sealing ply ?

[jason p]

im replacing the center board on my deck with ply,it will have carpet glued aswell.
any suggestions on what to seal the ply with.
thanks for advise.

jp

[jason p]

its ok i found this.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/archive/index.php/t-173020.html

cheers
jp

[lucee81]

I replaced the floor only a couple of months ago and used form ply give it a bit of a rough up with a sander and the glue should stick but no need to seal it all as it's already done just do the edges where it's cut and screw holes. Many people have many different ways I did so much research beforehand and no 2 people believe the same thing. All IMO of course.

[Micadogs]

Hey mate,

everdure or the equivalent is good. It is not cheap though and will take some time between coats etc. To fibreglass the panel would be a lot cheaper and pretty easy also. You just need to ensure that you round the edges of the panel prior to fibreglassing it. You can apply two coats of glass at once and it will be dry in 1/2 hour.

Doesn't matter if you are a bit rough as you will be putting carpet over the top anyways.

Now, I may just have to check my panel also. I think we have had our boats a similar amount of time.

Regards Adam

[jason p]

thanks lucee81, dont know if i would have peace of mind knowing that its only sealed with the glue

hey adam that sounds like a good idea but the only problem is that ive already bought the ply, wich is at 19mm thick, dont wont to add another couple of mm to that.
mate hope that you dont need to replace yours just yet. buy the looks of things im going to have to replace all the carpet on the deck, didnt realise the carpet had faded so much untill i layed the new stuff over it. im going to do the center board now and see if i can live with the colour difference, will most likely do the kill tank lid to so it runs from top to bottom. dont realy want to stuff around replacing the lot but its looking that way...

and yes i have decided to go with the everdure.

cheers jp

[timddo]

This is a very good topic. I have talked about replacing my boards due to soft spots but thats a year ago.
I have costed a few things

1. Form ply 12mm $66
2. Resin polyester 4 L $56
3. Catalist $20
4. Fibreglass cloth $100 10Square meters
5. Quick grip $50

Now it's getting expensive already. STil thinking about my options,

[lucee81]

Hi Jason p

sorry i forgot to mention that i sealed the edges with Bondcrete. after speaking to 3 different companies that do boat upholstery and also bias they all informed me that the form ply is already sealed and no futher sealing was neccesary, time will tell, Bias could have sold me the sealant but they advised i was wasting my time as nothing penetrates the form ply ( black coating) it was just a matter of sealing the screw holes and cut edges. time will tell of course.

Lucas

[Micadogs]

Hey mate

Eversure is a great product. If you havent used everdure before it is very, very thin. The first few coats will just sink into the ply. You will know when you are done as it forms a layer not unlike a varnish. It is very easy to use, but ensure you do it in a well ventilated area e.g. outside. A lot of it is solvent and isn't good for the kiddies.

If you get a few dusts spots etc doing it outside it wont mater as you are carpeting it.

If replacing all the carpet, have you considered making it removable?? It will cost a few $$'s extra to get the sides stiched up but it will last longer. My carpet is a little blood stained and not all that good when taking guests out or for the little one crawling on it.

I'm thinking about this myself, better you be the guinea pig than me!!! LOL

The other thing that you could test out for me is to cut some more of the side panels out at the rear of the boat!! I want to put 7ft rods in the side pockets and it is a little difficult to do with the current side panels. Let me kno if it is successful and then I will cut mine out???

Cheers Adam

[jason p]

hey tim, mate for such a small job it sure does start adding up. gotta keep that rig ship shape :) .

i do like the idea of glassing it, if done well it should last a very long time. ive bit the bullet now so i am sticking with plan A.

i paid $51 for 1680x600x19 structural cd ply as aposed to $168 for marine ply (full sheet). i figured that if i get it sealed properly i wouldnt need the marine ply.
another $36 for carpet 2x1m (may need alot more before im satisfied)
sealant $100+
sickaflex
spray adhesive
stainless hardware

lol yep it adds up.

cheers jp

[jason p]

its always good to have a guinea pig lol.

mate the only prob that i can see by having the carpet removable is that the existing stuff was glued down, i cant see how you could get the deck looking like its never had carpet glued to it, of course this isnt a problem if one dont give a rats whats under the coverings.
personaly i hate carpet on the deck, its dirty, harder to clean, and starts to stink when your out for a couple of days. so if there was an easy way of bringing that floor back to new i would be all for removable carpets, but i belive it would be a shit of a job removing al that glue, more so than what its worth. who nows they may have glued the carpet down for a reason??.

jp

[SunnyCoastMark]

Hey JP,
Have installed a few floors in various tinnies over the years. My current 15" quintrex I did 5 years ago now. What I have always done is painted the ply with two pack paint. - I usually put quite a few coats on -a bit more around the edges. Seems to work pretty well. Pulled the floor up a couple months ago - and it's still like brand new. Wasn't marine ply either - but it was a quality exterior ply.
I am currently rebuilding a 21' Dehavilland Trojan - the ply floor in that is 35 years old - was painted - not sure with what - and silconed around the edges. It's still good - so good that apart from one piece I will be re-using it.

