How to repair a section of top layer of plywood only?

[Howie]

Hi all,

I am struggling to work out how to repair a section of plywood which was damaged and subsequently became a bit waterlogged.

This is a section approx the size of my hand and I can rub it down to undamaged, hard wood all around.

However, as this is a section of my boat wheelhouse, and as such, built from a very large single sheet of ply, - and as I am not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagination, I really don't want to cut this section out or attempt to replace the whole sheet.

Can anyone give me a hint about rebuilding just this single layer as a good, strong, invisible repair. The finish is paint, - so I _can_ cover up, - a bit :-)

Appreciate any help,

Regards,

H.

[Ian Stirling]

Car body filler should work.

[Derek]

I would rub the panel down to wood and give it a liberal coating of fibre glass resin the wood will absorb a certain amount which when it sets should give an impermeable barrier to water if you wish you can add further layers and glass reinforcement .Be certain the wood is rot free though or you will be just sealing in a problem Derek see

[Cicero]

================= If you can't do it yourself it would be worth getting someone to 'router' out the damaged section to a depth of about 6mm. Then glue in a piece of

6mm plywood using waterproof glue.

Car body filler (as suggested by another poster) might fall out if there is any moisture in the underlying wood, but would be worth trying if you think you can get the damaged part completely dry.

Cic.

[Geoff]

There is a trick with a router that would do this, impossible to explain but,

"Timber repair kit" gives some idea. With the right cutter/bush combo it's dead easy. You make a jig/pattern to suit the damaged area. cheersandgone

[The Natural Philosopher]

CAR BODY FILLER

[Howie]

|Try Ronseal products. |Scrape out all the loose de-laminated plywood. |Coat with Wet Rot Hardener - it soaks in and hardens everything it touches. |Fill with High Performance Wood Filler. |I think you can buy a kit with it all in. |Best of luck. | |Howard

Well, thanks to everyone for the advice. I'm sure I will find the right answer amongst it all. It seems that I might try the idea of some sort of resin to seal it first and then fill.

I'll have a look at the ronseal products too.

this area is well above any risk of salt water saturation, so we are just talking about rain and cold weather etc.

Thanks again.

H.

[Pete C]

Hi,

Try a Google on rec.boats.building and post there too.

Make sure the area and any new wood is well treated with wood preserver.

Maybe chamfer or rebate the hole and use a well fitting fillet of WBP ply.

Epoxy or structural polyurethane glues are good for this sort of thing.

With epoxy it's best to prime the edges of the wood first and then apply more just after the first lot has set, as it soaks into the wood quite a bit.

Epoxy can be thickened with different things to make a very good glue or filler.

I'd avoid using car body filler IMVHO :)

Is the deck flat or slightly curved?

cheers, Pete.

[Howie]

|On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 11:47:50 +0000, Howie | wrote: | |>On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 01:36:34 GMT, Howard |> wrote: | |>Well, thanks to everyone for the advice. I'm sure I will find the |>right answer amongst it all. It seems that I might try the idea |>of some sort of resin to seal it first and then fill. |>

|>I'll have a look at the ronseal products too. |>

|>this area is well above any risk of salt water saturation, so we |>are just talking about rain and cold weather etc. |>

|>Thanks again. | |Hi, | |Try a Google on rec.boats.building and post there too. | |Make sure the area and any new wood is well treated with wood |preserver. | |Maybe chamfer or rebate the hole and use a well fitting fillet of WBP |ply. | |Epoxy or structural polyurethane glues are good for this sort of |thing. | |With epoxy it's best to prime the edges of the wood first and then |apply more just after the first lot has set, as it soaks into the wood |quite a bit. | |Epoxy can be thickened with different things to make a very good glue |or filler. | |I'd avoid using car body filler IMVHO :) | |Is the deck flat or slightly curved? | |cheers, |Pete.

Thanks for that advice.

It's actually my wheelhouse, and it's very... very... slightly curved.

[Tony Brooks]

Beware - car body filler will absorb water, so if you are using it make very sure it is always coverd with adequate paint etc.

Tony Brooks

[Steve Firth]

More or less what others said, except that I would replace the missing layer with a fresh piece of veneer. You can buy veneers from timber merchants.

I would use slow cure epoxy to glue the new veneer into place. First make a clean (straight) edge to the area to be repaired. The best trick is to cut through the veneer into the old ply so that the edges match exactly. Scrape out the single layer of ply and clean the entire area using acetone. Apply a layer of slow-cure epoxy and lay in the new veneer. Cover with polythene and then weight it down, you need heavy weights so old irons, old cast iron weights, or at a pinch jerrycans full of water will do.

Overcoat it with the same epoxy once cured and sand to shape. You'll need to paint it afterwards.

Don't use car filler (soaks up water, craks even if doesn't) or polyester resin (hopeless stuff). Get real two pack epoxy.

[The Natural Philosopher]

I don't thibnk it does ypou know. Its basically polyetser resin, with mica fuller.

Same as what fiberglass boats are made out of.

Leastways the stuff I use is. Holts P38 or whatever it is.