polypropylene shade cloth with epoxy?

[tonyg99]

Newby here: airing my ignorance. Has anyone used/considered using polypropylene shade cloth as sheathing with epoxy? available in various shade densities ( ie closeness of weave) up to I think 90% shade. always interested in boat building science thanx a bunch.

 

[Mr Efficiency]

To what end ? It doesn't seem to have great abrasion resistance.

 

[upchurchmr]

Its not going to add strength.
Isn't it woven to be kind of thick? What I've seen here looks like it would hold lots and lots of epoxy. Too much money/ weight.

 

[PAR]

Epoxy isn't going to stick well polypropyline.

 

[Mr Efficiency]

The weave is so open, it would soak up resin like it was a sponge. Enough to make a grown man cry.

 

[tom28571]

One of the common sheathing materials is Vectra polypropylene. Looks a lot like fiberglass except up close. It is more abrasion resistant than glass and less than Dynel and much less than Xynole. A bit thicker than 10oz glass but only about 6-7% heavier than 10oz glass with 3 coats of epoxy, so not really a sponge. Epoxy does not stick to polypropylene as well as the other two synthetics but does so well enough for a sheathing material in my experience. I've use it on rudders and boat bottoms to good effect but prefer Xynole.

I have no idea what the characteristics of awning material are relative to Vectra. Unless you are willing to test it, why not just stick with the proven sheaths offered by suppliers to boat builders? I've tested a number of other synthetics but see no reason to use them rather than the ones I listed other than biaxial non woven glass when stiffness and strength trumps the extra weight of that material..

 

[goodwilltoall]

I tried plastic shade cloth on a hatch and it was a big fail