Industrial Plastics & Paints fibreglass provides the toughest, longest lasting, totally waterproof coating possible. It is a coating that can easily be applied by professionals and amateurs alike. Because the adhesion of fibreglass to the deck is dependent on penetration of the resin into the wood, fibreglass is only recommended for covering clean dry plywood.
SAFETY
Handle all products with care. Keep out of reach of children. The most hazardous substance to work with in any fibreglass application is the resin catalyst (methyl-ethyl-ketone-peroxide or MEKP). This chemical is very harmful to the eyes and will cause blindness. Suitable eye protection when handling catalyst is recommended. Should eye contact occur, immediately flush with plenty of water and contact a physician. Other materials may contain chemicals detrimental to health. Avoid excessive exposure to vapours and wear skin protection.
DECK CONSTRUCTION
As your fibreglass deck coating is going to last a long time it is important the the construction of the deck is structurally sound. The best deck are made of 5/8" or 3/4" T/G plywood. good one side. The joists must be of proper dimension and suitably spaced to provide good support for the deck. Industrial Plastics & Paints` refers the builder to municipal codes for specific lumber dimensions. Secure the plywood to the joists with 2" - 2 1/2" galvanized ring nails or screw nails. To prevent the seams from buckling due to expansion and contraction of the wood, a small gap (1/16") is left between all sheets of plywood. Two moldings are generally used for the deck, a cant strip against the wall, nailed to the deck, to prevent water from going between the wall and the deck, and a drip cap around the outside to carry the water out past the fascia board and down below the plywood. the drip cap has a rounded top edge to allow the mat to form over easily, and a reverse angle cut on the bottom edge to prevent water from running back to the underside of the deck.
DECK PREPARATION
Make sure the deck is clean and dry. Fill all defects, knot holes, hammer dents, and gaps between the sheets of plywood with fibreglass filler leaving a totally flat surface. Catalyst must be added to the filler, mixing only as much as can be used in a 5 minute period. Add approximately 1/2" - 3/4" of cream catalyst to a heaping tablespoon of filler. Clean putty knife and any tools used with acetone.
APPLYING THE FIBREGLASS
IPP Fibreglass should only be applied to a clean, dry surface. As with any coating, Resin should not be applied in the direct sunlight or onto a surface that has been heated by the sun. A good rule of thumb is if you are uncomfortable walking on the deck with your bare feet, then it is too hot to apply a coating onto. Postpone the job if rain is expected. Before mixing any resin, roll the matting out and precut the lengths. Roll the mat back up and set aside. Start by mixing no more than 2 litres of resin at a time ( or only as much as can be used in approx. 15 minutes ). To catalysed ( mix ) the resin, use the catalyst chart on the can, and based on the temperature you are working at ( deck temperature ), add the amount required for a 2-3 hour cure. ( e.g. at 70°F use 1% or approx. 1 1/2 teaspoons per litre ) Mix thoroughly. NOTE: a 2 hour cure will give approximately 30 minutes working time. If the resin gels in your bucket, do not try to use. Discard it and mix more resin using less catalyst.
Working with one length of mat at a time, lay the mat in place on the deck and saturate the mat with the catalysed resin using a short nap mohair roller. Brush up the cant strip and over the drip cap as you come to them. Use enough resin to turn the mat transparent, but avoid using so much that pools of resin form. A white-milky-hazy patch will be either not enough resin or an air pocket under the mat, apply more resin or roll out the air pocket with your mohair roller or an aluminum de-airing roller designed for use on fibreglass. Complete everything as you go along, rolling resin just off the edge of the mat strip so as not to leave any dry areas. Lay out subsequent strips overlapping the feathered edge on to the last strip( approx. 1 1/2 " ) and proceed with the same saturation method until the whole deck is covered. Allow the mat to hang down past the drip edge and saturate in place. Trimming excess around the bottom of the drip cap is easily done with a razor knife after the resin has gelled but before the resin is fully cured. After it is fully cured, sand any rough spots and trimmed edges before proceeding with your color coats.
COLOUR COATS
There are several ways to apply a Colour Coat to the newly fibreglassed deck. One method to simply use resin with colour pigment added to it. ( 1 litre of pigmented resin will cover approx. 50 sq. ft. ) applied in two coats. Colour all the resin at one time to ensure colour uniformity, especially when blending a custom colour. Colour pigment is added at a ratio of 60 ml. pigment to 1 litre of resin and must be mixed in very thoroughly. The colour coats are applied just like rolling on a coat of paint, again only catalysing a maximum of 2 litres of resin at a time, using the same catalyst directions as before. Do not apply the colour coats in the direct hot sunlight as the resin could cure too quickly and remain tacky, During hot weather apply the colour coat in the early morning or when the deck is shaded. As soon as the first coat is dry enough to walk on, the second coat can be applied unless the weather is too warm.
A second method of colour coating your deck is to use Gelcoat, a thickened, pre-coloured resin that only requires one coat instead of using 2 coats described above. Coverage is approximately 40 sq. ft. per litre. Gelcoat is applied and catalysed the same as the resin.
The third way to add colour to you new fibreglass surface is to use Deckote, a high build 100% acrylic coating. Before apply the Deckote, however, you will need to sand the deck to remove the surface wax, so the Deckote can adhere well to the fibreglass surface.
NON SKID SURFACE
Fibreglass can be slippery when wet, so a non-slip additive is generally used. For a light texture, mix in the non-slip in the first colour coat when using the resin with colour pigment method. For a heavier texture, add the non-slip to the second colour coat. Non-slip is generally added at approximately 450 gr. to 10 litres of resin or gelcoat or 450 gm per 400 sq. ft. covered. Non-slip should be mixed in at one time to ensure uniformity and be continually stirred during application to prevent settling. NOTE: You must sand between coats if waxed resin is allowed to fully cure.
MAINTENANCE
Just a simple wash with soap and water once or twice a year depending on use and exposure, rinse off with a hose and that's all. If the deck has mold or mildew on it, you may need to scrub it with something stronger such as TSP. Now sit back and enjoy your long lasting, waterproof, virtually maintenance free Industrial Plastics & Paints fibreglass deck coating.
