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I’m building a small slide-in camper shell. Stressed-skin w/ 1/4″ plywood over 2×2’s, all joints glued w/ polyurethane.
I’m torn between 2 finishing/waterprooofing methods. One is to coat exterior w/ epoxy resin, then topcoat w/ latex deck paint. Another is to coat w/ liquid EPDM.
Anybody w/ experience, advice?
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Jim,
I know that Epoxy cures very hard and brittle. I think cracks in the epoxy would appear at the stress areas that occur when the shell is being buffeted by the wind going down the road at 50 MPH.
Can't say I'm familiar with "liquid" EPDM, but if it's flexible like the EPDM applied to roofs than that would be better.
Jack.
*Boatbuilders use CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) to seal and preserve plywood boats. This is much 'more liquid' than the usual epoxy glop, and assuming you are not looking for any structural contribution, I would use CPES.You can then prepare and prime the top for painting as preferred.
*Jack,What I'm reading about epoxy is that there are various formulation, some "brittle" and some not, and some thinner than others, for better penetration, as JA Mike suggested.I've ordered a 1.5 gal kit, and hope/assume there will be enough to cover top and sides once and corners/joints twice. The epoxy itself is supposed to be a good primer for latex top coats, after roughing w/ 100 grit.
*Save the epoxy for something important. I've made two truck tops and fiberglassed them both. The first one, I did the work....nasty business. I painted that one with an oil exterior enamel. It lasted well. The second I had done by a professional shop and had a dark blue pigment added to the resin. They did it in one day, I didn't get all nasty itchy and the color looks as good today as it did when it was done. They used glass cloth (or mat). The top is very strong, I walk on it often when I'm tying something onto my rack. I used 1/4" ply for the top and sides.
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