How to Repair Fiberglass

This video segment will show you how to do a simple fiberglass repair. This demonstration is applicable to any fiberglass products.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• fiberglass
• repair
• boat
• jetskis
• auto
• body
• shower
• stalls
• canoes
• kayaks
• gelcoat
• gel
• coat

[homesellnow]

I have a saiboat. It has two small holes in the front where the C bolt used to be, it is above the waterline. It does get wet during sailing and during washing. I cannot get to the back except with my finger. How do I repair the two small holes from the outside in? Each hole is the size of a large index finger.

[tapplastics]

Dyna-Glass is a polyester resin loaded with short glass fibers for incredible strength. Pack the hole so there are no air pockets. Do not bring the Dyna-Glass fully up to the surface of the bow. Once cured (10-20 minutes), apply Dynalite to smooth the repair flush with the bow. Once cured (10-20 minutes), sand the repair smooth. Finally, apply Gel Coat to match the color of the hull. Watch the two-part video, 'How to Repair Gel Coat' at our website for a fuller explanation.

[1851davidb]

I always thought that 20mm was just over 3/4" - thats a LOT of Gel coat :-)

[tapplastics]

@1851davidb The video recommends a gel coat thickness of 18-20 mils. 'Mil' is a term used for .001 inch, not a millimeter. So 18-20 mils is 18-20 thousandths of an inch, about the thickness of 4 sheets of paper.

[FeynmanFan]

I have a fiberglass bumper which is in two entirely separate pieces. Is that beyond the capabilities of this repair kit?

[tapplastics]

@FeynmanFan Such a repair is possible, but would be considerably more extensive that what was shown in the video.

[tapplastics]

@homesellnow The holes must be thoroughly clean before any repair can be attempted. They may contain silicone caulk, dirt, oil, etc., all of which will prevent anything from bonding. You may even want to drill out the holes to create a clean fiberglass surface for repair. Several repair methods are possible. Here is one. Pack the holes with Dyna-Glass (you can find it in the fiberglass repair section at our website).

[joesmoe71]

I've got a canoe that got decked by a snow plow and needs about a square foot replaced, I'm tempted to give it a shot after watching this vid.

[cornishrob123]

thanks have to do a old canoe

[tapplastics]

@emolater2 That depends on what your canoe is made out of. Plastic/polyethylene canoes cannot be repaired with standard fiberglass techniques. Epoxy canoes should be repaired with epoxy. Not sure what you mean by 'plasticpadding' in your repair question.