cracking canvas

[herman quail]

I hoping you'al can help me figure out what I did wrong in recanvasing my canoe.
I bought some untreated canvas from an Old town canoe Rep, sprayed something from Home depo then used the filler the Old Town sells.
Then after curing, I painted it with an epoxy paint .
Less than a year later the canvas started cracking all over the canvas. At first I started repairing the cracks that turned into breaks with fiberglass cloth and resin. Now the canvas of the canoe is cracked and pealing like a bad sunburn.
I'm ready to redo the process, perhaps without my last mistake( what ever that was)!!

I know there is lots of knowledge out there, any Ideas????

Bam bam

 

[MGC]

Herman,

Time to start over again.
This time after you have the canvas stretched and ready to fill do not put anything on the canvas except the filler. Smooth the filler and then let it cure. Curing should be for at least 4 plus weeks.
Once cured, sand the filler before using a good quality paint. Use Petitt or Kirby or Interlux or Epiphanes. Let that cure and and sand and re-paint.

Buy this:
http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/prod...d=418&osCsid=41fb7dba1885b691e7ad099d8174c8f5

and or this:

http://woodencanoe.org/catalog/prod...d=412&osCsid=41fb7dba1885b691e7ad099d8174c8f5

before you do anything!

Good luck. Supplies are available from folks that list on this site.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Here's my guess what went wrong

Guess #1. my highest percentage guess. The filler may have been applied too thick and/or not allowed to cure long enough.

Guess #2. The epoxy paint that you used may not have been compatible with the filler. But I have no experience w/epox paint.

I doubt that the additive you used on the canvas prior to filling had a negative effect on the filler, but this too is a guess. I assume the additive from Home Depot was a mildewcide.

To fix it: You can try to salvage the work by sanding and repainting. I do not have any experience with epoxy paints so I can't tell about that. But you may have to start over. the fillers I used all contain midewcide.

Then follow MGC's advice on curing the filler, sanding, priming, painting.

 

[MGC]

I assume the additive from Home Depot was a mildewcide.

the fillers I used all contain midewcide.

Then follow MGC's advice on curing the filler, sanding, priming, painting.

Herman,

As noted by Dave, a mildewside is a good thing to use. He notes that his fillers include it. Depending upon where you live, it may not be possible to buy these (we now have Powerball but the great state of NY is protecting us from paints and toxins).
You can buy treated canvas, again from folks that advertise here.

 

[Todd Bradshaw]

"Epoxy paint" is more of a marketing tool than anything else. Most don't really have much in common with epoxy resin and they very well may not contain any epoxy in any form. Most are just urethane or alkyd enamels. Easypoxy, for example, is a modified polurethane enamel and contains no epoxy. They're carefully banking on the fact that people believe that it has epoxy in it and that this would obviously make it harder or tougher...right? In reality, it does contain a small amount of silicone, so maybe it should really be called "Sillyeasy" or "Sillypoxy".

In any case, these "epoxy" paints generally use the same solvents as regular oil-based enamels and polyurethanes (mineral spirits, etc.) so it's unlikely that the type of paint used had much to do with the cracking. I suspect it's more likely a filler problem of some sort.

 

[Dave Osborn]

I use Pettit's Easypoxy often. It is very predictable and not epoxy. Dries to touch overnight. Flows well when thinned with Penetrol.
I have never used a 2 part epoxy paint. Do they cure very hard, without being flexible? If Herman used a 2 part product, maybe it contributed to the mass cracking....?

 

[herman quail]

Thanks for all the info.
I did use easypoxy(didn't know if this is really epoxy).
Having read the coments this is what I am going to do.
Buy treated canvas and filler from Rollin Thurlow.
As well as following all of the ideas that were mentioned.
One question I have, If i apply three coats of filler and rub out with a mit, How do i make sure I don't put in on to thick??
Thanks
Herman Quail

 

[MGC]

When you order your canvas, talk to Rollin about applying the filler.
He'll point you in the right direction.
He has a bit of experience.

Use a paint roller to apply it and the massage it in with rubber gloves. Two coats of Rollin's filler should do it.

The filler is thick enough when the weave is no longer seen through it.