Marine ply

[Fishery Pokery]

Hi guys,
Anyone know the best place to buy marine ply around Sunderland, or further afield if necessary?
Anywhere open this weekend?
Cheers,
Geoff

 

[mark]

what thickness? what you using it for?

Phenolic board might be better/cheaper depending on what your using it for

 

[Fishery Pokery]

Hi Mark,
It is to replace the floor in my inflatable boat (Avon S460). I took it apart fo the first time at the weekend and found it is damaged.
I am hoping to make a one piece floor to replace it. It is 18mm mahogony marine ply.
Cheers,
Geoff

 

[mark]

phenolic board will be a bit heavier but is indestructable - its the stuff that gets used for trai nler beds among other things. 100% waterproof for ever and his much harder wearing and non slip

 

[Fishery Pokery]

I have been told birch ply is uses the same resins, and more plys than marine but is much cheaper, what do you think?
I will have to look into phenolic, I have never come across it before.
Cheers,
Geoff

 

[mark]

its the glue that marine ply is made with that makes the difference - basically its 100% water proof, so the veneers won't delaminate, well they will but takes a long time

birch ply gets badged WBP (weatherproof boil proof). the glue is not a specific waterproof glue, so it will delaminate sooner

its tons cheaper though, and a thorough coating with epoxy resin seals it good and proper. a bit of sand in the resin makes it none slip

phenolic board is not made of wood - so nothing to rot its made of woven fabric that's pressure and pressed with phenolic resin under huge pressure, and is nigh on indestructable - attack a bit of ply with and axe it'll go through. with PB it'll bounce off

it never rots, is immune to UV so doesn't breakdown that way either and is resistant to almost all petrochemicals, it's fireproof as well so almost indestructable

 

[Fishery Pokery]

its the glue that marine ply is made with that makes the difference - basically its 100% water proof, so the veneers won't delaminate, well they will but takes a long time

birch ply gets badged WBP (weatherproof boil proof). the glue is not a specific waterproof glue, so it will delaminate sooner

its tons cheaper though, and a thorough coating with epoxy resin seals it good and proper. a bit of sand in the resin makes it none slip

phenolic board is not made of wood - so nothing to rot its made of woven fabric that's pressure and pressed with phenolic resin under huge pressure, and is nigh on indestructable - attack a bit of ply with and axe it'll go through. with PB it'll bounce off

it never rots, is immune to UV so doesn't breakdown that way either and is resistant to almost all petrochemicals, it's fireproof as well so almost indestructable

So Phenolic board wouldn't have to be treated at all? Not even on it's edges?
Can you work it with normal tools (i.e. saw it)?
Where can I get this board?
Many thanks for your help Mark (again).
Geoff

 

[mark]

its hard but jigsaws, circular saws etc cut it fine

just thought. there's 2 types - one is a half way house which is hardwood ply but is laid with cotton and phenolic resin, so look more like ply, the other is just the cotton/resin

both are bomb proof

and yes you can use as is without treating it, even the cut edges.

might find one or the other in decent builders merchants. Gets used in some roofing applications due to its fireproof nature.

Any companies that build/fit out lorries/trailers will have it

 

[Fishery Pokery]

I have been speaking to some people about the phenolic board, and they think it will be too heavy for what I need, as my 460 infaltable only has a 25hp 2 stroke.
Also, not many people seem to have much experiance using it in a boat, and with my level of skills in this area, I don't really want to be a trail blazer. Thanks alot for the suggestion though!
Is there anywhere good for marine ply, as appparantly a lot of places have stopped stocking it alltogether?
Cheers,
Geoff

 

[mark]

fair enough, it is heavier, but you can use a thinner board as its stronger, but marine ply....

in sunderland...

Quality Timber Product Range

usually have a selection in stock, and if you take a decent drawing/measurements they will machine a sheet to size

 

[Fishery Pokery]

Thanks Mark, that is perfect!
I wonder if I take the floor itself in, would they machine it straight of that?
Thanks again,
Geoff

 

[mark]

worth a try

 

[willywetegg]

Just give them a ring Geoff, a lot of firms do alsorts like that now just to make customers happy, hoping for regular business.

Jim.

 

[Fishery Pokery]

Sorry to mess you about Mark, but is there somewhere I could see this phenolic board that you know of?
And what thickness do you think I could use instead of the current 18mm? My boat is 1000mm across and sits on an inflatable keel. It also goes into 18mm 'stringers', that run up the sides to keep the current three piece floor rigid.
Again, sorry to mess you about Mark.
Cheers,
Geoff

 

[Fishery Pokery]

For anyone looking into this in the future, I rang around today and found the price.
The phenolic board is £80 plus Vat for a 8x4ft sheet of 18mm,
The Marine ply is £40 all in.
For what I am using it for I am going with the marine ply, and have to treat it, but it would have been a bonus not having to treat the phenolic.
Cheers for your help Mark and Jim,
Geoff