Wooden Boat Restoration Repair - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

Repairing Hull and Deck Planking 40
the hull. Bonding all the seams of a planked hull before adding veneers to the hull will
add stiffness and reduce the total thickness of veneers required (see Section 5.1).
Laminate veneers to an existing skin as follows:
1. Prepare the existing hull for bonding. Be sure the surface is clean, dry and sanded.
Support the hull in its proper shape. Fill and fair low areas that are too big for the
veneers to bridge. Grind off any high spots that could keep the veneers from lying flat.
2. Bond the first veneer about midpoint on the hull. Use the one-step bonding technique
(Section 8.4.2) with an epoxy/403 filler mixture. Staple the veneer so it lies flat against
the surface at about a 35° diagonal (Figure 5-21). Adjust the angle as necessary to allow
the veneer to lie flat along its full length.
Figure 5-21 Bond the first layer at an angle that allows it to lie flat against the surface.
Figure 5-22 Bond the second layer of veneers in the opposite diagonal to the first layer.
3. Bond the remaining veneers of the first layer. Trim the second veneer to fit tight against
the first and lie flat against the surface. The ends of the veneer may have to be tapered if
the surface is a compound curve. Bond and staple the second veneer in place. Continue
trimming and bonding veneers in each direction from the first veneer.
4. Sand the surface fair after the epoxy cures thoroughly. Staples should be removed
before sanding unless they are a non-corroding type which may be left in.
5. Repeat the process on the second layer (Figure 5-22). Begin with the first veneer about
midpoint at a 35° diagonal in the opposite direction to the first layer. Trim and bond
the remaining veneers.
6. Repeat the process on the remaining layers. Remove the staples after the last layer has
cured. Sand the surface fair and prepare it for final finishing.
5