How to Make a Fiberglass Floorboard

Fiberglass is a resilient material that can be used for repairs or reinforcement over metal, wood and plastic foam, just to name a few. For most applications, such as fiberglassing a floorboard, layers of fiberglass mat are individually applied and saturated with resin. Fiberglass resin is a thick liquid that needs a catalyst in order to harden and also needs heat for the catalyst to chemically react with the resin. The air temperature should be a minimum of 70 degrees Fahrenheit for the fiberglass to harden properly. Fiberglass supplies can be found at your local auto parts supplier or at a marine supply store.

Things You'll Need

• Safety glasses
• Vacuum cleaner
• Air grinder
• Grinding disc
• Rags
• Acetone
• 1.5-oz. fiberglass mat
• Razor knife
• Fiberglass resin
• Catalyst
• Small bucket
• Stir stick
• Felt roller
• Air roller
• Respirator
• Palm sander
• 200-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Remove the seats from the vehicle. Remove any floor mats or anything else that is covering the floorboard.

2. Clean any big pieces of debris from the floor and vacuum the floorboard clean.

3. Put on safety glasses and grind the entire floorboard. Grind any loose or rusted metal down to solid metal and scuff the entire surface.

4. Clean the floor with a rag and acetone. Wipe away all grease or dirt residue from the surface. Let the acetone completely dry.

5. Cut the fiberglass mat using a razor knife so it completely covers the floor and goes up each wall 1/4 inch. Use the first layer for a pattern and cut four more layers of mat with each layer 1/4 inch smaller than the last.

6. Mix the fiberglass resin and catalyst in a small bucket using a stir stick. Wet out the surface of the metal with the resin mixture using a 4-inch felt roller and apply the first and biggest layer of mat. Saturate the mat with the resin using the felt roller. Flatten the mat and remove any trapped air bubbles by rolling the entire layer of mat with an air roller. Repeat this process for each layer until all layers are applied to the floor. Let the fiberglass harden.

7. Put on a respirator and sand the rough surface of the fiberglass with 200-grit sandpaper on a palm sander. Remove all the dust and put the seats back in the vehicle.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear a respirator when sanding fiberglass materials.

References

• Streetrodderweb.com: Fiberglass Repair
• HotRod.com: Fiberglass Repair
• ChevyHiPerformance.com: Fiberglass Repair