Installing Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat On A Boat Floor

It is made up of 1 2 long fiberglass strands that are randomly oriented and typically held together with a styrene soluble binder that acts like glue connecting the fibers.

Installing fiberglass chopped strand mat on a boat floor.

This being said there are two types of fiberglass cloths that you ll be working with. Between coats apply gelcoat without wax additive gelcoat and resin comes with or without the wax additive. It is compatible with epoxy even though it has mat with it. The fiberglass tows are held together by light nylon stitching which do not affect the structural integrety of the cloth.

The mat that is stitched to the fabric does not have a styrene binder like the regular chopped strand mat. The 1708 is a 17 ounce 45 bias fabric with a 3 4 ounce chopped strand mat stitched to it. The flat non crimped fibers yield reduced print thru and higher stiffness than other woven fabrics. Print through is when the fabric weave texture shows through the resin.

Uni di or biaxial fabric is also often pre stitched to chopped strand mat this is called a stitch mat fabric as the mat again improves the bond between layers in a laminate. If you are making panels on glass flat surface reverse the process. Resin coat cloth fiberglass resin chop strand resin gelcoat with wax. Knitted fabric is compatible with polyester vinyl ester and epoxy fiberglass resin.

Chopped strand mat does not have much strength. Now you know the basic types of fiberglass cloth and tape used in diy boat repairs including what fiberglass cloth and tape is the various sizes the main weaves all about chopped strand mats and the most common glass compositions. Some of these cloths include chopped strand mat biaxial mat cloth woven roving cloth continuous roving cloth carbon fiber cloths and the list goes on and on. 99 get it as soon as wed oct 7.

Like regular fiberglass cloth these directional fabrics are quite expensive. Mat is often used as the first layer before the gelcoat in a laminate to prevent print through. Wax the glass 10 coats of wax 15 min. Best of luck on your next step toward repairing your own boat.

Fiberglass biaxial cloth is a 1708 e glass biaxial 45 degree cloth with 3 4 oz mat backing. Chopped strand mat in fabric form is sold on the roll and in small folded packages.