Repairing With Wood Boat Epoxy

Building or repairing any kind of wood boat is usually going to require the use of a good supply of epoxy, which can be bought by the gallon, bucket and even by the drum if you are the real ambitious type and your wooden boat project is of a fairly good size. The cost of boat epoxy and epoxy materials tends to get real expensive really fast, but by doing all the labor yourself you end up saving a ton of cash and it is definitely a whole lot more rewarding.

All epoxy and epoxy resins are powerfully toxic, and you should always make sure there is adequate ventilation to clear away odorless, hazardous fumes when using them. Wearing the proper safety gear like face masks, air filters and protective eyewear will probably end up sparing you a trip to the emergency room for lung or eye damage; so use common sense, and read and follow all of the instructions carefully.

If you have never used wood boat epoxy before you should try to practice on a hidden spot so that mistakes made during learning will not show down the road when your boat project is finished. It takes a little bit of time to get used to working with epoxy, but once you get the hang of it you really start to appreciate the sheer scope of possible uses and applications.

In order to be absolutely certain that you will achieve the quality of strength and durability needed to ensure the water tight integrity of the wood, you should only purchase marine grade epoxy resins and materials regardless of whether you are working with straight epoxy, applying it over fiberglass cloth or tape or decide to mix it with fillers.

When wood boat epoxy work is done, simply sand it smooth and varnish it (or paint if that is part of your plans). Epoxy resin is fabulous for coating and sealing planks and joints and great for repairing damage to frequently abused areas like hatches, companionways, gunwales and bulwarks. Epoxy prevents wood from rotting and a necessity for building rotten wood back up to the original shape and size.

If you own a wood boat it is a good idea to always have some epoxy on hand for the dozens of little repair jobs that come with the territory. It can be mixed in any five gallon bucket or old plastic storage tubs, cleans up easily with acetone, and epoxy stretches farther than you would think, covering a pretty large area with a fairly small amount.

By: Greg St.Clair

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Greg St. Clair is an avid boat lover and boat building enthusiast. For more great information on wood boat epoxy, visit boatplanscentral.com.