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Thread: Applying Flowcoat

  1. #1

    Applying Flowcoat

    I am just about to flowcoat the floor of my boat and am chasing some advice, having never used the stuff before.

    How would you apply it? Brush or roller? I have read hear that rollers cant handle the thickness needed.

    How much to mix at a time? How long does it take to go off using 1% hardener?

    Is it possible to clean brushes between coats or are they one use only?

    Cheers,

    Dave
    Experience is something you get right after you need it.

  2. #2

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    I'm certainly no expert but I can give you a few tips. Unless laying over new glass that has not fully cured then I would clean, sand and rub down with acetone before starting. Flow coat is easiest to use by brushing and a softer (more expensive) brush gives best results and less brush marks than the $3.00 throw away ones. I have had little luck cleaning them so I use a new one every 30 mins or so. Don't skimp on application thickness if you are only doing one coat. I slop it on then brush it out.
    If you are not running matting or carpet over it you will have to look at the nonslip nature of the surface. You can sprinkle on sand or glass microbeads before it goes off or sprinkle sugar crystals and after its gone off (next day)hose it and they melt leaving a nonslip surface thats easier to clean and softer on the feet.
    If your glass is in good condition another alternative is to use an acrylic co-polymer deck paint like tredgrip. It can be applied straight onto glass and is a soft nonslip surface
    http://boatcraft.com.au/informationp...nformation.htm
    Many cruising boats use this over older existing fibreglass decks.

    Cheers

    Neil
    A Proud Member of
    "The Rebel Alliance"

  3. #3

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    I am pretty sure flowcoat is 1.5 %, dont go under the recommended ratio.

    Brush is fine for a smaller deck, mix abouta litre at a time, you will have enough time to apply it before it goes off.
    Make sure you have sanded the deck properly with 40 grit and have everything ready before you go, because once you start you havent got too long to stuff around. I think depending on the weather about 20mins or so.

    Apply one coat, let it go off then apply the second coat. You should be able to put the second one on in the same day. Once you have finished you can then sprinkle the glass beads or whatever over the deck while the second coat is still wet. The excess can be broomed or hosed off the following day.

    Gav

  4. #4

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    The above sounds like good advice, I uassually mix 2 kg at a time in an icecream container at 1% if over 25 degrees if under 25 deress I will use 1.5% cat. When applying be quick do not play about get it on fast and try and only brush in one direction, if you get it on thick you will only need one coat. As flowcoat has a lot of wax in it doing two coats is not a great idea, if you must then you will need to sand the first coat and wipe with accetone before doing the second coat. The better your preperation of the surface the better the result, ensure the surface is well keyed up with 140g or similar and cleaned with accetone before you start.

    Brushes can be re-used, make sure you have an icecream container with a lid half full and wash the brush as soon as you are finished (not 5 min later as brush will be staffed once the gelcoat stats to go off). Make sure you leave the lid on the accetone as it will evaporate very fast. Any of the options for non skid mentioned are good or you can fleck it like many production boats. To fleck get a contrasting colour flow coat and add some styrene to it to thin out, you will need a cheap pot style spray gun to apply. On the pot gun reduce the air untill the flow coat splatters out. Do a test spray on a piece of cardboard to ensure the flecks are not to large or to small, when you have this right tape and paper everything in the boat you dont want fleck on as it will find its way everywhere ;-) Now catalyze at 1% (no more as it goes of quick in the pot) make sure you catalyze in a icecream container and mix well before adding to pot to ensure it is well mixed. AS SOON AS CATALYZED MOVE QUICK YOU HAVE ABOUT 15MIN BEFORE IT GOES OF IN THE POT. As soon as you finished fill the pot with accetone and clean then add some accetone to the pot and spray to clean the internals, now take the gun apart and clean the needle, spring and nozzle etc. If you don't give it a real good clean the gun will be stuffed. All in all a very easy job as long as yo move quick once you start.

  5. #5

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    I always wondered how the fleck was done. I was told to flick it off a paint brush. This sounds a lot more controlled
    A Proud Member of
    "The Rebel Alliance"

  6. #6

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    Back in the day it was, if you see any of the old boats where the flecks are like random lines and splashes it was pobably done with by flicking with a brush. I have a special fleck gun but there real hard to find, you can use any of those super cheap pot guns just back the pin all the the way as far as it will go and drop the air preasure down real low until it splutters.

  7. #7

    Re: Applying Flowcoat

    Toothbrush is good to flick fleck, afterwards not so good for brushing teeth...

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