Antifouling for the inside?!?

patrickbwells · #1 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007

Hey guys! The project (1976 Cascade 36') is coming along slowly but surely and I have a question about treating the timbers in my bilge. I ripped up the rotten floor and spent many hours scrubbing, scraping, and sanding the bilge and stringers and I'm ready to cover them up. They still seem to be in great condition and I'd like to keep them that way. Although the bilge was originally painted it seems that the stringers had some sort of treatment (shellac maybe) that made them shiny. Is there an anti-rot/fungus/mildew treatment that I should use before I paint them? Thanks.

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007

If the timbers need to be protected from rot and mildew, the best way to do that is probably to epoxy impregnate the wood, since if no moisture can penetrate the wood, it won't generally rot. Glassing over the wood would also be a possibility, but a bit overkill IMHO. However, if you glass over the wood properly, it wouldn't matter if the wood rots, since the fiberglass shell would provide the strength and rigidity originally provided by the timbers. This would take a serious amount of glassing to do though.

USCGRET1990 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007

Coating the wood with anything that seals it up may not be good. Water is going to get in no matter what you do. Then it is trapped and will start the rot process. I have read it is better to use a presevative that allows the wood to breath. For more thoughts on the issue, you may want to bounce it off these guys:
http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/

LeftyI36 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-11-2007

You might also look into mold and mildew preventing primers like Kilz

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 08-13-2007

If the entire exterior surface of the wood is completely saturated with epoxy, no water will ever get in. However, if not all sides of the wood can be coated, USCG does have a very good point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by USCGRET1990

Coating the wood with anything that seals it up may not be good. Water is going to get in no matter what you do. Then it is trapped and will start the rot process. I have read it is better to use a presevative that allows the wood to breath. For more thoughts on the issue, you may want to bounce it off these guys:
http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/