Floral cotton fabric pattern into fiberglass panels & UV question

[pbmaise]

I stumbled on this video and it is in Hindi. This guy is making fiberglass panels and incorporating fabrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3qcRk9imuc

I am currently building two deck mounted CR enclosures for tourists. Instead of having a solid color, or paying an artist to paint something interesting, this seems like a great idea to make a waterproof panels with an interesting pattern.

I am sure surfboard builders have been incorporating fabrics into boards for decades and this is nothing new.

My basic concept is a honeycomb board with vinyl ester and fiberglass both sides. Then fabric and top layer of fiberglass like demonstrated in video.

Questions:

1. Should I search for a cotton fabric or synthetic?
2. Is the layer of fiberglass cured before the person in the video applies the fabric. Or is it applied to the fiberglass layer below when it is still wet?
3. Since there will be no protective paint on these panels..what can I do for UV protection so these panels last at least 5 years?
4. My lay up plan is

300g/m2 chop
fabric pattern
200g/m2 woven
12mm honeycomb panel board
200g/m2 woven,
fabric pattern
300g/m2 chop with UV additive??

Any comments if this is sufficiently strong for wall panels are welcome.

Two wall hung sinks will need to be supported...and I currently plan on extra layers of fiberglass in those areas.

I also need to make 6 dinner tables and benches. I was thinking of the same approach. I realized that the fiberglass and vinyl ester might scratch too easily and was thinking the table surface area should be epoxy. These tables will be protected from direct sunlight and do not need UV protection.

[Spot]

I would 'google' fabric inlay or cloth inlay surfboard. They are not using CSM over the cloth and most likely only 200 gsm^2 (6oz) plain weave over the fabric to maintain clarity with a fill and gloss coat of resin. Silane treated cloth will look 'clearer', Volan treated cloth will look 'greener'. The cloths are typically thin cottons* and they will use more resin than plain weave. I did one on a small project with epoxy and 120 gsm^2 (4oz) over a cotton fabric. If the cloth is medium or darkish, it will darken even more with resin. Best to try a sample panel first before committing to a build.


*read more fabric details here and source of the photos:


https://www.swaylocks.com/forum/4417...lay-surfboards

[pbmaise]

Spot thanks for the tips.

I was also thinking synthetic might be a problem. Fortunately a high quality light color Japanese cotton print has caught my eye. I like this pattern since there is no real direction to it.

I have looked carefully at my supplier's quote and concluded it is not too expensive to switch from 12mm honeycomb to 19mm honeycomb and I will gain a lot of strength without spending more on resin and fiberglass.

Based on your suggestion my revised layup plan is....


fill & gloss coat with - UV stablizer?
200g/m2 woven
Cotton fabric
300g/m2 chop
19mm honeycomb panel
300g/m2 chop
Cotton fabric
200g/m2 woven
fill & gloss coat with UV stablizer?

[Spot]

PB, I like the pattern you chose. Interesting but not something that will appear dated too quickly.

I do not do much with technical core materials so I cannot comment there.

The gentleman did a nice job in the video. I would be afraid of waxing a wood table and having it release afterwards. It did take him a couple tries to pull the laminate off the table. I was surprised the the CSM looked as clear as it did. I use mostly plain weave cloth and surfboard type epoxies, I should get some CSM and try it to reduce my bias...

[pbmaise]

Good video of board making with pattern fabric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeVf8W4ELuE

[pbmaise]

I found an interesting product today and decided to switch this project to epoxy.

I realized it will be far easier for me to maintain surfaces with just a quick sand and fresh layer of epoxy. The epoxy will then stick well to the older layer of epoxy. This maintenance function is expected on the table tops and benches owing to normal wear and tear.

It is fine keeping a surfboard looking pristine that never touches anything but water and a protective cover so they can get away with cheaper resin and buffing. It would be far more difficult to maintain on my vessel.

For wall panels visible on both sides I can make a sandwich. 2 layers of 12mm honeycomb. The inner sides of these panels can be thick fiberglass with ISO resin to provide the stiffness.

The outer layer can be just fabric with a thin layer of protective fiberglass.

I am also building table tops and benches. However, the bottoms of these can be iso polyester resin and thick fiberglass. I am leaning away from vinyl ester resin after I learned it has a shelf life even when not open. My concern is where I am located the vinyl I buy might already be too old.

The problem of UV stable epoxy seems to be solved according to this website.

https://www.artresin.com/blogs/artre...lowing%20issue.


"A UV stabilizer merely delays yellowing... another additive altogether is required to really combat yellowing— something by the name of Hindered Amine Light Stabilizer (HALS). Unlike UV light stabilization, Hindered Amine Light Stabilization (HALS) actually interrupts the yellowing process at the outset"

Of course finding this product in SE Asia will be fun.

For walls I am now thinking

Exposed wall
200g/m2 glass with epoxy resin & HALS
Pattern cotton fabric with epoxy
12mm honeycomb
450 g/m2 chop in iso resin
400 g/m2 woven in iso resin
450 g/m2 chop in iso resin
12mm honeycomb
Pattern cotton fabric with epoxy
200g/m2 glass with epoxy resin
Inner wall

Note: Extra layers of epoxy and glass where sinks are mounted and door hinge area.

Instead of edge banding epoxy fill corners round and layers of fiberglass tape in epoxy.


........................................

Tables and benches will require edge banding. For this I am thinking of wood sealed with epoxy and fiberglass.

Exposed table top & bench seats
400g/m2 glass with epoxy resin & HALS
Pattern cotton fabric with epoxy
25 mm honeycomb
450 g/m2 chop in iso resin
450 g/m2 chop in iso resin
400 g/m2 woven in iso resin
400 g/m2 woven in iso resin


Note: Extra layers honeycomb with fiberglass at support points

[PirateFoxy]

If you are doing the walls and surfaces with different products I would use different fabrics/patterns because the different products may make the colors come through differently which will be less obvious if they are coordinating but not identical.

[pbmaise]

My local supplier here in Malaysia has a product for UV stabilization made by BASF.

https://www.basf.com/us/en/products/...abilizers.html

It also looks I am going to use a simple angle profile made from FRP to form the edge banding around the tables and benches. According to my research epoxy should stick relatively well to FRP. The iso resin should also stick relatively well since the FRP is made from the same iso resin.

The thing I had in the back of my mind turns out to be related but not what I am trying to do. The rule is don't put iso resin onto epoxy. I will not be doing that. I am still going with epoxy for the top surface and cheaper iso resin to make the bottom and middle layers. The reason I want the epoxy on the top surface is so I can easily recoat with fresh epoxy when the tables and benches are scratched up by tourists.

[Spot]

I see the Entropy Super Sap was #3 for non-yellowing on the Artresin site.
Makes me wonder if there are other resins with better non-yellowing formulations that were not included in the original tests.