TYPES OF SURFBOARD RESIN

Clear orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin is the industry standard for laminating surfboards. Although not the highest quality raw materials it makes for ideal strength, flex, clarity, and UV resistance. User-friendly with a rapid wet out of the glass, the product cures water clear with a whiter look than other surfboard resins available in the fiberglass market.

Orthophthalic resins (abbreviated as “Ortho”) are a type of unsaturated polyester resins broadly used for making composite components, such as Marine (boatbuilding), Wind (wind turbine blades, sailboards, wake surfboards, skim boards, and industrial (sewer pipes, water transport, tanks.

After 50 years Silmar Brand surfboard resin introduced an improved version in 2014. Still an orthophthalic base material, they added an acrylic modifier. UV tests have been performed on this product and have confirmed that Silmar 2880 significantly outperforms commercially available surfboard resins used for surfboard laminating. It has been reported that the product is tougher, with fewer compression dimples than the top-selling surfboard resin, and has improved impact resistance to reduce stress and deck cracks.

Epoxy surfboard resin has increased market share for the last fifteen-plus years. Once Clark Foam shut its doors unexpectedly in 2005. The abrupt closing of Clark Foam sent shockwaves through the industry and left surfboard shapers scrambling for new suppliers and materials. Surfboard epoxy resin and EPS foam were quick to fill the void. At that time, the beaded foam was more difficult to shape, flip times for glassers were five times longer, and the resin “yellowed” very quickly. But like most things, the technology improved the flip time lessened the yellowing became less and the glassers began to adjust and charge a premium for the additional work.