Fiberglass Cloth or Fiberglass Mat? Fiberglass Resin or Epoxy Resin?

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by canoe42, .

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   canoe42

   Need some help in choosing the right material to repair a fiberglass canoe with one small 1/4" hole and a spider cracked gelcoat covering.
   
   I know how to repair the hole with fiberglass resin and hardiner. Need to know if I should use fibergalss cloth or fiberglass mat. Have heard the cloth is stronger and best used to build up a repair in layers, then use fiberglass mat as the last and final layer over the repaired area because it is more abrasion resistant then fiberglass cloth.
   
   Mending gelcoat - I do not plan to remove and replace all the gelcoat. Have been told it is not necessary and satisfactory results can be had by sanding out as much of the cracks as I can with 80 grit sandpaper, fill the remaining cracks with something durable, finish sand and paint. Comments from this and other web sites suggest filling in the small spider cracks that are left with a variety of products such as fiberglass resin, epoxy resin, epoxy spraying putty, white polyester putty or gray autobody putty. When filling deeper cuts and gouges it was suggested to mix colloidal silica into epoxy resin to thicken it. I do not know the difference between these products. Is fiberglass resin with hardiner the same thing as epoxy resin? My guess is it is not, based on the following ad I found,
   
   System Epoxy Resin. It is a low viscosity, light amber laminating resin used to maximize the physical properties of glass laminates. Test results have proven superiority over other room temperature epoxies. Its low viscosity and great handling characteristics make it a favorite. Chopped strand mat contains a binder which prevents proper bonding with any epoxy resins. Use our polyester or vinyl ester resins with chopped strand mat.
   
   Have sanded the entire canoe with 80 grit sandpaper. Cracks are visible but very shallow. The 1/4" hole has been sanded down to fiberglass and beveled out 2" around the hole. Hopefully someone here knows what would be the best products to use.

    

   canoe42,#1

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   the1much

   ya got any pics?,,,and you should use "cloth" to fill the hole,,should be an inch or 2 bigger then ya have beveled out already,,,then mat last ,,,,NOT because its more abrasive (it isnt) but because it gives an easier surface to fair.,,, you should use epoxy if you dont know what your canoe is made from,,,,and whoever told you to sand the cracks till whatever then fill,,,is an idiot,,you need to grind the cracks till their gone,,,and you need to (V) grove them all,,,or you'll do all this work and a month later the cracks will be back.
   and you can use micro-balloons or cabosil to thicken epoxy.

    

   the1much,#2

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   tinhorn

   Unless there's some reason to believe your canoe was built from epoxy, I'd just go with polyester resin. Mat is comprised of short, randomly-oriented fibers. It's not as strong as cloth, but how much strength do you need on a 1/4" patch? If you have cloth available, go ahead and use it, but mat will work as well.
   
   The success of your patch is going to depend more on your craftsmanship than on the materials. The edges of the hole should taper no less than 8:1 - sounds like you've nailed that. There should be NO surface your patch touches that hasn't been ground down to "virgin" material. If, as you're sanding the patch, you see a seam at edge - no matter how tiny - that's where it's going to start coming apart later.
   
   Use no more resin than necessary to wet out your glass. Most amateur repairs I've seen were terribly resin-rich. Sop up any excess resin. (I used cheap paint rollers when I did this stuff for a living, but rags will work on small jobs.)
   
   Spider cracks indicate impact damage. Sand off the gelcoat entirely on one of them. If you see white lines in the fiberglass itself that replicate the gelcoat cracks, another patch is in order, just as if the spiderweb was a large hole. You need to get rid of all the cracks by grinding them out and patching, just like you did the hole. (In fact, you'll make holes.) This is where I'd choose cloth over mat for the repair.
   
   The easiest way to patch impact damage is to grind one side down to virgin material, then lay a few layers of mat against it. This will help you maintain the shape. Now go to the other side and grind out the cracks, making an 8:1 taper. (If the glass is 1/8" thick, then your taper should be 1".) Patch this side, then go back and grind off all that mat you applied and patch the other side correctly.
   
   Wearing proper sunglasses makes gelcoat cracks seem to disappear, and in some cases this is preferable to spending the rest of the summer patching more utilitarian items. But I don't know how valuable your canoe will be when you're done.

    

   tinhorn,#3

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   Landlubber

   tinhorn has nailed it, do exactly as he says and you will sleep in peace.

    

   I am not a complete idiot.......some parts are still missing

   Landlubber,#4

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   SamSam

   tinhorn said: &#;

   Wearing proper sunglasses makes gelcoat cracks seem to disappear, and in some cases this is preferable to spending the rest of the summer patching more utilitarian items.

   Click to expand...

   
   
   With the 1/4" hole, some canoes are only two laminations of 10 oz fabric and very thin. A smaller patch on both sides may be better than a bigger one on one side, I.E., beveled out 1" on both sides. Some canoes are very flexible, so you want the repair to come close to matching the flexibility of what's there so you don't create a hard spot which will crack the gelcoat or the adjacent laminations over time. If it's a heavy, clunky chopped strand canoe, it hardly matters.

