Repairing hatch

[frahkn]

I would be grateful for some advice about the following.

 

The inner, wooden, panel has dropped off one of my hatches. The outer steel hatch is just a plain 3mm sheet (not the shallow “tray” you sometimes see).

 

Some parts of the steel is very rusty and this may have pushed the wood off. Other parts are clean, bare metal and the rest has a residue of the original adhesive on it. It looks as though this was just applied to parts of the sheet rather than as a complete covering.

 

When I have removed the rust, will I need to paint the steel? If so, what paint would be best? Should I use Vactan or similar, first?

 

Then, what should I use to glue the wood back in place?

 

Seems a straightforward job but I have no experience with this.

[BEngo]

I would be grateful for some advice about the following.

 

The inner, wooden, panel has dropped off one of my hatches. The outer steel hatch is just a plain 3mm sheet (not the shallow “tray” you sometimes see).

 

Some parts of the steel is very rusty and this may have pushed the wood off. Other parts are clean, bare metal and the rest has a residue of the original adhesive on it. It looks as though this was just applied to parts of the sheet rather than as a complete covering.

 

When I have removed the rust, will I need to paint the steel? If so, what paint would be best? Should I use Vactan or similar, first?

 

Then, what should I use to glue the wood back in place?

 

Seems a straightforward job but I have no experience with this.

 

 

Yes you will need to paint the steel after sorting the rust and getting all the old adhesive off.

 

Vactan/Fertan are a good idea IMHO. Then a proper exterior metal primer, undercoats and topcoats.

 

Any sensible exterior adhesive- Pink Gripfill, Marineflex or similar. Seal round the edges with a silicone sealant/Marineflex

 

You might need a new piece of wood too. Treat that with proper yacht varnish from Epifanes or similar

 

N

[frahkn]

Thank BEngo.

 

The wooden part seems to be in good condition and I doubt I could match the other hatches (I have six) with a replacement.

 

Will Vactan/Fertan take primer well and will the primer be a good base for the glue? Would it be better to take all the surface back to bare metal - as some appears to be already?

[Ex- Member]

error

I would be grateful for some advice about the following.

 

The inner, wooden, panel has dropped off one of my hatches. The outer steel hatch is just a plain 3mm sheet (not the shallow “tray” you sometimes see).

 

Some parts of the steel is very rusty and this may have pushed the wood off. Other parts are clean, bare metal and the rest has a residue of the original adhesive on it. It looks as though this was just applied to parts of the sheet rather than as a complete covering.

 

When I have removed the rust, will I need to paint the steel? If so, what paint would be best? Should I use Vactan or similar, first?

 

Then, what should I use to glue the wood back in place?

 

Seems a straightforward job but I have no experience with this.

 

 

Personally I would have a pair of steel doors made up with a proper pleated edge so timber can properly be inset. If a bit pricey or awkward though a BEngo suggests. I would however use Stixall it's a much better all round adhesive and sealant all in one. Marineflex requires specific primes for certain applications using timber, those are quite an additional expense as well on their website.

Also Pink or Gripfill failed abysmally on wood to steel when I first used it on our fit out, it's simply too brittle to cope with the movement IMHO

Edited January 9, 2014 by Julynian

[harve90]

Hello frahkn the hatch can be treated with rustbuster rust converter and the wood if dry

treat with fibreglass resin to seal it then stick it back on with sikaflex insuring its well seaed

 

 

NS1 Rust Buster.

 

Sika Sikaflex EBT+ Adhesive. screwfix do this.

[frahkn]

I'm very grateful for all your help so far.

 

I think I read something on here which suggested that Vactan had problems either with overcoating or with accepting glue or something similar. I cannot find it now.

 

Can anyone reassure me on this point?

[BEngo]

Vactan is designed to go under a paint primer coat . Fertan is meant to be washed off before priming etc.. Both products are easily overcoated if you follow the instructions.

 

Some of the more aggressive solvent based glues will remove paint. You do not want to use those.

 

As the timber will porous you need to ensure there is a good coat of paint on the hatch and a good coat of paint/varnish on both sides of the wooden infill in order to ensure that the rust doesn't start again. Rust, unfortunately, sticks well only to bare steel and takes up more space than the steel it was, thus tending to force the wood off the steel

 

N

[smileypete]

Just use a zinc phosphate primer if you can wire brush or linish the rust off with a power tool.

 

I'd then space the ply off the metal by about 5mm then seal round the edge with Marineflex/Sikaflex/Stixall type stuff, push a strip of closed cell foam (pipe insulation) in the gap beforehand to stop the sealant going in by more than about 5mm. Maybe leave a little gap in the bottom edge to let any condensation out.

 

Then IF you do need to remove the wood for any reason you can zip round the edge with a sharp knife, simples.

 

I would however use Stixall it's a much better all round adhesive and sealant all in one. Marineflex requires specific primes for certain applications using timber, those are quite an additional expense as well on their website.

 

They only need a primer for certain oily woods like teak. If stixall worked as well without a primer I can assure you the wooden boat lot would be all over it like a rash for their teak decks, which tellingly they aren't.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited January 10, 2014 by smileypete

[frahkn]

Pete,

 

That is an excellent good idea but it would mean that the repaired door stood proud of the other one by 5mm, unless I take the other off and refix it as well.