No Experience Van Build: Fibreglassing
*DISCLAIMER* We are not professionals, this is just our van build including all the highs and lows, at times we might do things wrong. THIS IS NOT ADVICE OR GUIDANCE, this is just us sharing the reality of our build and how we did things.
How to patch holes in your van floor
If you had to remove flooring from your van then you might have found a few holes in the floor, either from screws and bolts or if you are like us who really struggled to get the flooring up you might have accidentally put a few holes through the floor with a crowbar…… oops. But do not worry! These holes can easily be filled, all you need is a fibreglass repair kit, assuming the holes are not impairing the structural integrity of the vehicle. If there is a hole in the floor that is big enough to put your fist through, and it’s near to a main chassis member, then it may need welding. If you are unsure about whether or not something needs welding, visit a local garage and have someone look at it – preferably the person who will be doing your MOT.
There are different ways to fill holes and depending on the size of the hole, you might find a different method more ideal for your situation, some people recommend using coins to fill small holes, but for us we used fibreglass and it worked amazingly!
Our Situation
So if you checked out our last blog post or YouTube video on stripping the van you will have seen how we really struggled to get the original floor out of our van and as a result put 3 holes right through the van, you can imagine the horror when we were released we could see straight through the van to the ground underneath. We went into panic mode, but all was okay, it was actually quite an easy, and fun fix.
How to fibreglass
We used Silverhook Big Boy Glass Fibre Resin Repair Kit which included what we needed to complete the job;
242g Resin & Hardener
Glass Fibre Mat
Brush
Spreader
Gloves
We also recommend buying safety glasses and masks for this job if you don’t already own them.
Remember to ALWAYS wear Personal Protective Equipment when sanding or working with chemical compounds! A respirator, safety glasses and gloves are always recommended!
Fibrous glass is a synthetic fibre made from tiny particles of glass. It can harm the eyes, skin, and lungs so it is important that you wear a mask, safety glasses and gloves when working with it.
Step 1 | Clean The Surface - Remove & Treat Any Rust
Start by making sure the area you are applying the fibreglass to is clean and dry, free from any rust or paint, then cut away any weak edges of the metal to make sure that the fibreglass has a good solid surface to bond to.
If you’re removing rust from the area you should sand it down and apply rust treatment, we used Jenolite Original Rust Remover Liquid to strip any rust back to the bare metal.
Step 2 | Cut The Fibreglass Mat
Cut enough fibreglass to cover the hole, if you are working with large holes prepare the surrounding area for at least 20mm around the hole. We cut our patches into rectangles.
Step 3 | Prepare The Fibreglass
Start by mixing the resin and the hardener, as directed on the bottle. The kit we used (Silverhook Big Boy Glass Fibre Resin Repair Kit) recommended a hardener-to-resin ratio of 3:100
You have to work fast as it will start to thicken and set very quickly
Step 4 | Applying the Fibreglass
Begin to apply the activated resin (the resin and hardener mix) to the surface using a brush. Then apply the fibreglass mat to the surface and apply the activated resin on top of it.
Step 5 | Wait for the Surface to Dry
The surface should be dry within 50-70 minutes.
What we learnt
The fibreglass patches can take a while to dry causing them to sag if too little hardener is used - do not skimp on the hardener.
Always wear gloves!
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