Affordable Rolls of Fiberglass Chopped Mat For Boatbuilding, Repair
Owners of fiberglass boats of all kinds and sizes like their investments to look their best and perform in top condition when out on the water. ResTex Composites LTD is a full-service supplier of premium quality fiberglass-reinforced plastics and has been providing boat building and repair materials to boating enthusiasts since 1997. An expansive online catalog includes fiberglass chopped strand mat, laminating resins, and all the materials, equipment, and accessories needed to construct fiberglass boat hulls and make necessary repairs from dents, scrapes, and scratches.
Fiberglass boat hulls take a lot of abuse both above the water and beneath the surface. The materials used to construct and repair them need to be strong, durable, and able to withstand the harshest of marine conditions. Fiberglass boat builders and hobbyists rely on the reinforced fiberglass professionals ResTex for the most reliable, dependable, and cost-effective gelcoats, resins, mat rolls, gel coats, woven roving, and other materials needed to keep boats afloat and looking great. A talented team of fiberglass-reinforced products specialists supplies boat owners you with everything needed for their latest boatbuilding project or repair.
What is Fiberglass Chopped Strand Mat?
In boatbuilding applications, fiberglass chopped strand mat (CSM) commonly forms the first layer of a mold that sits against the gel coat. The mat helps to avoid a print through of the fiberglass fabric pattern. Typical molds will use up from 5-8 layers of chopped strand mat between layers of cloth to increase thickness, strength, and stability. Chopped strand mat is a heavy material and is only used when weight is not a factor and is not used for lightweight parts.
The mat itself is composed of random fiberglass fibers that are held together by a polyester or vinyl ester resin binder. Chopped strand mat rips apart easily from rolls and does not need to cut. Ripping mat creates a feathered edge that is laid on top of each other to eliminate any seams between the laminate. The fiberglass chopped strand mat from ResTex wets out at a ratio of 2.5 to 1, requiring 2.5KG of resin for every KG of mat.
The affordable rolls of fiberglass chopped strand mat from ResTex provides an ideal solution for expert boatbuilding and a range of other applications that need a good surface finish is a closed mold process.
Chopped Strand Mat Used in Fiberglass Boat Hull Construction
Fiberglass chopped strand mat features quick wet-out properties to reduce fill time, allowing it to conform to a range of customized complex molds. These properties make chopped strand mat ideal for a variety of boatbuilding and repairs. When laminating resin is added to a fiberglass mat, the resin binder dissolves and the fibers can be moved around. The chopped strand mat can then conform to tight curves and corners to create a strong, durable mold.
Benefits and Features of CSM From ResTex
Chopped strand mat is a fiberglass reinforcement used with unsaturated polyester resins in the hand lay-up process. CSM is ideal for the manufacturing of auto parts, chemical tanks, swimming pools, and of course, fiberglass boat hulls, and other applications requiring high glass content and good mechanical properties.
The following are among the benefits and features of fiberglass strand mat rolls available from the reinforced fiberglass experts at ResTex Composites.
Excellent Impregnation Properties
CSM is quick-wetting with rapid air release that maximizes holding productivity and reduces the need for excessive resin and saving money in the process.
Excellent Conformability
The ease of handling and ability to rapidly conform chopped strand mat to complex molds allows for the construction of high quality parts and molds with relative ease.
Good Mechanical Properties
Good bonding with low resin demand provides excellent laminate properties for a variety of boatbuilding and repair needs.
Industry Applications for Chopped Strand Matt
Fiberglass chopped strand matt is most commonly used by boat builders to create the innermost layer of boat hull laminates. However, the strand mat is also a valuable material for other industries needing plastic moldings, including:
Construction
Consumer Recreation
Industrial/corrosion
Transportation
Wind energy/power
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