New Floor
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: Anything Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1219
Printed Date: December-04-2024 at 2:23pm
Topic: New Floor
Posted By: Tate
Subject: New Floor
Date Posted: February-16-2005 at 5:28pm
I am starting on the floor in my '80 Martinique Friday. I'm going to carefully tear the existing out and save the pieces for templates. What kind of resin do I need to get for the new floor? Is any one kind better than any other? I am extremely new at boat restoration. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Tate
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Replies:
Posted By: David F
Date Posted: February-16-2005 at 5:48pm
Epoxy resin is the best choice since it has superior strength and bonding characteristics. Remember whichever resin you use, you are relying on a secondary vs primary bond. Here are some pros and cons for Epoxy vs Polyester resins:
Epoxy:
Pros: Stronger, superior adhesive (secondary bond), superior water barrier. Can be thickened with talc, etc. Low odor. Does not shrink.
Cons: harder to work with. Cannot adjust pot life. Can cause skin allergies with over exposure. Two parts must be precisely measured. High cost. Must use special fiberglass mat (i.e. no binders). UV intolerant
Polyester:
Pros: Can adjust pot life to suit working conditions by vary amount of hardner. Low cost. Less drain away on vertical surfaces. Fiberglass mat is readily available and compatible. Can be thickened (cabosil).
Cons: High odor. Weak bonding characteristics. Shrinks as it cures. Can boil resin if laminate layed up too thick at one time or too much hardener used. Hardener (catalyst) is highly toxic (MEKP). Inferior strength.
Bottom line, use epoxy if you can. Save money by buying your materials online from US Composites. Make sure you use "Epoxy Mat" and alternate mat and woven roving when laying up your laminate of equal thickness to what was removed. Determine number of layers to achieve thickness via a mock up that you can throw away. Start and finish laminates with mat. Make sure you purchase a groved roller to roll out air bubbles as you build up the laminate.
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Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: February-16-2005 at 6:31pm
If possible, shim the floor slightly towards the bilge. This will allow the water off life jackets, rain etc. to drain. You don't want water to stand near the walls. Use a high quality silicon caulking in the joints. One thing about resins is all it takes is one crack that lets water behind it, will rot the floor. I used treated 3/4 and put 9 coats of polyurethane on top and the edges before installing, and used stainless steel screws. The prior floor was put down with brass screws, which most of the heads popped off. I also ran small bolts up from the bottom side prior to installing to attach the front seats, easy take out with wing nuts. Don't forget about wiring additions, I put a 12 volt accessory plug in the side of the seat base.
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Tim D
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Posted By: Tate
Date Posted: February-16-2005 at 11:11pm
Thanks a lot y'all. I'm definately a beginner. Are there many options when choosing brands of resin/mats? I really want to do this right. Will the epoxy resin stick to the treated plywood and the silicone?
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Tate
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Posted By: David F
Date Posted: February-17-2005 at 11:43am
Treated plywood: Yes. It is best to leave treated plywood out in the sun for two weeks or more before using it. You want to dry out the wood and evaporate the excess chemicals as much as possible.
Silicon: NO. Nothing sticks to cured silicon.
Just buy all your products from US Composites. They will help you make sure you purchase compatible materials. If you go with epoxy, just make sure you wear latex or vinyl gloves to keep the stuff off your skin.
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Posted By: Tate
Date Posted: February-19-2005 at 12:14am
Thanks guys. I called US comp. and I'm placing an order this week. The guy really helped me out. Picked up the boat today. It's in my garage. Thanks again.
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Tate
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: February-22-2005 at 10:52pm
Another source for both epoxy resins and fiberglass and other costs is Raka. www.raka.com I have used thier products extensively in the past with great results. The big advantage is their lower cost over West, System 3, etc.
www.westsystem.com
www.systemthree.com
are some alternate sources. both websites have much info on the use of epoxy for boat building and repair.
An excellent resource for learning about materials, epoxy techniques, etc. is www.bateau.com. (look at faq, discussion forums, etc.)
Good luck
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Posted By: 68 Mustang
Date Posted: February-22-2005 at 11:30pm
I use west brand epoxy expensive but Ithink it works well. We use it to build Iceboats with no nails or screws. Comes in fast or slow set It soaks into the wood Makes it just about rot proof and strong.
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68 Mustang
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