Hermit -
I sprayed the bottom, Interlux Brightsides and their spray formula reducer, basically 2 coats in one shot - spray area A, wait for it to flash (just minutes) respray area A and extend into area B, flash, respray area B and extend into C, etc...
Nick -
I can't really tell you a before and after stiffness comparison, but I knew, and Nestors post confirmed, that that area would have to be beefed up, so it only got trial rigged without the backer, not bolted up tight - actually still haven't bolted it up tight for final yet, as those spacer blocks still have to come back off and get painted. Just as an FYI - I did Not make the backer plates as uniform rectangles - I looked at the metal backing plates offered for sale for these things, they aren't much bigger than the bolt hole pattern - that's not big enough to properly spread the load out. My plates are like 14" long, by nearly the height of the side wall, and are tapered in the outer 3" each side - imagine a rectangle with a trapezoid added at each end - forcing loads into different directive angles, to spread them even further.
just another damn engineer over doing it !!
Bill