Using Epoxy to Stop Wood Rot

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Kapena

Really simple...you have the manufactor, who formulated the product, recommending not using thinner after conducting scientific testing or you have someone who has done no testing recommending using thinner.

It's your call.

West is not the only manufacturer in the world, but they do have the best advertising.

Does'nt mean they are any better.

Dave

[Alan Wheeler]

It's a disclaimer! If something goes wrong they don't want the blame

No it's not actually. The problem was discovered sometime back. And I don't think it was West that discovered it. I think it may have been Epiglass, but maybe wrong. Like many of the manufacturers, they all had their own version of the product. Epiglass had the well known version called Evidure. It was years of use of this product and years later of study that some results suggested there was an issue. It tended to be in things like small wooden row boats crafted in timber. The consensus was that you painted on the Evidure which soaked into the timber or ply and made it hard and rot prrof. Then you painted on the clear protection coats like Goldspar etc. But it was sometime later that it was realsied that the hulls took on a lot of additional weigth. And it was found that they were actually soaking up water into the hull.

The best way to solve a rot problem is to cut out the offending area. I do like coating with Evidure around the area's I have not touched so as any possible rot spores have been taken care of. And that's all. Then you refit the hole with new timber/ply. Don't go trying to make rot hard with Epoxy. It will never be as strong and as neat as the real thing.

[Steve Kidson]

As someone almost at the end of a refit project where I encountered quite a bit of rot I offer the following as my contribution.

- I researched, looked everywhere at all sorts of products as a "shortcut" for dealing with the rot.
- Nothing exists to satisfactorily kill/fill/protect and present as a finished floor, bulkhead whatever.
- There is only one answer, cut it out, replace section removed.
- Filling a large hole with epoxy is going to be difficult as without using a retarder, in a large concentrated area the epoxy could heat rapidly and even create a fire.
- If in a vertical application, sufficient fillers will need to added to mix to prevent it from running out of the hole.

In the long run it is always going to be a better job to cut out the area, replace piece and then apply a protective coating - epoxy resin to finish.

By the way, I use International Paints Everdure, a 2 part epoxy sealer on all timber in the boat. 2 or 3 coats to seal and then finishing with appropriate top coats. Everdure can be used as a clear finish on its own, and with many coats can give a high gloss varnish appearance.

I own a cabinetmaking business, and we also use the Everdure in sealing timber or composite boards in areas where moisure could be a problem - under bathroom vanities, outdoor cabinetwork (BBQ areas etc).

Fair winds

Steve

[Tnflakbait]

Hey. My Csk catamaran is built of ply and is 43 years old. I have done a bit of rot repair. When I can I replace the wood. When I can't I use Smith's penetrating epoxy. Much better than Git Rot in my experience. The stuff really soaks in and West System bonds great to it. You want your rot to be as dry as possible. The good thing about Smiths is that is displaces water. It also has a chemical that retards rot. Check it out.


Search: penetrating epoxy

[Benny]

I've taken a serious look at The Rot Doctor and his CPES penetrating epoxy - it is the first step and is very thin alsready and penettrates better than anything else out there . The next step is the Lay-up and laminating epoxy product which is thicker but still thin enough to 'follow' the CPES throughout the wood areas. It also is used to complete the filling in of voids etc and remains somewhat flexible after curing. There are other products on the site for other applications designed to fill holes and he also manufactures a complete line of sealents and adhesives - I have some serious deck delam probs and I will use these products on my boat - either by cutting the outer skin and replacing the core and then filling with epoxy or drilling holes and injecting. Take a look at the site - it's well worth it as there are instructions, examples, testimonials and specs.etc.

Wood preservation, rot repair, and restoration using epoxy resin on boats and homes.

[Meridian]

As for CPES, I second the recommendation to check out Smith's Penetrating Epoxy.
Smith & Co. - Restoration Products

John

[Boracay]

My generic 5:1 epoxy resin penetrates too much already.

[pjfsail]

Jeff, I'm refitting a 33' fiberglass sailboat that is 40 years old. I'm a retired cabinetmaker. In the past three years working on Soaring Eagle I have cut out and replaced wood that was rotted and in other cases I have used CPES to stop any additional rot from taking place. Sometimes on a sailing vessel it is just not practical to remove every piece of rot and CPES has worked good for me. From this point, in some cases, I have replaced rotted areas with wood epoxied in or if the area is small enough just using West System (or one of the others on the market) and any number of epoxy thickeners (I like to use West System 406 Colloidal Silica). I also use epoxy from US Composites. They call it: 3:1 Epoxy Resin and Hardener. I like this product because its viscosity is between that of CPES and West System. If I need the epoxy to flow into an area I will choose US Composites 3:1 and warm it in the hallway where our wall heater blows down on it. If I am working on an area that I am using a thickening agent I'll use West System as it is thick and doesn't take near as much to do what I want it to to.
Sorry, I don't have a comparison of the products these are the only ones I've used in the last 20 years and they work good for me.
You might have a look at this website this fellow does some remarkable woodwork. Pearson Triton #381 Glissando | Restoring, maintaining, and cruising a plastic classic on the coast of Maine

Kind regards,

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Chris31415

My generic 5:1 epoxy resin penetrates too much already.

How do you figure that, and what breed are you using ?

Dave

[Boracay]

I buy my resin from fgi in Brookvale, Sydney.
The one that I use is ES180 (scroll down).
At the moment I am using it to seal plywood and it soaks in more than I really want.
I have also used it to laminate up a couple of hatches. It has worked fine so far.

[cat man do]

I've used the FGI resin before, and while it was a good thing and better than lot's I still prefer the stuff i'm using.

I still find the comment re: soaking into the ply too much a bit odd though, as at best it will only go to the glue line, but that I would doubt.

Do you feel it is a weight issue, or just using to much resin/$$$.

Dave

[Boracay]

Its really more of a time issue with me.
Trouble is, it does not soak in evenly but in patches, so I have to go over and repaint to get an even finish.
Everything seems to take so long...

[cat man do]

OK, I get the same thing which i'm fine with in furniture, but on exterior or tank's I feel that the resin if thinned get's into the areas where the resin does not seem to get into on the first coat.

If the resin did not soak in it may infact be able to be peeled of over the years, so I wouldnt be distressed about it.

Dave

[glhotka]

We ended up using Git-Rot in a small section of the bulkhead and it worked really well. We ensured it was dry, then drilled holes and injected a bit in each until the wall was essentially a combination of wood and absorbed epoxy. The Bulkhead is very solid and likely saved me thousands of dollars.
When we were starting the work we wanted to see others that may have done it and found nothing on line showing the type of bulkhead repair we wanted to do. So we did what we usually do, set up the video camera and recorded our own "Here's how we did it" video.

Maybe it will help others, Posted on our Blog Project page.
S/V Last Affair - Blog - Using Penetrating Epoxy in a Rotted Bulkheadl

[Wotname]

Just for information in case you missed it, the previous posts were 5 years back.