I have a question about fiberglass, epoxy, and styrofoam

Question

so, i built myself a foamcore longboard skateboard today and i've hit my first speed bump (figuratively). I basically took some insulation styrofoam and added it to a flat piece of plywood. I then shaped the foam to make the board safer and more comfortable to ride. the foam is soft to stand on, and will get really beat up, so I need to protect it. I was thinking of glassing it with some tough fiberglass, where can i get it, what density of cloth should i use? what epoxy works best with styrofoam and fiberglass, and do you know any other ways to harden the styrofoam so that it will retain its shape?

Answer 1

You need to fiberglass over the styro. You can buy kits at Marine stores or Auto parts stores. The Marine stores will have a better selection. You start with coarse mat, cut it so you can overlap pieces to completely cover the area, lay it on a piece of plastic sheeting, "paint" it with the mixed resin and catalyst mixture, then place the pieces on your project.

Do one layer at a time. When you get to the final layer, It's sanding time.

You will need a powered sander and several grits to get a smooth finish.

Now, you will need to ask a question about Gelcoat if you want it to be pretty! You might better ask a boat repair shop to gelcoat it while they are working on another project in the color you prefer. It is alot harder to work with than 'Glassing. Have fun!

Answer 2

You do not use epoxy on fiberglass, you use a two part resin. Epoxy is a 1:1 mix two part resin. The one you want uses an extremely small amount of cataylzer to harden the resin.

This is the stuff they use to make and repair boats and older Corvette automobiles. The easiest place to find it is in an auto parts store. They sell the fiberglass, in cloth and in mats of various size and thickness. They also sell the resin and hardener. You can buy each separately or as a kit.

The hardener has an extremely short shelf life, so you want to buy as you need, not a year in advance. Follow the mixing instructions exactly except you can put a little extra hardener in.

One trick is to be ready to apply the cloth BEFORE you mix the resin, it has a shelf life of a very few minutes. Mix it with popsicle sticks in a plastic cup. Put Saran Wrap over it while it hardens. That gives a smoother finish.

You might want to clamp some wood pieces on it while hardening to help shape it. It adheres well to most surfaces. It takes several layers to be strong enough to stand on. It is not at all strong in two or three layers of cloth.

Wear latex gloves when you are mixing and working with it because you WILL get it on you. Use acetone to clean off tools, but NO SMOKING. Acetone is explosive!

P.S. TJH and I are on exactly the same wave length. It is obvious from his/her answer that he/she also has done a lot of this kind of work, as have I. Since you know more about this product than either of us, there is nothing more either of us can add.