outgassing

Posted by LeeG on Feb 7, 2008

Temperature increase while epoxy is wet. If the temps cycle up and down during the day to night then applying epoxy on a falling temp in late afternoon is best. A steady 65 degrees is easier to deal with than temps cycling from 55 to 70. Yep, I'd let it cure, give a LIGHT sanding and reapply two more light fill coats.

This is actually a good learning opportunity. You say second coat, as in first fill coat? If those bubbles are from outgassing it's already going through microscopic holes in the initial wet-out coat. That's normal and indicates that one coat of epoxy is not sufficient for sealing closed compartments where trapped moisture will get forced back through when stored in warm areas(like sitting on the car in the sun). Watervapor under pressure finds those microscopic holes and permeates through staining the wood whereas water sloshing around the cockpit doesn't. That's why some kayaks will show darker wood on the exterior at the compartments and lighter at the cockpit. It comes from storing the kayak with hatches on and only one fill coat.

In Response to: Damage Control by Tom Pustovar on Feb 7, 2008

Replies:

• ps by LeeG on Feb 7, 2008
  • Re: one coat & outgassing by Randy R. on Feb 10, 2008
    • Re: one coat & outgassing by LeeG on Feb 11, 2008
      • Re: one coat & outgassing by LeeG on Feb 11, 2008