Do you have a project in mind but have no idea where to start?  Let us help you.  One of the first things you will want to do is decide what kind of fiberglass you want to use.  Do you need to build up thickness fast?  Are you concerned about strength? Do you have tight corners you are working with?  Let us break things down a bit to help you decide if fiberglass cloth is right for your project or if you are needing chopped strand mat. Keep in mind that you can actually use both together to achieve your desired outcome. Below is an overview.

Want more information on chopped strand mat fiberglass? Feel free to contact us.

Fiberglass Cloth

(Plain weave fiberglass cloth)

Fiberglass Cloth is a woven fabric. Plain, 4 harness satin and 8 harness satin are the weave styles we carry. The 4, 6 and 10 ounce plain weave fabrics are the most commonly used. In this simple plain weave pattern, warp and fill yarns are interlaced over and under each other in alternating fashion. The plain weave is the easiest to handle since it does not unravel as much as the other weaves when cut.

In the four-harness satin weave pattern there is a three by one interfacing where a filling yarn floats over three warp yarns and under one.

The eight harness satin is similar to the four harness satin except that one filling yarn floats over seven warp yarns and under one. The satin weaves are slightly stronger and more pliable than the plain weave and are easier to conform to curved surfaces. They are more difficult to handle than the plain weave, though. Use fiberglass cloth when you are looking to create a strong, light weight product.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of china fiber glass mesh. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

Chopped Strand Mat

Chopped Strand Mat (also known as fiberglass mat) has short strands of fibers held together with a resin binder. The fibers are randomly oriented. Mat is only compatible with polyester and vinyl ester resin. When resin is added to the mat, the binder dissolves and the fibers can be moved around. It is easier to conform mat to tight curves and corners than it is with weaved fabric. The reason chopped strand mat is not compatible with epoxy resin is because the binder holding the fibers together needs styrene to properly dissolve.  Polyester and vinyl ester resins have styrene in them. (There are some places that sell chopped strand mat that is compatible with epoxy but it is hard to come by and much more expensive). Chopped strand mat is the least expensive fiberglass and is often used in mold construction or projects where thickness is needed. Mat is often used as the first layer (before the gelcoat) in a laminate to prevent print through. Print through is when the fabric weave texture shows through the resin. Chopped Strand mat does not have much strength. If you need strength you should choose a woven cloth or you could mix the two. Mat can be used between layers of woven fabric to help build thickness quickly and aid in all layers bonding well together.

If you have any questions feel free to comment.  We will do our best to reply with an answer. Or, you can visit our website Fiberglass Warehouse for more information.

For more detailed information on each fiberglass cloth we carry, you can CLICK HERE.

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Re: Difference between Chopped mat and woven fiberglass mat?

From West Systems website:

CHOPPED STRAND FIBERGLASS MAT . This material is just what the name implies. The fibers are typically 3-4 inches in length and are randomly oriented. Chopped strand mat is not a very strong material because of the short fiber length. However, it is isotropic. This means that it is equally strong in all directions. Mat and fillers are the only composite reinforcements exhibiting this trait. This is the least expensive reinforcement form and is thus the most widely used. It is suitable for molds and part production. The random orientation effectively hides fabric print through of gelcoats and makes molds which are equally stiff in all directions. It should be noted that chopped strand mat is only compatible with polyester resin.

WOVEN FABRICS. Woven fabrics are strong reinforcements because the fibers are bundled into yarns oriented in just two directions. The warp and fill yarns run at 0 and 90 degrees respectively. Thus, fabrics are anisotropic, or strong in only two directions. Fabrics need to be oriented so the fiber yarns run parallel to the expected loads. If extra strength is needed in a different direction, another ply must be added at an angle to the first. The most common angles are +/- 45 degrees.

Styles Of Woven Fabrics
There are many styles of woven fabric to choose from. The most common are the plain weave fabrics where the warp and fill threads cross alternately. Plain woven fabrics are generally the lease pliable, but are easy to cut and handle because they don’t unravel badly. However, their strength is compromised due to the severe “prebuckling” already present in the fabric. As stated under tows, fibers only produce their greatest strength when they are perfectly straight. The frequent over/under crossing of the threads reduces the strength of plain weave types, though they are still adequate for all but the highest performance applications.

Twill weaves and satin fabrics are highly pliable and stronger than the plain weave styles. In a satin weave, 1 filling yarn floats over 3-7 other warp threads before being stitched under another warp thread. Threads run straighter much longer in this loosely woven type, maintaining the theoretical strengths of the fiber. Obviously, pliability is higher and these fabrics conform easily to complex shapes. Once cut, however, they can unravel easier because each thread is not held as tightly. Twill weaves offer a compromise between the satin and plain weave types, as well as an often desirable herringbone cosmetic finish.

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