Thinning Epoxy

What should I use to thin west Systems 105 epoxy and 206 hardener for spraying on as a sealer

Think alcohol works, but  you could brush it on and use a heat gun to thin it.  I wouldnt want to chance that epoxy setting up in a air gun.

When you thin epoxy, it doesn't seal as well as straight epoxy.  The thinner evaporates and leaves the epoxy porous which doesn't seal as well as straight epoxy.

P THOMAS said:

Think alcohol works, but  you could brush it on and use a heat gun to thin it.  I wouldnt want to chance that epoxy setting up in a air gun.

Click to expand...

West System has all the answers you need, just google it.

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This is direct from West Systems instructions....

Thinning Epoxy
There are epoxy-based products specifically designed to penetrate and reinforce rotted 
wood. Those products, basically an epoxy thinned with solvents, do a good job of pene-
trating wood. But the solvents compromise the strength and moisture barrier properties 
of the epoxy. WEST SYSTEM Epoxy can be thinned with solvents for greater penetration, 
but this results in similar compromises in strength and moisture resistance. Acetone and 
lacquer thinner have been used to thin WEST SYSTEM Epoxy and duplicate these pene

trating epoxies with about the same effectiveness. If you choose to thin the epoxy, keep 
in mind that the strength, especially compressive strength, and moisture protection of 
the epoxy are lost in proportion to the amount of solvent added.
There is a better solution to get good penetration without losing strength or moisture 
resistance. We recommend moderate heating (up to 120°F) of the project area with a 
heat gun or heat lamp before applying epoxy. On contact with the warmed substrate, the 
epoxy will thin out, penetrating cavities and pores, and will be drawn even deeper into 
pores as the substrate cools. Although the working life of the epoxy will be considerably 
shortened, slower hardeners (206, 207, 209) will have a longer working life and should 
penetrate more than 205 Hardener before they begin to gel. When the epoxy cures it will 
retain all of its strength and effectiveness as a moisture barrier, which we feel more than 
offsets any advantages gained by adding solvents to the epoxy.

I use West Systems, and thin using methylated spirits. I do a neat coat first to seal the wood properly, then build up layers using meths thinned epoxy.

Another method is to heat the epoxy before mixing and heat the wood, don't heat while mixing or you'll vastly reduce pot time. This way you don't weaken it, but it's more faff to do.

http:// https://www.westsystem.com/safety/spraying-epoxy/


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