nqfiberglassmesh | Fiberglass Cloth vs Mat: Choose the Right Reinforcement

Fiberglass Cloth vs Mat: Choose the Right Reinforcement

Choosing between fiberglass cloth and chopped strand mat is essential for achieving the right strength, surface finish, and durability in your composite project. You’ll discover how fiberglass cloth and fiberglass mat compare in performance and learn which one is better suited for your specific application.

What Are Fiberglass Cloth and Chopped Strand Mat?

Fiberglass fabric is a woven reinforcement material made from glass fiber yarns, known for its light weighthigh strengthheat resistance, and corrosion resistance. Commonly used with resins like epoxy or polyester, it plays a key role in applications such as boat buildingconstruction reinforcementautomotive partsthermal insulation, and mold making. Thanks to its strong and stable woven structure, fiberglass fabric is ideal for both structural performance and surface finishing in composite materials.

  • Glass fiber Plain Weave
  • Glass fiber Twill Weave
  • Glass fiber axial Fabric
  • Glass fiber Unidirectional Fabric
Tissu tissé en fibre de verre
Twill Weave Fiberglass Cloth
fiberglass fabric

Tapis de brins coupés

Chopped strand mat, often referred to as fiberglass mat, is a non-woven reinforcement material made from randomly distributed chopped glass fibers, held together by a binder. It offers excellent resin absorptionuniform strength in all directions, and is easy to shape and handle—making it ideal for hand lay-upspray-up, and molding processes. You’ll find this material commonly used in automotive components, boat hulls, mold backing layers, and a wide range of fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) products.

  • Glass fiber chopped strand mat

  • Glass fiber suiface mat

  • Glass fiber woven roving combo mat

  • Glass fiber kintted combo mat

Continuous Filament Mat (CFM)
Chopped Strand Mat (CSM)
Stitched Mat

Fiberglass Cloth VS Mat Key Differences and Applications

Choosing between fiberglass cloth and mat depends on your project’s needs. If you want high strength and a smooth finish for visible or structural parts, fiberglass cloth is the better choice. For quick resin absorption, easier handling, and cost savings in non-visible layers.

Objet  

Tissu de fibre de verre  

Tapis en fibre de verre  

Typical Applications  

Hulls, wind turbine blades, structural parts, high-strength areas  

Models, surface layers, filler layers, cost-sensitive areas  

Advantages 

High strength and dimensional stability

Neat and smooth appearance

Ideal for layered structures

Reusable in molds

Fast forming process

Low cost

Easy to handle, suitable for beginners

Conforms well to curves and corners

Fast resin absorption

Limitations

Higher cost

Less flexible for complex shapes

Lower tensile strength

Rougher surface finish

nqfiberglassmesh | Fiberglass Cloth vs Mat: Choose the Right Reinforcement

How to Choose Based on Application Needs

Boat Building and Marine Materials Industry

Tissu de fibre de verre

Fiberglass cloth is widely used in manufacturing fiberglass boat hulls due to its high tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and smooth finish. It is also essential in fiberglass boat repair, helping restore structural integrity and appearance. The cloth’s fine weave is suitable for producing smooth fiberglass sheets used for inner wall panels, consoles, and decks.

Tapis en fibre de verre

Fiberglass mat is commonly used for sub-deck construction and in areas like the fiberglass mat for boat floor. It offers fast laminate build-up and vibration damping. Mat is also often layered beneath fiberglass cloth or fiberglass sheets to add thickness and reinforce internal structures such as bulkheads, lockers, and under-deck panels.

Material Type

Weight (g/m²)

Thickness (mm)

Tensile Strength (warp/weft, MPa)

Resin Content (%)

Remarks

Tissu de fibre de verre

200–300

0.25–0.35

2000 / 1900

30–40

High strength, smooth finish, UV resistant

Tapis en fibre de verre

450–600

1.0–1.5

800–1000 (non-directional)

45–55

Good vibration damping, thick lamination

nqfiberglassmesh | Fiberglass Cloth vs Mat: Choose the Right Reinforcement

Construction and Building Industry

Tissu de fibre de verre

Fiberglass cloth is applied where surface quality and stability are critical—such as EIFS systems, drywall reinforcement, and decorative panels. It is also laminated onto fiberglass sheets for high-end wall claddings and ceiling boards where appearance and performance matter.

Tapis en fibre de verre

Fiberglass mat is favored for waterproof membranes, structural sheathing, and fire-resistant boards. When combined with fiberglass sheets, it enhances crack resistance, insulation, and impact strength in partition walls, wall linings, and utility-grade reinforcements.

Material Type

Weight (g/m²)

Thickness (mm)

Tensile Strength (MPa)

Resin Content (%)

Remarks

Tissu de fibre de verre

160–280

0.2–0.3

1700–2100

30–40

Fire retardant, moisture resistant

Tapis en fibre de verre

300–550

0.8–1.4

700–900 (multi-directional)

40–50

High resin absorption, crack resistance

3.3. Renewable Energy Industry

Tissu de fibre de verre

Used in outer layers of wind turbine blades, fiberglass cloth provides superior formability and aerodynamic performance. It also appears in high-strength fiberglass sheets used in solar panel frames and wind tower enclosures.

Tapis en fibre de verre

Mat supports blade cores and inner layers by delivering multidirectional strength and fatigue resistance. It’s frequently used in fiberglass reinforced plastics for sustainable energy structures and laminated with fiberglass sheets to reduce production time while improving mechanical properties.

Recommended Specifications for Fiberglass Cloth & Mat:

Material Type

Weight (g/m²)

Thickness (mm)

Tensile Strength (warp/weft, MPa)

Resin Content (%)

Remarks

Tissu de fibre de verre

180–280

0.2–0.35

1900–2200 / 1850–2100

30–40

Lightweight, weather-resistant

Tapis en fibre de verre

400–650

1.0–1.6

850–1100 (isotropic)

45–55

Fatigue resistant, multi-directional



nqfiberglassmesh | Fiberglass Cloth vs Mat: Choose the Right Reinforcement

Consumer Goods Industry

Tissu de fibre de verre

Fiberglass cloth is essential in products like fiberglass free silicone baking matssnowboards, surfboards, and cookware linings due to its flexibility, strength, and thermal resistance. It is also