Coating ply - paint/varnish/gelcoat?

[Max...]

Just need some advice please on how best to protect and finish bare marine ply for a couple of small projects - locker and a seat base. Locker will be wet often, seat just splashing rather than immersion.

Doesn't need any addred strength of GRP just the waterproofing. Ideal finish would be grey and possibly non-slip. Simple/budget method preferred.

[Stephen-RIB]

Originally Posted by Max...

Just need some advice please on how best to protect and finish bare marine ply for a couple of small projects - locker and a seat base. Locker will be wet often, seat just splashing rather than immersion.

Doesn't need any addred strength of GRP just the waterproofing. Ideal finish would be grey and possibly non-slip. Simple/budget method preferred.

This is probably your most cost effective method sealing and waterproofing plywood. You just paint it in, let it dry, sand smooth, prime and then paint.

http://www.marinemegastore.com/produ...AQU_Q05170.htm

Cheers

[Mollers]

Flocoat with a small foam roller. Two coats will look superb.

[Max...]

Thanks chaps.

[jefflee2k]

A lot of guys on some of the wooden boat builders websites are big fans of shellac. It dries superfast, waterproofs nearly as well as polyester resin, won't laminate like polyester, and is a great primer for all kinds of paint.

[Jizm]

As stephen said:

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/cgi-local/sh...#aUDAG4D_2d001

[slimtim]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Flocoat with a small foam roller. Two coats will look superb.

Mollers, have you done this? If so, have you had any problems with cracking? When I did my consoles and seats, I coated all the bare wood in 2-3 coats of neat epoxy. I was wondering the other day why I hadn't coated it all in nice thick flocoat but I came to the conclusion that the flocoat, when set is not flexible and so would be prone to cracking under expansion and contraction of the wood. Epoxy allows the wood to breathe and expand. This could be a load of crap, but I'm sure this is what I was advised at the time.

Cheers,

Tim

[Mollers]

Yeah, I re-made the transom plate for the Searider. It made for a very smart job. There's a big difference between purely coating ply and glassing over ply. If the ply involved is in anyway structral of liable to flex, it'll need to be glassed-in not just flocoated.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by slimtim

Mollers, have you done this? If so, have you had any problems with cracking? When I did my consoles and seats, I coated all the bare wood in 2-3 coats of neat epoxy. I was wondering the other day why I hadn't coated it all in nice thick flocoat but I came to the conclusion that the flocoat, when set is not flexible and so would be prone to cracking under expansion and contraction of the wood. Epoxy allows the wood to breathe and expand. This could be a load of crap, but I'm sure this is what I was advised at the time.

Cheers,

Tim

My anchor locker was done like it (2 coats of flowcoat only). It cracks when it flexes (as Mollers said above)-mine is falling off in lumps and waiting for me to fix it. The Bonda G4 works well though but make sure it's in date and properly liquid when you buy it as it goes hard in the can.

[jwalker]

Wotcha need to preent cracking is 10-20% flexible resin added to your mix and wax to ensure the resin dries tack free. Wipe the ply with thinners to degrease its surface. It's equally possible to use just flexible resin but it's slightly soft, not squidgy soft but just not so hard. None of these surfaces is grippy tho, they're actually quite slippery.