Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board

Re: Finish coat over epoxy

Posted By: Pete Rudie
Date: Thursday, 22 April 1999, at 3:58 a.m.

In Response To: Finish coat over epoxy (D.J. Wissuchek)

> This is more of a materials question, and I was hoping someone here could
> help. I am building a kevlar and fiberglass solo canoe. I would like to
> put a colored finish over the epoxy (mainly to cover up some cosmetic
> defects like weave distortion), and I'm not sure what to use for the
> coloring. My two options seem to be using a colored polyester gel coat, or
> adding pigment directly to the epoxy and adding another layer. Which is
> better? I've never used gel-coat and haven't found out if it will adhere
> well to epoxy. Also, if I pigment the epoxy, will I still need to cover it
> with a UV absorbing varnish?

Polyester doesn't stick to epoxy very well, so it's out. No matter what you add to epoxy or how thick it is applied, it is unstable in UV. Your best bet is aliphatic polyurethane, the 2-part "linear" stuff. It's tough as nails, highly UV resistant, adheres tenaciously to epoxy, and comes in any color you can think of (and some you'd rather not). There's a lot of solvent in this product, so use proper ventilation and safety equipment. It can be sprayed or rolled on, but don't try to brush it. 2 or 3 thin coats (1 mil or so) are better than 1 thick one, so it goes a long way. Keep the unused partials sealed tightly, and use them for touching up dings.

Messages In This Thread

Finish coat over epoxy
D.J. Wissuchek -- Wednesday, 21 April 1999, at 9:34 p.m.

Re: Finish coat over epoxy
Pete Rudie -- Thursday, 22 April 1999, at 3:58 a.m.

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