Why is this stuff so good?
Fiberglass is a canvas made of yarn intertwined. It is usually made of E-glass. This material has a large number of advantages - it is non-toxic, non-flammable and not explosive, capable of transferring the temperature to +350 ºС.Knowing how to work with fiberglass, you can use it for thermal insulation and waterproofing production and residential premises, as well as a reinforcing foundation for the production of roofing materials.
Two types of fabric are used for the roof: frame and smooth. The roofing material based on smooth fiberglass is cheaper, but can be deformed during storage. For high-quality execution of roofing works, basically, frame fabric is used. It is made of roving and untwisted strand, which consists of several threads.
Note! The material based on roving can be used for temperature changes from -200 to +500 ºС.
How can I replace fiberglass?
There are several types of fiberglass:
- Structural. With its help, in combination with fiberglass, there are strong materials with high impact strength.
- Electrical insulation. It is indispensable in the manufacture of lightweight fiberglass. Also widely used as thermal insulation.
- Roving. It is necessary for creating composite materials and polymer-composite products. This material is very resistant to large temperature changes. Having excellent qualities, it is widely used in many industrial branches.
- Silica. Resistant to temperatures up to +1700 degrees, which makes it an ideal substitute for asbestos. It is irreplaceable in the production of composite materials.
- Basalt. Excellent material for insulation and for the production of heat-resistant products.
Note! All types of fiberglass well tolerate temperature changes, which makes them an excellent material for thermal insulation.
In summary, we can say that glass cloth, regardless of the type, is a strong, chemically stable and safe material. It is an excellent product for thermal insulation. Therefore, when deciding what to replace fiberglass cloth, look for materials with similar properties. Such can serve as fiberglass, heat-insulating materials, foam plastic and so on.
"Dry" way of working with
Often glass fiber is used for processing and strengthening of wooden structures. Therefore, many craftsmen argue that the processing of wood by fiberglass is a necessary process, if desired, to give the whole structure strength and durability. This process is laborious and requires strict adherence to technology.
To begin with, an adhesive resin is applied to the structure. The entire surface is covered with epoxy resin, and after its hardening, all defects( cracks, holes, cavities) are puttied. This stage does not require a perfectly flat surface, the main thing is that it is clean and dry. After that, the material is glued in a "dry" way.
How to glue fiberglass in this way, we will tell in more detail. It is a cutting, fitting and securing the necessary pieces of cloth to the desired place. Above these pieces a layer of resin is applied. It is placed on limited areas and the roller is leveled to the sides so that air bubbles disappear from under them. One or several layers are glued, depending on the desired strength of the structure.
Important! If the experience with fiberglass and the necessary tool is not available, then it should be practiced on some piece of wood.