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Wood choice

I have a Lund boat, which is just an aluminum boat with interior console and bench seats, pedestal driver seat, all aluminum, but with marine plywood tops. I want to replace some of the plywood, and build a little wood tops and railings and dashboard here and there.

Can anyone refer me to a wood that is good for marine, costs reasonable, and looks good? Or should I just go with a good marine grade 3/4" plywood, and gusset everything, stain and seal heavily?

For the bench seats, I will probably be using marine plywood, about 12 to 18 square foot. Instrument board, about 2-3 square feet. Front pedestal and hatch, about 6-8 square feet.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B
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Seriously consider one of the man mades like Azek.

Reply to
DanG

Fishing boat, normally lives on a trailer in the driveway? Use whatever you'd use for any other kind of outdoor furniture.

Reply to
J. Clarke

You might ask in rec_dot_boats_dot_building.

They're a knowledgable bunch,

-Zz

Reply to
Zz Yzx

IPE or other tropical hardwood. I have a piece of tigerwood on my deck for the last year and a half and it doesn't show any aging. The hardwood flooring finish has UV worn off with the snow and rain but the wood is not wetter or softer. It's absorbancy rate is next to zero.

Can anyone refer me to a wood that is good for marine, costs reasonable, and looks good? Or should I just go with a good marine grade 3/4" plywood, and gusset everything, stain and seal heavily?

For the bench seats, I will probably be using marine plywood, about 12 to 18 square foot. Instrument board, about 2-3 square feet. Front pedestal and hatch, about 6-8 square feet.

Steve

Reply to
Josepi

Sorry, I just checked, that group looks inactive and long-gone.

Another good NG goes away......

-Zz

Reply to
Zz Yzx

Talk to Boulter Plywood. They specialize in marine lumber & plywood:

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White

Reply to
Doug White

Teak is usual but does not "cost reasonable." Mahogany used for some things, costs a bit less, not near as durable. White ash is used on canoe and guideboat gunwales - I would put a good coat of finish on it. May be as exotic as teak out your way - or moreso? Ipe (look for deck boards) might be the ticket?

Reply to
Ecnerwal

For solid lumber traditional is Teak and for good reason. It's the best.

Mohogany as others mentioned and also white oak (not red oak).

Build any of the structures from marine plywood. Trim with solid wood of choice. Build rails out of solid wood. Many coats of spar varnish. Sand off and reapply every other year.

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

Teak does not float. It was used on WWII submarine decks to prevent giving away the subs location if hit by depth charges. They didn't want the wood to float up.

Just some info.

Mahogany does.

Reply to
tiredofspam

-------------------------------------- That would be plantation teak or Honduras mahogany if you want quality wood; however, basic problem.

The cost of either will exceed the value of the aluminum boat, especially teak which is north of $20 per board foot these days.

Lew .

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

It doesn't? Since when? Green teak doesn't float, once it's dried it's no denser than many other common woods.

I'd like to see a source for that. Many classes of warship in WWII had teak decks.

Reply to
J. Clarke

Check the specific gravity of teak. It runs between .5 and .65, depending on where it's grown - in other words, it floats.

Reply to
Doug Winterburn

Have you seen any decent looking plantation teak, Lew? Everything I've seen has 1.5" stripes, brown & white. It's like cheap wannabe zebrawood at champagne prices.

-- The United States of America is the greatest, the noblest and, in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world. -- Ayn Rand

Reply to
Larry Jaques

----------------------------------- I avoid teak like it was the plague.

Virgin Thai teak is no longer legally available.

Last I heard Costa Rico had some decent plantation teak.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

I had been told this on a tour of a WWII submarine in Hackensack NJ. The tour guide specifically brought up the topic of why teak was used on the decks of subs.

I took the > >> Teak does not float. It was used on WWII submarine decks to prevent

Reply to
tiredofspam

Maybe some interest....

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see where it says teak doesn't float and has to be hauled by elephant because it can't be floated.

Now other sites say it can be floated based on specific gravity. I'll let you decide.

Reply to
tiredofspam

Why? Price, unavailability, or something else? If not teak, what wood?

Nothing in Thailand is virgin any more. One can buy 4-year olds there--for any purpose.

The stuff shown on Proteak.com is mostly that striped crap, half heartwood.

-- The United States of America is the greatest, the noblest and, in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world. -- Ayn Rand

Reply to
Larry Jaques

------------------------------------ "Larry Jaques" wrote:

------------------------------------- If you have ever had to maintain exterior teak on a boat, you wouldn't have to ask that question.

Interior of a boat can be most anything, I like white oak.

Exterior of a boat should be your basic Clorox bottle, it's absolutely no place for wood IMHO.

These days, can't think of a non marine application for high quality teak.

Lew

Reply to
Lew Hodgett

It is well known that _green_ teak will not float. However by the time it becomes the deck of a ship it is no longer green.

Some species of oak s> > I had been told this on a tour of a WWII submarine in Hackensack NJ.

Reply to
J. Clarke

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