Diab H80 for flooring

[curtis73]

Ok. You have all been very helpful. THANK YOU.

I'm going to take some time tomorrow and see how many of these companies (especially coosa) would be willing to send me some samples and/or maybe have some cull cuts I can buy.

[abcdefg]

If its durability you want here is another idea.

Prefabricate some grp panels on a board with say a 50-75mm flange on one edge. Guessing 4-6mm thick (thats a fair range btw) using alternating layers of csm and biax (or db). Pop off your mould and then cut to shape. Fit in place with a cove (r30mm min) and strap in place with csm and DBias plies. Use polyester resin since that is what you boat appears to be.

Use top flange to bond deck onto.

Weight will be not much different to the plywood /glass floors you pulled out. Will be cheaper than foam options and has nothing to rot

[Steve W]

You will be able to get Coosa samples, i am a natural born skeptic and was not prepared to take the manufacturers word that it would not absorb water so i weighed some sample pieces with a gram scale,then submerged them in water for a month,then re weighed them, no measurable difference.
Steve.

[curtis73]

Ok... update.

I got samples from Diab and Coosa. Diab sent me 1/2" and 3/4" H80 and Coosa sent me 1/2" samples in the Nautical 20 and 24, and the Bluewater 24 and 26. Diab won't cut it. Its only slightly better than the pink styrofoam sheets you get at Home Depot. It will work in thicker sheets to cut up for support stringers, but not for flooring.

The nice thing is, Diab sent me two big sheets for samples. I have 16 sq ft of it that I can use for fabricating dash panels, seat cushion bases, and other low-impact stuff.

So, what I'll probably do is get a couple sheets of Diab and fabricate the stringers much like in that photo above, then skin it with some Coosa... probably the Nautical 24

[curtis73]

Originally Posted by abcdefg

If its durability you want here is another idea.

Prefabricate some grp panels on a board with say a 50-75mm flange on one edge. Guessing 4-6mm thick (thats a fair range btw) using alternating layers of csm and biax (or db). Pop off your mould and then cut to shape. Fit in place with a cove (r30mm min) and strap in place with csm and DBias plies. Use polyester resin since that is what you boat appears to be.

Use top flange to bond deck onto.

Weight will be not much different to the plywood /glass floors you pulled out. Will be cheaper than foam options and has nothing to rot

I'll try to incorporate as much of that as possible, but most of our work here is done entirely by hand. I need to step up and get more equipment. I've had pretty good luck making vacuum bags for smaller parts, but larger molds aren't really in the cards in the square footage we have right now.

Help me out with some of your abbreviations... (materials aren't my strong suit). I got most of them, but r30mm isn't popping into my head. Is GRP glass reinforced plastic?

[waikikin]

Originally Posted by curtis73

I'll try to incorporate as much of that as possible, but most of our work here is done entirely by hand. I need to step up and get more equipment. I've had pretty good luck making vacuum bags for smaller parts, but larger molds aren't really in the cards in the square footage we have right now.

Help me out with some of your abbreviations... (materials aren't my strong suit). I got most of them, but r30mm isn't popping into my head. Is GRP glass reinforced plastic?

r30 is a 30mm radius(about 1 1/8") for coving in the perimeter & yes GRP is Glass Reinforced Plastic, regards from Jeff.

[themanshed]

The Foam is not a bad idea. You will need a bottom skin on the foam then a top skin. If you are having problem breaking through the skin consider a layer of Kevlar covered by S-glass or E-glass. Kevlar is strong but does not sand well so you want some type of other fiber glass over the top. S-glass has a good compression rating. The lay-up could be E-glass, foam, Kevlar, S-glass, then E-glass and epoxy or resin for your glue. This will be strong and light weight that will not rot.

I've used DIAB 80 and like it. I would not suggest to use anything but boat foam check out Merrit Marine Supply - nice folks and they give good internet prices; http://www.merrittsupply.com/H-80-5-lb-Core-C1236.aspx

[tunnels]

The minimum thickness of the core should be 18mm or thicker H 80 would also be a minimum density , I woiuld be doing Glass to Glass sections as well to help with the possabilities of heavy things being dropped on top and causing impact delamination . Better to have a pont at which it will run to and stop so the glass to glass bottom glass stuck to the top is a place where damage would stop A munimum of 60 to 80mm wide . Panels roughly a mtr square . You need really good glass on the underside as that where the loads go Downwards . Its wear resistance you will be looking for on the top so 400gram plus woven Kevlar is a good material to look at for that purpose and finish with silca sand and carbarundum powder in the gel coat .