5x10 Rigid Pop-Up with Foam

[Pmullen503]

First layer of glass not a total disaster.

This is the bottom and I only intend to lay up one layer for rodent protection and to add a little stiffness to the floor. (But I will likely install a wood floor inside regardless.)

I think you'll find the FG alone on foam will dent easily. You'll want something stiffer over that. Maybe plank flooring? It will look nice.

I wasn't really too sure about using this epoxy, as it is sold as a casting epoxy with no reviews by anybody doing layups. So far, I can't discern any problems with it. It is also very low odor in my attached enclosed garage, though I did the layup with the doors open.

I'm curious as to the setup time. Low viscosity for deep pours cures slowly for obvious reasons. Epoxy meant for counter tops is higher viscosity but can cure faster. Which did you use?

 

[kipa]

I think you'll find the FG alone on foam will dent easily. You'll want something stiffer over that. Maybe plank flooring? It will look nice.

I'm curious as to the setup time. Low viscosity for deep pours cures slowly for obvious reasons. Epoxy meant for counter tops is higher viscosity but can cure faster. Which did you use?

I am definitely going to use a more rigid flooring overlay, but also planning to do at least 2 layers on top facing surfaces for better compression resistance regardless.

The resin I'm using isn't fast curing, but it does lose all of it's tackiness in 24 hours. I was sanding it within 36 hours without issue. It's not suitable for additional layers inside of 4 hours. At 6 hours, it's still very tacky but firmed up quite a bit. I'd guess a good chemical bond is probable for another 6 or more hours after that (but I have zero experience with multi-layered epoxy).

 

[kipa]

Maybe this is common, but the resin I am using is thick enough that I had to abandon using the pumps. It took over 5 minutes to get 200ml into a cup with them, and I'm trying to get closer to a liter at a time to work with for most of this, so direct pouring is far faster.

 

[Pmullen503]

Maybe this is common, but the resin I am using is thick enough that I had to abandon using the pumps. It took over 5 minutes to get 200ml into a cup with them, and I'm trying to get closer to a liter at a time to work with for most of this, so direct pouring is far faster.

Wow that is thick AND slow. It is cheap however (about 1/3 what I pay for laminating epoxy). The laminating epoxies I've use are thin enough to pump well and can be recoated in an hour or so. I'm generally working with 6 to 10oz batches. Any more and it will start to gel in the cup before I can get it spread out.

You can thin epoxy. I prefer acetone but that will dissolve foam. You could try 10 or 15% Isopropanol. That will make the epoxy less clear but that won't matter under paint. Do a test first.

 

[Tom&Shelly]

Maybe this is common, but the resin I am using is thick enough that I had to abandon using the pumps. It took over 5 minutes to get 200ml into a cup with them, and I'm trying to get closer to a liter at a time to work with for most of this, so direct pouring is far faster.

That's what I did after experimenting. I used the "beer cup method for mixing epoxy".

Tom

 

[kipa]

The slower cure time allows me to think more about what I am doing, so I don't really mind it.

I'm mostly just wanting to get it shelled in for the winter so I can park it outside without thinking too much about it. Figuring it as at least a 6 month project to get it mostly done, but I wanted to get the fiberglass started while it is still warm out.

 

[Tony Latham]

I was sanding it within 36 hours without issue.

Be careful with that. Just because it's sandable doesn't mean it's 100% cured. Breathing dust from uncured epoxy is a bad deal.

Tony

 

[kipa]

Good point!

Airborne dust is one of the reasons I avoid the power tools for a lot of sanding, but I think I inhaled more bad stuff while staining my fence wearing a chem filter this week. (Shaving would have helped.)