Acrylic resin lamination with fiberglass step by step

Acrylic resins are the most sustainable resins you can work with at home and are non-toxic and odourless, so there's no need to wear a mask. As you'll see, creating with them is very straightforward.

They offer a wealth of possibilities in the fields of scenography and model making, and they're also very affordable, since eco-friendly or non-toxic products tend to be more expensive.

In this article, we'll show you how to create acrylic resin laminates with fibreglass.

What is acrylic resin?

It's a resin made up of two components: a water-based catalyst and a powder component, which hardens in a few hours without the need for an oven. It has a liquid appearance until it dries, so you'll need silicone moulds shaped to whatever you want to create.

It's a more environmentally friendly alternative — odourless and non-polluting.

At Feroca you'll find a wide variety of acrylic resins both on our website and in our physical stores.

Uses of acrylic resin

Acrylic resin is a material with numerous uses. It can be used for sets, replicas, scale models, prototypes and models. It's also suitable for coating expanded polystyrene (foam or styrofoam).

Among its most common uses and applications are:

• Structural and decorative panels
• Coatings
• Signs
• Mouthpieces
• Scenographic applications
• Home crafts
• Decorative elements
• Jewellery

Benefits of acrylic resin

Acrylic resins differ from other types of resins due to their crystal-clear appearance, as well as possessing characteristics such as:

• Tensile strength.
• Impact resistance.
• UV resistance.
• Heat resistance.
• Strength and durability suited to the application.
• Satisfactory thermal properties (neither very high shrinkage nor expansion).
• Dimensional stability in and out of fabrics.
• Insolubility and low absorption in fluids.
• No taste or odour.
• Natural colour appearance.
• Easy to work with and repair precisely.
• Cost-effective.
• Perfect for home use
• Compatible with retarder and thixotropic agents

Similarities between fibreglass and veil fibre

Fibreglass and veil fibre are used for the same process: laminating, though they do present some differences.

Veil fibre and fibreglass are ideal for manufacturing laminated parts on the visible face, to prevent the pattern of thicker glass layers from marking the surface of the piece. Both materials consist of a series of threads pressed together using an emulsion soluble in polyester or epoxy resins.

One of the few differences between one laminate and another is the level of detail capture. With veil fibre you achieve much more detail than with fibreglass, which is coarser. This is an important characteristic to bear in mind when deciding which type of laminate to use.

How to make an acrylic resin laminate

At Feroca we're going to show you how to make acrylic resin laminates for moulds or over foam, specifically with 300 gr fibreglass mat and with fibreglass veil.

Although in this tutorial we only show the 300 gr fibre weight, in our store you'll find other weights such as 450, 150 and 600. There's no difference between them, only the variation in weight.

Materials needed

To make our acrylic resin laminate you'll need to gather a number of materials:

• Acrystal Prima acrylic resin + Basic Crystal.

It can be mixed with any water-soluble pigment. In the case of liquid pigments, they should be added to the liquid component, while powder pigments should be added to the powder component Basic Crystal.

• Silicone mould or foam. On which we'll create our laminate.
• Three plastic cups. Two for pouring each part of the mix and the third for mixing the resin with its catalyst.
• A wooden spatula for stirring the mixture.
• Brush. For spreading the mixture over the mould or foam.
• 300 gr fibreglass mat or veil fibre.

Step by step

The process for making laminates is always the same, whether on a silicone mould or foam.

1. In one of the cups, pour the aqueous catalyst component and in the other the powder catalyst component. The measurements to use will be indicated on the product label — depending on the shape you want to give your laminate, you'll use a specific quantity.
2. Once you have both mixtures ready, pour them together while stirring with a wooden spatula.
3. When thoroughly mixed, spread a little resin over the mould or foam you're using.
4. Then, fit the small sheets of fibre or glass while applying the resin until the shape is well formed. After this, it's recommended to clean the brush so that no resin residue remains. A little water will leave it spotless.
5. Once the resin has cured, you can demould it.

The difference between one laminate and another is the level of detail capture. With veil fibre you achieve much more detail than with fibreglass, which is coarser. The latter would be used for coating foam.

Click to watch the step-by-step video.

Get the best acrylic resins at Feroca

For your projects, both personal and professional, it's vital to have reliable suppliers with a wide range of top-quality products and materials. At Feroca you get all of this and much more, including expert advice and tutorials.

If you have any questions about acrylic resin or any other related product, don't hesitate to get in touch with our team. We'll be delighted to help!

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