Best methods to fill holes & best glue

[Becky B]

2 Newbie Questions:

1. Does anyone have methods to fix small screw holes without plugging them all with covers?
2. The best glue for the unfinished/rough side of fiberglass?

Thanks ahead for your help!

[Raz]

I am not sure what you mean by "fix small screw holes" ? For filling holes in fiberglass I like PC 11. It's a 2 part epoxy that has the consistency of toothpaste. Some folks prefer PC 7 which is the same but more like play doh when mixed. Both cure hard and are sandable.

For gluing to fiberglass I have had good luck with Gorilla glue as long as what you are gluing to the fiberglass can be clamped. Always roughen the fiberglass with coarse sand paper first. Raz

[Donna D.]

What are you trying to glue to rough fiberglass? What you're hoping to accommplish will guide our suggestions.

[mary and bob]

You might try "Amazing Goop" to glue something. I use the sport & outdoor version, but haven't used it on fiberglass. To fix some small holes on the exterior of our trailer I'm using fiberglass resin that uses a liquid hardener, mix it up in a paper cup with a popsicle stick, apply it with a cheap throw away brush because it's almost impossible to clean it. On my window replacement project I also used fiberglass cloth with the resin on the inside to seal the spacer to the trailer wall. I found the Goop at an ACE hardware store, it's also available at Amazon.com, the resin at an auto parts store. On our Uhaul, someone used too long screws for the curtain rods and they went right out through the outer shell, so I plugged them with resin.

[john warren]

small holes = epoxy based gelcoat repair kit from a marine store.

to attach items or wood for attaching items to the back side of fiberglass, you can use an epoxy,,,or a fiberglass resin just like they made the fiberglass out of. buy a quart can , the work with it will help you understand how a repair would be done too.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

For filling holes in fiberglass I like PC 11. It's a 2 part epoxy that has the consistency of toothpaste. Some folks prefer PC 7 which is the same but more like play doh when mixed. Both cure hard and are sandable.

if you use these make sure you wipe away the excess before it hardens - yes it can be sanded but you risk damaging the surrounding gelcoat when you sand which is not desirable.

[ThomasE]

I've used construction adhesive like Liquid Nails to attach wood blocks to the rough side of the fiberglass. I use PC11 to fill screw holes and patch anything else in fiberglass.

[Becky B]

One of things we are trying to do is attach some wood supports to the inside of our cabinets to lay some wire shelving on. We think we have enough info now to accomplish that task.

The small screw holes are from POs who attached things on the walls inside of the camper (the good gel coat side). They were either removed before we got it or we decided to remove an item and now there is a screw hole. We were told to cap them but that would mean a lot of caps and if there is a method to blend them in better, that would we preferable.

Would the epoxy coat gel kit or the PC 11/7 work better to hide the holes? Thanks for all the input.

Thanks,
Becky

[mary and bob]

I think I mentioned this before; in our closet I put a piece of 1/4 plywood on each side with a couple wood strips screwed to each one to support plywood shelves. Also a wood strip at the rear of them for a back wall to attach to, and some aluminum angle at the bottom to secure the sides to the closet bottom. Simple and takes up very little space. Working on slide out basket where the furnace was and two baskets on slides for under the bed, and a utensil drawer to replace the ashtray that is by the sink.

[Bob Miller]

RE: Screw Holes
If you repair them with epoxy, unless you are planning a repaint, you will forever have little patches showing up on the inside and outside of your rig. If you use caps it will look as normal as almost all others fgrv's.
You can use a pop rivet with a back-up washer and put cap retainers on both sides and then snap a cap over each side. Takes 5 minutes each and, if you don't like em, drill them out.
SCAMP lists these on their parts pages in two different sizes. Other sources exist.

[ThomasE]

PC11 dries to a slight off white color which for my 12 year old trailer is good enough. I just smooth over the putty before it's set with a wet finger and denatured alcohol. You can always gel coat it after if it bothers you.

