Pine?

[erikgreen]

I'm almost done with my under floor structures... stringers, reinforcing ribs/floor supports, etc., and I have a gap between the motor mounts and my main stringers that I'd like to fill with something. It's big enough that putty is not an option, and while I don't have a lot of lumber lying around I can use, I do have a few pieces of pine (I think) dimensional 2x6 lying around. Can I cut these, encapsulate with epoxy, and use them to fill the gap? Or will they vanish in a puff of smoke as soon as they touch the hull due to being "inferior" wood? They're just standard 2x6s I got from Home Depot.

The role they would fill is not strictly speaking structural, although it's possible to say that anything under the deck is to some extent structural. I suppose I could cut and laminate a few squares of plywood to do the same job.

To be more specific about my application, the wood will fill a short gap between the ends of the motor mounts and the start of the main stringers (which don't extend to the transom due to boat design) and will be glassed over.

Erik

 

[BillP]

Re: Pine?

There's no problem using pine. Just seal it good enough to stay dry and it will last the life of the boat.

bp

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Pine?

yep, there many a house still standing with pine framing, and floors.

 

[iwombat]

Re: Pine?

Pine has a lot of oil and pitch in it. I'd be concerned with getting resin to adhere properly.

If they're standard home-depot dimensional lumber they're more likely to be douglas fir.

 

[lifeisfun]

Re: Pine?

... or spruce

 

[sdunt]

Re: Pine?

If they're standard home-depot dimensional lumber they're more likely to be douglas fir.

Actually 90% of lumber today is neither pine nor Douglas fir. Its technically 'White Wood' a spruce - pine - fir mix, look for the letters SPF stamped on the wood. Its a hybrid that is designed to grow REALLY fast. And it is much whiter in color than either true pine or fir.

Floor joists can still be had in pine, that is southern yellow pine, they are VERY hard, like you'll break off drywall screws in them. Douglas fir is available, but very expensive and special order at a home center. The lumber yard the builders and contractors use would have fir, but I doubt HD would..

 

[iwombat]

Re: Pine?

Y'know I was soooo close to the edit button on that one. But yeah, spruce too.

HD out here is all fir or spruce, but mostly hybred doug fir. Your mileage may vary in different parts of the country. I doubt you'd be getting 2x6 dimensional out of any pines that aren't already reserved for finish lumber though.

But, just to bring us all back around on topic. . . .

You're probably not dealing with 2x6 pine full of pitch and oil and your resin should stick just fine.