglass cloth
- Fiberglass resin and hardener
- Protective agent
