How to Work With Fiberglass

Posted by Anonymous , 9/5/2007 Tags:WithFiberglass

Story Highlights

Introduction Fiberglass is a material made from fine glass fibers. It was originally used in the

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Introduction

Fiberglass is a material made from fine glass fibers. It was originally used in the 1950s as an industrial substitute for asbestos. These days, it is more commonly used for the repair of fiberglass items. When you work with fiberglass, there are several steps to follow to achieve the best results.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Work With Fiberglass

Steps

1

Step One

Measure the area of the project you plan to work on. This will help you figure out how much of the materials you will need for the repair.
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Step Two

Prepare your tools. Among the most important things you will need are a fiberglass cloth or mat, polyester or epoxy resin, gel coat, a solvent for cleanup, gloves, a mask and paint. You may also need a sander, a body filler and rags.
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Step Three

Protect yourself when working with fiberglass. Put on old long sleeved shirts and pants that you don't mind discarding at the end. Also put on your goggles, dust mask and gloves.
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Step Four

Prepare the area you will be working on. Make sure it is dry and free of debris. For best results, cut out any cracked or crushed spots.
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Step Five

Cut the fiberglass cloth or mat into the shape of the area you will be working on. You may need several smaller patches if you need to build the area up. Fiberglass cloth provides more strength but the mat is less expensive and can be used for irregular surfaces.
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Step Six

Mix the amount of resin you need.
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Step Seven

Work quickly to prevent the resin from drying up before you are done. Brush the resin onto the cloth or mat and put this in the spot. Brush resin onto the next patch and place it on the previous patch. Repeat this process until the spot is filled or until you run out of patches.
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Step Eight

Be sure to lay your patches on smoothly to avoid bubbles.
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Step Nine

Clean your tools immediately with solvent, like acetone.
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Step Ten

Sand the surface when dry. Wipe off the dust, and then fill up any holes with filler, like Bondo. Sand again when dry then apply a gel-coat.
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Step Eleven

Read "Fiberglass Repair: Polyester and Epoxy" by David Aiken to learn more.

Overall Tips & Warnings

  • Fiberglass shares a similar shape to asbestos fibers. Because of this, it may also cause the same kind of health problems that make asbestos dangerous. This is an issue that is still being researched.
  • Fiberglass can irritate the skin, eyes and throat. Long exposure to fiberglass may affect the respiratory system.
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