FAQ

FAQ is the acronym of "Frequently Asked Questions", the questions frequently asked by our customers. Here is a list of questions with the answers, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

  • 01. What is “Fibreglass”?

    “Fibreglass”, also known and FRP or GRP, is a composite material made of a layer of polyester resin reinforced with glass fibre. The combination of these two raw materials allows for very good mechanical properties and a high chemical resistance.

  • 02. What is the gelcoat?

    The gelcoat is the external finish of the laminate; it has a thickness of approximately 300 microns and is made of pigmented isophtalic polyester resin. It gives to the laminate an aesthetic appearance, it is easily cleanable and resistant to many chemical agents and guarantees suitability for food contact.

    The gelcoat is laid through a distribution system and the thickness ranges from 300 to 350 microns. Given the nature of gelcoat and the distribution system, variation in the gelcoat thickness is possible. On average the gelcoat application rate is 450 g/m2.

  • 03. What is the colour of the glass fibre laminates?

    The standard colour of our laminates is a pure white (obtained from titanic dioxide) which is quite similar to the RAL colour 9010. Any RAL or personalized colour is available on customers’ request.

  • 04. Is it possible to paint the laminates?

    Painting laminates is not only possible but very easy with normal automotive paints. To obtain a good finish it is necessary to slightly sand the gelcoat surface with fine abrasive paper and then to apply a base coat before applying top coats.

  • 05. Is it possible to repair the laminates?

    Yes, laminates with gelcoat produced by Vetroresina S.p.A. can be repaired by painting the material with conventional paints (polyurethanic, acrylic, etc.),or by applying a layer of gelcoat, if necessary after applying a polyester resin based putty, followed by polishing.

    For more info please download Instructions for Gelcoat repair of Vetroresina in PDF format.

  • 06. What is the GLOSS?

    Gloss literally means brightness and is a parameter used to indicate the brightness of the laminates. It is measured with a special instrument called a “GLOSSMETRO”.

  • 07. What is the GLOSS of glass fibre laminates?

    The GLOSS of a laminate depends on the type of mould used. Vetroresina is able to supply GLOSS products (with a GLOSS which varies between 85 and 95) and SATIN products (with a GLOSS which varies between 15 and 20).

  • 08. How are glass fibre laminates cleaned?

    Usually it is enough to wash them with soap and water. The chemical resistance of the gelcoat allows the use of various solvents (i.e. acetone) which are recommended in the case of more stubborn stains (i.e. grease glue, etc..)

  • 09. What is the specific weight of ”Fibreglass”?

    The specific weight depends on the glass fibre content. In our laminates this content is quite high and can vary between 1.3 gr/cm3 (thin products with low glass fibre content) and 1.6 gr/cm3 (thicker products with high glass fibre content). VETROLITE © has a quite low specific weight (approximately 1.1gr/cm3).

  • 10. Is “Fibreglass” is fire resistant?

    The GRP laminates produced by VETRORESINA S.p.A. are composed of glass fibre reinforcement and resin, which can be classified as inflammable material belonging to class C, therefore behaving against fire like materials such as wood, paper, etc. The approximate heat producing power of polyester resin is 18.8-30.1 MJ/Kg. Glass fibre reinforcement is flameproof.
    Vetroresina produces also a specific range of Fire Resistant (FR) Laminates certified according to Europeans norms with various grade of fire resistance.

  • 11. What is in service temperature range of the laminates?

    Fiberglass laminates can withstand temperatures between -30°C and +70°C, although the handling and use should occur after a period of conditioning at room temperature (20-30°C).

  • 12. What is HDT?

    The Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) is the temperature to which a determined amount of deflection is reached (usually 0.25mm) in correspondence of a determined applied load (typically 0.45Mpa or 1.8Mpa). Normally tests are carried out by fixing a sample at the two extremities, with a distance of 102mm between the supports and the weight concentrated in the centre.
    The measuring begins at a low temperature and the temperature is increased at a rate of 2°C/minute. When the deflection in the centre of the sample reaches 0.25mm the temperature is recorded.

    There are numerous factors that can cause variations to these readings. The thickness of the product, the weight applied at different temperatures, the method of manufacture and the conditions in which the material is used can all have an effect. For this reason it is often difficult to draw conclusions about the performance once the product is put to use, based just on the HDT value; indeed if the weight is increased then the deformation occurs at a lower temperature.
    The HDT of the resin used in the production of our laminates is 80°C.

  • 13. What are the main defects or anomalies that can be found on the laminate? What are the causes?

    Vetroresina S.p.A. offers to its customers a Catalogue of major anomalies in order to facilitate their interpretation and understanding. The production method used (batch process) can result in a small percentage of imperfections.

    In case the anomalies found are of significant entity please signal them with exhisisting complaints procedure.