[Bob Miller]

I tried that method myself but I didn't have any denatured alcohol so I tried using what I did have, a bottle of Baily's Irish Creame. Only problem was that every time I put the Bailey's on my finger I had to be sure it was OK and I licked it off,,,,, never got past smoothing the first one before I ran out.... Maybe next time....

[Raz]

After I filled the holes on my trailer I used gloss white spray paint. Not as good as gel coat but good enough. Raz

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by john warren

small holes = epoxy based gelcoat repair kit from a marine store.

to attach items or wood for attaching items to the back side of fiberglass, you can use an epoxy,,,or a fiberglass resin just like they made the fiberglass out of. buy a quart can , the work with it will help you understand how a repair would be done too.

My local Rv dealer sent me to my Local marine dealer for what John has described . I wanted to repair chips and small holes in my gel coat and the epoxy kit worked well . Cost about $7.00 . I have used Gorilla Glue to attach wood to fiberglass , clean the fiberglass with a solvent, wet the wood ,glue and clamp .

[rabbit]

Don't be resistant to the idea that polyester body filler is a decent "glue" in contact with cured fiberglass. I wouldn't bond anything to anything with an unthickened layup resin, epoxy or polyester--always needs a thickening agent like microballoons to keep the stuff where you put it, particularly on vertical surfaces. As body filler already has the viscosity to do the job without absolute no-gap contact between items adhered, I use that. Whatever you use, it will work better on freshly-cured glass and a dry, non-oily softwood such as white pine of poplar. As we don't usually find freshly-cured glass in our trailers, a bit of toothing with a sanding block and a good scrub with acetone is a good precaution to assure bonding. I have not had success with Liquid Nails between wood and glass.

jack

[Donna D.]

Becky, don't get all tangled up about making your trailer "perfect." It only needs to be perfect for you. If you're expecting to take a 20+ year old trailer and make it look brand new, you may be sadly disappointed.

It's a travel trailer! You'll sleep dry/warm and be able to stand up and put your pants on in the morning. Honestly, everything else is "optional." If you can make coffee in the morning without building a campfire, you are miles ahead of folks that are tenters!

Don't get disappointed if your trailer doesn't meet the expectations of all the pictures and modifications others are doing. It's really all about you! If you don't like the "hole" you see when you lay down at night... on the ceiling... make a decal that says "Smile, you're camping and making a Memory" over the patch. Turn out the light and go to sleep. No one says you have to "fix" or make your trailer perfect in the first weeks you own it.

Safe travels!

[Becky B]

Donna,
Thanks so much for your sage advice. I love our trailer and we have been happy getting it ready for our first camp out. Dave (hubby) has been working on some small mechanical improvements ( with my little bit of help). Since his work is limiting me getting inside and doing my thing I am doing some research so that when we do get to the holes, etc (if we ever do) we will make changes that help, not make the situation worse. So far we have taken out the old furnace, purchased a new fan motor for the over stove exhaust fan and hope to get it working tomorrow. I made new cushions for the front dinette from the old cushions. Planning to make new curtains tomorrow. Best of all we bought new hub caps and trim! It has been fun making it ours. I'm a teacher and have a couple weeks to do all I can before it's back to the salt mines (I mean school) oops! I will post pictures soon. Promise. In the meantime I will try to keep your smart words in mind and not drive myself crazy trying to make it "perfect ". As if... :-)

[Donna D.]

Becky, I take my own best advice. I've owned my Scamp for just short of 10 years. I've hated the carpet on the floor for all that time and keep thinking I need to do something about it. IT'S GROSS. But me and the Scamp keep going camping and I have a great time and I only really think about the nasty old carpet when I get home and it's time to vaccum it. Certainly hasn't slow me down much when I'm out camping and having a good time. A couple of holes won't slow you down much either

[Becky B]

:-)

[Ian-Vicki]

Donna, you are a very wise woman.
cheers
Ian