Pontoon Decking - - New issue

[THC1]

I know this has been beat to death but I have a little twist to add for what I've found on the forums.

My boat is a 1990 24' Lowe. My son and I just completely stripped it this weekend and found delaminated wood. Deciding to do it correctly, we stripped the wood for redecking. Here lies the dilemma. The design of the cross members are as such. Cross members are 3' or so apart and where the 4' wide wood meets the next sheet, the cross member has an "H" groove so the the wood fits in the groove and lies flush on the other cross members. Great fit.........except it appears to be a 5/8" groove and I plan to pain the new deck with evercoat no-skid so I'm concerned about the visibility of the aluminum cross members where the wood meets. I was considering using standard PT wood since I haven't been able to find the marine wood locally. Only thing I can find is 1/2" or 3/4". If I do use PT and paint both sides with no skid, I was considering removing the "H" groove cross members and just laying 3/4 on top. Also, mine old wood was screwed down right into the aluminum cross members with no bolts/washers. Assuming the "H" groove held everything nicely.

Should I

1) Treat both side of 3/4" PT, remove the "H" pattern cross member, screw it all down and add some bolts/washers.
2) Order marine wood for a hundred bucks a sheet and get 5/8" so I can utilize the existing "H" groove design and hope my no skid covers the seams?

Any other options?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Do not use PT it will eat the aluminum. Spent the extra time and find the marine grade

 

[luckyjr]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Cross member should be 2' cc . They make 5/8 marine. The Chems in treated is not good for aluminum

 

[THC1]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Found some marine wood and just spent almost 600 bucks at lunch. I will start laying it down tonight and then I plan to use a product called evercoat no-skid rubberized marine coating for the top. Not planning to do the bottom of the marine wood. My stuff was delaminating but still half way decent and actually look mucho better on the bottom than it did on the top. Heck, I almost turned it over and reinstalled it.

 

[StuBone278]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Not to hijack, but I thought Marine grade plywood was just selected to have very few knots in the wood so it can be used for a structural member of the boat, such as a hull. Would marine grade plywood not also be pressure treated? If not then how does it withstand rotting under wet conditions?

EDIT:
Sorry I did some reading. I would have opted for external plywood and used some sealants after predrilling holes for all the bolts.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Marine grade plywood often lasts 20 plus years. It is made to with stand the water. exterior grade simply wont last and yes you can coat it and do this and that to it and get it to last longer and when it fails in a few years you can rip the boat back apart and do it again or sell the boat for next to nothing, your call.

I recently looked at a newer boat that I was thinking of buying and when I looked under the deck I saw it had been redone with PT wood, when I asked to owner he told why yes he did that last year, I told him why I wasn't interested unless he wanted to drop the offer by 2000 because that's what it would cost to redeck. I am sure he sold it to some unsuspecting sucker as is.

 

[THC1]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Not to hijack, but I thought Marine grade plywood was just selected to have very few knots in the wood so it can be used for a structural member of the boat, such as a hull. Would marine grade plywood not also be pressure treated? If not then how does it withstand rotting under wet conditions?

EDIT:
Sorry I did some reading. I would have opted for external plywood and used some sealants after predrilling holes for all the bolts.

True and manny people go that route. The marine wood is soooo much nicer than the big store out of square warped junk and full of knots and I intend to use a rubber latex paint for the floor coating. Then there is the no contact with aluminum due to the chemicals....marine is 7 ply too v. 5. Put it down last night and it's solid as a rock....now just praying my deck material does what it should.

THC1

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

That will last you many many years of use and trouble free service. I re decked mine about 3 years ago and used carpet, I wished I would of use the marine grade vinyl instead just for easier clean up.

 

[Cubbyblue22]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

I have the same exact boat and the same crossmembers. I debated whether or not to cut the H members out but I ended up just using a router and slid the boards in. Hope it all goes well!

 

[THC1]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue



Hope to finish off the wood flooring tonight and roll on the evercoat flooring material over the weekend - stay tuned!

 

[THC1]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Only five pictures per post so here are the remaining two.......more to come next week. Currently, the plan is to order an full interior of pontoon furniture by DeckMate.

Plan to sand the panels on my side rails and just spray paint with a good rustoleum. Anybody have a reason to believe this will be an issue? My assumption is that rustoleum would be a fine product for painting aluminum???

 

[dls322]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Looking good! You'll be happy that you put the new deck in once all the work is done

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Pontoon Decking - - New issue

Marine ply lasted 20 years on my pontoon boat, but the pieces on either side of the motor finally rotted. I replaced it with heavily painted regular plywood, and it lasted 5 years (getting a little wet) before rotting.

Marine plywood is simply the way to go. The 3/4 inch is usually about $75 a piece. Marine plywood is a large part of the boat's structure, and it's important to use the best you can purchase. Every medium and large city will have plywood dealerships.

Now as far as painting the plywood with an elastomeric coating--don't. If you're going to the expense of reconditioning your pontoon boat, to to GreatLakesSkipper.com or Pontoonstuff.com and purchase heavy marine vinyl flooring. When wet, your flooring has got to have the correct amount of slip--or people will be falling. Marine vinyl is getting very popular on new pontoon boats, especially with fishermen.