Mark

[deckie]

jeeeeez i clicked on that link near the top and found an epic, musta been bored. Still the same deal from my experience with ply. Whilst everdure is often an expensive option its the sort of job it suits down to the ground coz very thin premade, and easy to just mix equal parts a plus b. Can also get it in small amounts. Multiple coats whilst still tacky and the stuff will stay workable for hours. Think 1 coat every 2 hrs and it'll be done by the end of the day. Think 4 coats needed 95 better of course) plus soak any excess into the prepped edges.
Glassing great, but short of that and short of everdure is still the poly resin option which is great too...poly isnt as good as epoxy for waterproofing but if thinned out for first two coats and soaked right in then it'll likely last the same...we did one deck maybe 12-14 yrs ago thats had 3 carpets replaced and its perfect still. Trick again is v thin coats soaked right in, more coats the merrier within reason. Styrene monomer as thinner (dont thin poly with acetone more than about 5% coz kills it), its cheap and start 30-40% with resin and maybe 2.5-3% mekp. Reduce to final layer 100% resin and about 1.5% mekp. 100% resin of either epoxy or poly will have a tendency to crack over time on something u stand on and a little flexible, so the thinned stuff is far far better as it soaks in as real protection. Edges the critical area. Disposable brushes and ice cream containers the easiest and just slap it on and throw out the brushes as u go. Recoat each hr no need to sand/grind if care taken to prevent big dags/drips, then run palm over the finished product to check for and sand down any sharp bits/lumps that can start wear spots in carpet. its a fast and cheaper alernative that does seem to last. Obviously not quite as good as epoxy but if thinned and multiple layers tis still bloody good. Another thing even better is just get some glass tape about 75mm and glass the edges with the poly resin, if the flat ply is good without knots, and sealed v well tis all the glassing needed.
Big big benefit is that its an immediate great compatible base if preferring to flowcoat, especially if immediately and will chemically bond....if left just a good sand then slap the flowcoat on just like the resin but 100%.
Go easy on the carpet glue...the deck will outlast the carpet, especially if fastenings are sealed very well as u put it on, and u will like;ly want to replace carpet at some pt coz its filthy stuff and holds water, which is why best to spend a bit sealing the ply properly and not do the job again. Carpet can be cheap on sales and if u can get it off easy, its a whole new look to the boat whenever u want.
Steve.

[jason p]

thanks all for the advise much appreciated.

hey deckie you mentioned about knots, the ply that ive got has several knots on the face, i didnt realy notice this till i got it home. i guess this just means that i need to seal extra well oven them, like the edges?or get another peice?

cheers jp

[deckie]

Depends, have u decided which way to seal it yet ? That will determine the easiect quickest cheapest way of sealing bad knots/holes. If u selected that piece in person i wouldnt think it;d be fair to take it back, but whynot if u arnt happy. Face up the side with least imperfections, many believe (and i cant tell coz i just dont know) that its best not to glass/seal underneath anyway..but sounds a bit iffy to me and i'd always and have sealed both sides...who cares what the underside looks like so maybe just seal it in well.
Take in everyones advice, do a few sums and work out the best/cost effective way of doing what should be a small job. You said its only one separate piece rather than an entire deck ??...so no point getting too anal or spending too much anyway right ?
If just normal knots hardly worth worrying about as long as not the type that can work loose or big holes. If big u can always just fill it/sand flat then light layer of glass over it. Can go to the expense of some f/glass body filler in a tub which would do, or even get away with some auto filler bog if u have some lying around, then sand and light glass over it. Just do it so its pretty flat.
If its a real small piece around that 500mm ish zone and bad knots, u could just prep/soak in some thin resin of the type u decide, then glass over the entire piece instead of filling...unless its an actual hole u think might be a prob then fill.
For a small seperate piece i wouldnt worry about whether its polyester over epoxy, vice versa, and whether things are compatible...if u have some stuff lying about just use it. Yes its always best to plan and stick to same things, but for a small one off job thats going to be carpeted u really wont have a problem if u coarse sand between incompatible resins/fillers n stuff.
You dont necessarily want to see a glassy/shiney resin finish no matter what u use..that will happen anyway as coats go on, glassy finishe can flex/crack so more important to have it soaking into the ply and multiple coats especially on edges. 19mm ply shouldnt flex anyway so no need to go to too much trouble like u might do on a full deck of say 15mm. Epoxy always more waterporof than poly, but a lot depends on application, i.e. if u go to the trouble of using thinned and soaking in multiple coats there aint much difference i reckon. A pro wuld/should alwyas advise epoxy for waterproofing but can be evil stuff and i aint no pro ;D Everdure is pretty easy tho so its good for this kind of thing and stays workable a long time for multiple layers, just keep it off you and protect your eyes, also if using poly catalyst (mekp) think EYES.

[SunnyCoastMark]

Hey Jason,
Definitely seal Both sides. If you don't - the ply will bow over time and it will rot out from underneath.

Mark

[Screamin Semen]

If anybody needs:

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/classifieds.php?do=viewitem&itemid=362&urlid=2

Cheers SS :)

[jason p]

hey ss if i was close by it would be sold already, i could of got a case of beer with the change;D
i paid around 120 bucks, and the only place in noosa that had it (that i could find) was the boat shed. although fbc had it,they only had the 1lt of prt A and 500mm of part B and no thinners ::).

once again thanks to all for the informative info.

cheers jason.