A question for the fiberglass guru's or boat builders

[holorinhal]

I am installing a floor between My stringers and I want the wood to show thru the glass.
My question is should I lay up Two layers of matt and finnish with one layer of cloth,Or Is one layer of mat and one layer of cloth strong enough?
One layer of mat and one layer of cloth will let the wood show better.
This is what I have.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/535/1631.jpg
And this is what I am trying to achieve.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/hJ6IafeEtNmdWTNmO-x_xZqPOCPCvCEq0300.jpg
Thank's.....Hal

[LuckyDaze]

I've noticed that as soon as you put the mat down you can't see the wood grain to well. I put mat down on my false bottom and then cloth over and it blacked out the wood grain. I would say put a couple of layer of cloth and you should be good to go. I coated my whole floor with one big piece of cloth instead of a bunch of small pieces. It turned out pretty good. Heres an example of what it looks like. The dark spots are where the 3x3 pieces of mat are.
~Brian
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o38/BriGuy8679/001-5.jpg with cloth.
and without cloth.
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o38/BriGuy8679/001-4.jpg

[Wicked Performance Boats]

Hal, Never use mat if you want to see the wood. It will be milky looking. One layer of mat but no more than two. Pat

[OverKill]

Hal, Never use mat if you want to see the wood. It will be milky looking. One layer of mat but no more than two. Pat
Ya whay he said. He's the big buff boat builder here LOL. How ya been Pat long time no talk.

[Wicked Performance Boats]

Ya whay he said. He's the big buff boat builder here LOL. How ya been Pat long time no talk.
Overkill, Just keeping busy and making more contacts. I'm doing some hull rigging and making fiberglass buck seats for larger people. Lifes getting better slowly. Thanks for asking. Budlight;)

[ck7684]

Why not a top layer of finished wood over the glass??

[Wicked Performance Boats]

Why not a top layer of finished wood over the glass??
It will warp sooner or later. Needs to be sealed in fiberglass

[flat broke]

A Veneer will work just fine... So long as you spray it with clear gel, urethane, Duratec, etc. to seal it.
Also, I'm definitely not a pro, but the weight of cloth or mat you use will also greatly change your results with regard to opacity.
If you want a really figgured wood, veneer would be the only way to go. For anyone that says it doesn't work, ask the guys at Schiada about all the Bird's Eye Maple inlay work they've done in engine compartments etc.
Chris

[Xlration Marine]

Yes on the cloth. And if you want it to look bitchin, flow coat that bad boy. Bring it up to a nice shine.
Oh yea and don't forget to coat the underside with resin. Might want to put some drain holes front and rear of the floor to let any water run out the back. Set the wood in cabacil and you are ready to cover it.

[holorinhal]

Hey Pat,If You don't mind me asking,How was this floor laid up? Was it done with matt and cloth or just cloth,and how many layers of each? You see how ,on the stringers also ,how the wood shows thru real well.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/ryiO-2DCA9bQDIgP_n0YHIEorWaU8E_30300.jpg.
If You use cloth only,will it bond well to allready cured glass after sanding ,without peeling?
Iknow that woven roven will peel without matas a first layer
When I did My stringers I used alternating layers of mat and cloth(2 each) for four layers,and You cannot see the wood thru the glass.I was really disapointed on the looks,just looks like fiberglass.But they are solid as hell,though...Hal

[holorinhal]

Hal, Never use mat if you want to see the wood. It will be milky looking. One layer of mat but no more than two. Pat
So should I just cover it with one layer of cloth? will that be enough?

[Wicked Performance Boats]

So should I just cover it with one layer of cloth? will that be enough?
Just use one layer of cloth that's all on the hull in the pic. Then sand and flowcoat it. Pat

[holorinhal]

Yes on the cloth. And if you want it to look bitchin, flow coat that bad boy. Bring it up to a nice shine.
Oh yea and don't forget to coat the underside with resin. Might want to put some drain holes front and rear of the floor to let any water run out the back. Set the wood in cabacil and you are ready to cover it.
Hey Xlration marine: I have already bonded the floor. I coated the underside with four coats of resin. I am going to drill drain holes in the front and back with brass inserts,but I can't do that untill I get every thing glassed in solid...Hal