Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

[rdryer]

I live in central AZ. I am having a hard time finding a source for true marine plywood. I need your help finding the closest source, or, if I have to ship it what is the best source you have found and best shipping method?
2. I am seriously considering using the best 3/4 plywood I can find from Lowe's or Home Depot and rolling a 50/50 acetone and fiberglass resin on both sides, several coats to penetrate and seal, then use joist insulators on the aluminum contact points. I would be coating all holes drilled for the stainless hardware also. Any thoughts on that? Thanks!

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

I live in central AZ. I am having a hard time finding a source for true marine plywood. I need your help finding the closest source, or, if I have to ship it what is the best source you have found and best shipping method?
2. I am seriously considering using the best 3/4 plywood I can find from Lowe's or Home Depot and rolling a 50/50 acetone and fiberglass resin on both sides, several coats to penetrate and seal, then use joist insulators on the aluminum contact points. I would be coating all holes drilled for the stainless hardware also. Any thoughts on that? Thanks!

The aboslute best plywood you can buy is a product called SuperPly. It is made with waterproof glues and is void free. It is one step above Marine Ply because it uses a resin glue that is water proof rather than the water resistant glue that is used in most Marine Ply's.

The product is manufactured by Roseburg Lumber Co. which is a Home Depot Vendor. You won't find it in any of the HD stores but you may be able to special order it if the person you talk to is willing to take the time to do a little research. A couple of years ago I ran into it at my local HD purely by accident. Some how they got a unit of it by accident and were selling it as if it were 3/4 ACX. You can bet I bought more than I needed that day! When you see the normal price, it'll set you back on your heals but if that's truly what you want/need its worth it.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Don't know if you have menards down there, but that is where I bought marine grade plywood in the past.
http://menards.com/main/building-ma...x-8-marine-grade-plywood/p-1485663-c-5698.htm

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

I ended up making a 200 mile drive and a over night stay to find some here. When I looked into having it shopped in it was crazy expensive. It was a lot cheeper to go and pick it up and stay over night.

 

[Don S]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

You do not need "Marine" plywood for decks and above deck fabrications. The reason it's marine is so it's void free and water proof glue. The void free is due to the pounding the hull can take below the waterline.
Any exterior plywood has waterproof glue, and there are lots of epoxies on the market to seal plywood for boat decks and such, and it's one heck of a lot cheaper.

 

[rdryer]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Menards is 672 miles away. Superply looks like a good possibility--model #709013, SKU 954224 at Home Depot; Thanks to each of you. I will look into alternative epoxies also, I

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

You don't want what is usually referred here on the forums as "marine plywood" (douglas fir) as it's untreated and will rot just as fast as the any exterior doug fir plywood. Sure, it's stronger due to minimal voids and the plys being laid at 45* instead of 90*, but it will still rot just the same.

What you want is pontoon decking, which is CCA treated, safe for contact with aluminum and rot resistant. It's going to cost more and you might have to pay some high shipping, but it's one of those "do it right or do it again" type of things. I would check with BPS, Cabelas or Gander Mountain and see if they can ship it into your store. I know PlyDekXL is available at some of them, in certain areas of the country.

I wouldn't fiberglass or epoxy coat the decking as you are going to have a too many penetrations into the plywood and places where water can get in, but can't get out, and cause rot,,, because of the coating. Now, if you pre-drilled every single hole, and were able to seal all the holes water tight, and kept every single deck penetration sealed,,, encapsulating the plywood would be the way to go. I don't think you'll be able to do that though, too many holes.

 

[ROBBSRACING]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

I bought my CCA treated Douglas fir decking from Homestead Hardwoods. Expensive with the shipping and all but well worth doing it right IMO.

 

[rdryer]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Thank you. This was very helpful; I will tell you what I end up finding!

 

[bigdee]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

You do not need "Marine" plywood for decks and above deck fabrications. The reason it's marine is so it's void free and water proof glue. The void free is due to the pounding the hull can take below the waterline.
Any exterior plywood has waterproof glue, and there are lots of epoxies on the market to seal plywood for boat decks and such, and it's one heck of a lot cheaper.

I agree with Don. I would not use treated plywood either....I have never heard of any boat manufaturer using treated lumber. Most boat decks last 20+years so why try something different?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

You might check if a big lumber yard can order what you need, they might be able to add it onto one of their orders and have it for you in a couple of weeks.

I have never heard of any boat manufaturer using treated lumber. Most boat decks last 20+years so why try something different?

Most (if not all) boat manufacturers use treated wood now a days, maybe not the glassers, but the aluminum MFG's do. There are different types of treating, ACQ will eat an aluminum boat while CCA is safe for aluminum boats. ACQ is green, CCA is yellowish/orange. All the stuff you see at the big box stores is ACQ as CCA has been restricted to limited uses by the EPA, CCA is not commonly used or readily available. There is also some new borate treatment coming around, but I haven't heard much about it.

 

[acloward]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Another place to find some would be your local highway or roadway construction project. I am a general contractor and we do highway work. On the last project we had to remove a bunch of signs. The wood signs are 3/4" marine plywood, covered with 3M film to make the logo etc on the sign. You may be able to get for free, as we would have to pay to take to the dump. May not be enough for huge rebuilds, but for small jobs (I have seen some threads about rod storage) etc. it may work.

Just an idea to pass along as you are cussing the guys behind the barrells!!!!

 

[CAPTAIN TONY]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

go to spellmans hardwoods in phoenix they have any kind of plywood you want. They on on 43rd ave just south of camelback.

 

[rdryer]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Thank you, it seems that Spellman's is my best bet, but I will look into the sign idea.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Obtaining 3/4" Marine plywood

Just about every medium size or larger city has a specialized plywood dealership. It's actually a big business, and they carry all kinds of plywood.

My 26 year old Starcraft has marine plywood that's still as good as new. The last 2' of my boat was replaced with regular plywood 6 years ago, and it's already rotted.

Any pontoon boat needs to be kept dry 12 mos. out of the year.