Nonskid Panels or Cloth

Discussion in 'Materials' started by captain head, Sep 10, 2013.

  1. captain head
    Joined: Sep 2013
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    captain head New Member

    I'm looking for premade glass nonskid panels I can place on my deck. I am replacing the old teak deck and glassing over wood with epoxy and cloth. I don't like painted sand or other grit nonskid and I want the look of a fiberglass deck.

    Any ideas? I found a cloth I can resin on the deck and it leaves a nonskid pattern. It isn't bad but I like the waffle look better.
     
  2. Wavewacker
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    Wavewacker Senior Member

    Welcome, I see it's your first post!

    I don't know of any material that looks like a slick or glossy surface like fiberglass that can be non-skid. I use good deck shoes. I also love teak but I know why you'd get rid of it. :)
     
  3. keysdisease
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    keysdisease Senior Member

    A friend did a very nice job with a flat woven net he put down with epoxy resin and then LP painted. I see no reason why you couldn't use just about anything with the pattern you want, epoxy it to the deck with a coat or two, prime and paint.

     
  4. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    You can use pebbly-surfaced 2 x 4 ft acrylic clear plastic flourescent light fixture panels to texture the gelcoat.
    I've seen that done. It looks molded in. Once you have a female mold you can make a bunch of panels quite easily on a bench top.
     
  5. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Roll on a thickened bed of epoxy, in the place places you want the texture, of course taping off waterways and around the bases of hardware. Wait for this to get near the green stage and use a textured roller over the curing epoxy. The textured pattern will not have time to "self level" before the goo kicks off. Another method is to cast the texture using PVC panels that have texture on them (Lowe's/Depot). Again thickened epoxy is used, but you can apply the pre-cut panels over the goo right away. Let this cure, then peel the PVC panels off the surface.
     
  6. Deering
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    Deering Senior Member

  7. Trent hink
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    Trent hink Junior Member

    1 person likes this.
  8. Herman
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    Herman Senior Member

    Indeed you can use the Gibco Flexmold stuff. Give them a call, they will send a sample book.

    This is what most boatbuilders use in the USA.
     
  9. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
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    Landlubber Senior Member

    Hey captain,

    What PAR says works well (though I have only used it for small areas like step treads), you may have trouble doing large areas trying to keep consistant control to get the pattern even. In small areas that is not a problem.

    When I was working in China, we had to do a new 48 footer that had no pattern in the mould. (bad design) We spent a few days doing different methods, sprinkling salt, rollers, epsom salts, fine sand, non skid materials as supplied by International Paints etc etc.
    What came out best by FAR was simply using the supplied non skid material, but instead of sprinkling it over the wet epoxy we used a putty gun and sprayed it from it, dry, no wetting agent, just dry powder from the gun nozzle, and the pattern was very controlable, very even and looked great.

    Maybe you can do a sample piece to see what I mean.
     
  10. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

  11. FibrSupplyDepot
    Joined: Sep 2013
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    FibrSupplyDepot Fiberglass Supply Depot

    This is the best thing to use to nonskid

    We have used this product for years, they have over a hundred different patterns to chose from and is quite easy to use.
     
  12. HakimKlunker
    Joined: Aug 2009
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    HakimKlunker Andreas der Juengere

    It does not work, because it leaves too many voids. The material is good for making moulds though. A friend had tried to use it as a gelcoat shaping cover (described in the brochure as a repair method) and is unhappy now.

    Alternative: If you use this material as a mould, bonded to a flat surface and waxed / PVA'ed you can produce your own antiskid material.
    Gelcoated first, and kept together with a layer of -say 300g- CSM. It makes a flexible enough sheet that can then be bonded onto the deck.
    Down side: you need to subdivide the 'patches' into sizes that can be handled. Joining is next to impossible due to the surface pattern.
     
  13. Herman
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    Herman Senior Member

    When done correctly the risk for voids is not much. Did you follow the instructions?
     
  14. michael pierzga
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    michael pierzga Senior Member

    Google treadmaster


    You glue it to the deck. Fantstic non skid and a good impact absorbing layer to protect the thin glass skin on your glassed over wood decks
     

  15. HakimKlunker
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    HakimKlunker Andreas der Juengere

    He says that he did it according to the brochure: Gel-coated a taped off surface, then used the gibco material as shaper. After curing he found that enclosed air could not escape safely and he had numerous voids left.
    It could only be seen -of course- afterwards.
     
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