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Who sells marine plywood?

11K views 46 replies 28 participants last post by  scratchee 
#1 ·
I have two places where I might need marine plywood:

1) My Allmand had a leak at the chainplates. I think I've fixed that (at least temporarily), but it had happened for a long time, and the previous owner's "stuff" was on top of the wooden shelf that the chainplates touched. As a result, the water would run down the chainplates, pool/soak into the shelf, and then the stuff on there would keep the wood from drying out. I tore out the shelf, and now want to replace that. I'm leaning toward marine plywood, though I suppose for an interior project, I could get away with standard plywood.

2) On my Albacore, as I was dealing with the issues caused by the driveway contractor, the traveler track that runs along the transom pulled free on the port side. I realized that the holes had rotting wood in them, and I sought to address the problem by filling the holes with regular epoxy, sucking it out, then squirting in thickened epoxy. That seemed to work OK until yesterday, when I was sanding down the excess epoxy (I got a little messy). As I moved the traveler to get to some of the epoxy, the rest of the traveler pulled free from the transom. The area where the track had been was dirty, so I cleaned that with acetone, and poured some acetone into the screw holes, too, to try to dry them out more. Then I cleaned out the holes with a screwdriver. In the first hole, I slid the screwdriver in, and it went down a good 2-3 inches before hitting squishy wood. This was true of the other holes, as well. That's about the time the ants started coming out. About 100 of them. About an inch long, with big, thick bodies. It seems they weren't happy about my digging around, nor were they pleased with the acetone. It became apparent that the transom was infested with carpenter ants. I'm not sure if they are new, or if they came with the boat, but either way, it now appears that I need to replace the wood that is under the traveler. In looking at it, it will be a messy and somewhat time consuming job, but doesn't look like it will be all that difficult. The wood is "just" glassed to the inside of the transom, so I'll cut it out and replace it. I'm leaning toward marine plywood for this.

So, given these two projects, it seems I'll be in the market for some marine plywood. Who sells it? I know I can't find it at Lowes or Home Depot. So, can I get marine plywood at any national chains or other well-known stores?
 
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#3 ·
Jim, Most plywood will hold up to water. "exterior grade" would be a good 2nd choice. The trick is, to not have water dripping in. I have the same problem but it wants to migrate to the dome lights LOL
 
#6 ·
Hardwood suppliers near marine locations. In Seattle you can get it at Crosscut Hardwoods. I don't know what the locations would be in the Philadelphia and upper Chesapeake region, but I bet that a good local boat yard could point you towards it.
 
#8 ·
It is often available via special order from any good local lumber yard. There are internet sources as well. One near (M.L. Condon Company) me has the following list of marine lumber:

Ash White Quartered
Birch, Sound Lauan Black
Mahogany, Philippine Ribbon Stripe
Mahogany, Philippine Rotary
Mahogany, Honduras Flat Cut A1
Mahogany, Bruynzeel Regina
Mahogany, Occume (MFC)
Teak, Quartered, G1S (Mahogany back)
Teak, Quartered G2S Both faces
Teak, Black Line Plydeck Decking Boards

I don't think any of the chains will be able to get much for you. They specialize in bulk purchases, and tend to be just as or more expensive as the smaller local guys on small orders. Bruynzeel and Occume seem to be the most common quality marine plywood for boat building. I would not recommend pressure treated, as it tends to not have a very fine surface, and will be unlikely have the correct glues.
 
#13 ·
I would have to measure but I think I have a piece that would fit your 4'x2' section but I don't have a piece large enough for the 6' section, so you would have to buy a 4'x8' sheet anyway.

I know Exotic typically carries it in stock but not sure if that is convenient for you?

I would probably want to use Marine Plywood for the jobs you want to do, but I suppose you could get by with the other suggestions, maybe pose your question to the Wooden Boat Forum? LOL
 
#11 ·
For inside the boat not exposed to water, a both-sides good hardwood plywood saturated with a penetrating epoxy would be more than good enough. 3/4" plywood is better than 1/2".

This may also be good for the transom work but double 3/4" and add a few layers of saturated fiberglass fabric.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Jim,

Lowe's, Menard's, and Home Depot will all special order it for you, however it is expensive. You really only need marine grade for boat hulls where it's important not to have voids in the plywood interior. Everything else you could use a good grade of exterior plywood which is made with "waterproof" glues but does have some voids on the interior. As long as everything is water-tight, which you would want regardless of which grade plywood you use, you should be good to go for both your projects.

Everyone has two cents, these were mine :)

Frank
1982 S2 9.2A
 
#16 ·
One more source of marine and exotic plywoods, and they will ship, is Boulter Plywood in Sommerville MA. BoulterPlywood.com....

Marine grade plywood uses waterproof and boilproof adhesive, and has NO VOIDS (at all).
 
#19 ·
Jim, I see that your in PA. Check with the local lumber yards, not Lowes or Homedepot. My local yard in Hatboro actually had some in stock, I needed 3/4" and 1/4" they had them. Older stock that they were not going to replenish.

Also Delaware Supply Co.in Boothwyn, has a ton of hardwoods and plywood, just off of 95 near the Delaware border. Have a couple of wooden boatbuilders I know who buy their lumber there.
 
#23 ·
aircraft spruce is another will-deliver plywood source:
ROYAL MARINE A-A FIR PLYWOOD from Aircraft Spruce

(DO NOT check out the rest of site- you will end up building a damn airplane. This place is the Hamilton Marine/Defender of amateur aircraft.)
They have it, but getting it to you can be expensive.
It IS a great place for epoxy, fiberglass cloth, etc.
 
#27 ·
Definitely shop around. I replaced a floor in my old jet boat a few years back and there was a $25 price difference between the one closest to me and another store about 15 miles away. Everyone told me to use plain exterior for the floor but I take pride in going to the extreme when working on my boats.

CarpeAquam: Pressure treated wood is VERY heavy and resins won't stick to it (It might if the wood was REALLY dried out but I'm not sure. That being said I have used pressure treated wood on different things within a boat.
 
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