CYB Glass Fibre Roof Building
A properly laid fiberglass roof will last for at least 30 years with no measurable deterioration.
Roof Preparation
You may be working with a new or existing flat roof. All surfaces should be clean & dust free . Allow to dry and clear all unnecessary items off the roof before mixing your first batch of resin.
You should ensure that the plywood boards (typically 18mm exterior plywood or sterling board) are laid to adequate falls in order to allow good drainage, so that there is no standing water on the roof after completion.
You cannot laminate effectively onto a bitumous or painted surface as this will retard the cure of the resin used. It is possible that some of the boards underneath will be rotten or have rotten areas which will need replacing.
A possible alternative to stripping back to a clean sound surface is to simply board over the existing surface with fresh boards and then apply GRP to them.
Affects of temperature
The ideal working temperature for GRP laminating whether moulding or sheathing is around 18°C, at temperatures below 15°C there is a great risk of the resin or flowcoat ‘undercuring’ and not reaching it’s formulated properties. At high temperatures (30°C or above) materials will cure quicker, even in small quantities. It is advisable not to use Flow Coat in direct sunlight.
Heating a workshop is of course fairly easy and cooling can be in the form of extraction, both resulting in a comfortable, dry environment to work with temperature sensitive resins, careful consideration therefore should be given when working outdoors. Any commercial GRP roofing company should expect inclement weather to play a part in week to week work, therefore a temporary workshop might consist of just plastic sheeting should it rain, or better still, some form of support or ridge pole to Create a basic tent structure.
The roof must be laid onto a dry deck in dry conditions at a temperature not below 10ºC. The resin and Flowcoat/Topcoat should be suitable for use in roofing.
Heating MUST be dry heat, not of the type that creates moisture (ie: not calor or oil filled space heaters as these produce large quantities of water vapour and will inhibit resin cure). Electrical or convector heaters are ideal, and once under a supported cover, can provide good working conditions for completion of the job.
Materials
You should always use 2 layers of 450gm chopped strand mat. The chopped strand mat should already be cut to size and resin and catalyst and containers placed within easy reach. ONLY mix sufficient material for you to use within 9 to 10 minutes otherwise it will start to cure in the bucket!
The catalyst ratio for most resins is 10 to 15ml per kilo and again needs to be well mixed into the resin. As the catalyst is mixed you will notice a slight change of colour which will tell you when the catalyst is thoroughly mixed in.
Pond Building