    

   SamSam,#5

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Fiberglass is a composite material consisting of extruded glass strands. The fiberglass used in the automotive industry, shipbuilding, and hull repair differs from the fiberglass used for insulation. Rigid fiberglass can be bonded together with epoxy. The difference between fiberglass cloth and mat is how it is constructed and looks.

Let's break fiberglass cloth vs mat, its breakdown helps you decide if fiberglass cloth suits your project or if you need a chopped strand mat. Remember, you can use both to achieve your desired results. 

What are fiberglass mats, and what is fiberglass cloth?

Fiberglass Cloth Roll:

Fiberglass cloth is a layer of woven raw silk. It is vital, has a uniform appearance, and is used where project formation is essential. The woven fibers do not intermesh with the threads of other layers of fiberglass cloth.

what is fiberglass, go to learn more >>

Fiberglass mats:

The fiberglass chopped strand mat provided by Heaterk adopts the needle punching process. Compared with the past short fiber bundles fixed together by polyester system resin binder, the needle-punched mat ensures strength and performance and is more environmentally friendly. Because no adhesive is used, the temperature resistance has also been increased to 550 degrees Celsius.

What's the difference between fiberglass cloth and mat?

Fiberglass materials are popular for many applications due to their high strength, low weight, and excellent corrosion resistance. 

When selecting the right fiberglass product, it is essential to understand the differences between fiberglass cloth and mat. Fiberglass cloth, also known as woven roving, is made by weaving strands of glass fibers into a tight, regular pattern, resulting in a consistent and uniform structure. 

It offers superior tensile strength, ranging from 300 to 500 MPa, and excellent dimensional stability, making it ideal for applications that require high mechanical performance, such as automotive parts and aircraft components. In contrast, fiberglass mat, or chopped strand mat, consists of randomly oriented glass fibers held together by a binder. 

This non-woven material has a lower tensile strength, typically between 100 and 200 MPa, and its multidirectional nature allows for superior conformability and easy handling when used in complex geometries. Fiberglass mat is commonly used for applications that demand good impact resistance and moderate strength, such as boat hulls and architectural structures. Ultimately, the choice between fiberglass cloth and mat depends on the project's specific requirements, considering strength, durability, and ease of application.

When would you like to use a fiberglass mat and fiberglass cloth rolls?

If you want to make a robust and lightweight product, please use fiberglass cloth because fiberglass cloths use a multi-directional warp and weft weaving process, so the strength of both warps and fill yarns are much higher than that of fiberglass needles. It is thinner and lighter, suitable for lightweight applications or as a raw material for coated fiberglass fabrics.

But if you want to use the product for heat or sound insulation, then fiberglass matt is perfect. Compared with a glass fiber cloth, a glass fiber needle felt has better sound insulation and heat insulation performance, and the highest thermal conductivity of the glass fiber needle can reach 0.112W/m·k. The Sound Absorption Coefficient can get 0.98 at hz.

Where to use fiberglass mats and where to use fiberglass cloth?

The most significant difference between fiberglass mat roll and fiberglass woven cloth is in performance, strength, and build thickness. Fiberglass chop mat needs a lot of space in the working environment. It is often used for machinery, pipes, walls, and roof insulation. While, fiberglass rolls are very suitable for sealing products with less space due to their smaller volume, and the cloth is more robust, such as hull insulation, waterproof wood, or other surfaces. Fiberglass is also used in various household fixtures, such as showers and bathtubs.

The two can be combined to simultaneously act as a seal against heat and sound, thereby reducing costs and obtaining best performance practices.

How is fiberglass fabric made?

Our weaving styles include fiberglass cloth rolls I, plain, four-harness satin, and eight-harness satin. The most commonly used are 4 oz, 6 oz, and 10 oz plain weaves. The warp and weft yarns are woven in an alternating pattern in this simple plain weave. Plain weaves are the easiest to work with because they don't fall apart when cut like other weaves.

The fiberglass chopped mat adopts a needle-punching process, and the fiberglass threads in the carpet are messy. It is easy to intermesh with the fibers of other rugs through multiple needle punches so they are bonded together. During construction, chopped strand mat fiberglass is layered until the desired strength or thickness is achieved. Chopped fiberglass mat has a higher density than fiberglass cloth.

Which fiberglass fabric should I choose?

The glass fiber cloth and glass fiber mat provided by Heaterk are all E-glass electronic grade glass fiber. We have sufficient experience in manufacturing glass fiber products. In the past 20 years, we have obtained certifications, including UL723, and ASTM E84, in Several certificates and test reports.

You can learn about Heaterk's HKBDZ series glass fiber needle felt.

Contact Heaterk's team; we will provide professional solutions and the most cost-effective fiberglass mat.

For more Ceramic Filter Foamsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.