Different types of Marine Ply

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi xpertski, Gaboon Wood is a very hard Ebony (approx 3000lbs per Sq Ft) mainly used for high end furniture vaneers and inlays, I've never come across Gaboon ply.
Gabon is Okoume - 400lbs Sq Ft Janka hardness
Sapele is a mahogany - 1400 Sq Ft Janka hardness
Indonesian Moranti - depends upon the species but ranges from approx 550lbs - 1500lbs per Sq Ft
Don't just rely upon hardness, it is not an indication of tear/rupture strength or elasticity. Your comment "it splinters a bit", actually it "chips" more than splinters because of the "hardness", but that hardness does make it easier to sand to a good finish.
Most "good" quality WBP ply is made from Okoume or Light Red Meranti. Meranti ply will normally be slightly more expensive than Okoume.

Thanks Steve, good input [emoji106] hard to know then with meranti to know if it’s the 550lbs or 1500lbs per sq ft type! (Wonder what the eDecks version is!) Sapele seems to be right up there quality wise, but if one gets a good Meranti the price differential is hard to justify (c.£60 for a full sheet versus £290) for the potential negligible difference in performance for the purpose of flooring - perhaps Sapele is better finish wise but not really a factor for a covered RIB deck ... eDecks say they used to have higher prices but buy in bulk now so can reduce their price. Their comment on Robbins was that there are a few middle men who take their slice and they buy in smaller quantities...

[Steve509926]

The Meranti will undoubtedly be "Light Red Meranti" - 550lbs, it is one of the most commercially grown hardwoods all over Asia, I actually think its now illegal to import yellow and white Meranti into the EU.
IMO using Sapele as the core of a fully encapsulated deck is overkill and I doubt you would see any benefit.
Ive never been keen when suppliers/manufacturers start dissing their opposition, perhaps that's just me.

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

The Meranti will undoubtedly be "Light Red Meranti" - 550lbs, it is one of the most commercially grown hardwoods all over Asia, I actually think its now illegal to import yellow and white Meranti into the EU.
IMO using Sapele as the core of a fully encapsulated deck is overkill and I doubt you would see any benefit.
Ive never been keen when suppliers/manufacturers start dissing their opposition, perhaps that's just me.

Thanks interesting, is yellow and white meranti the stronger stuff? Illegal due to how it’s forested/rarity of those types?

Interesting what you say re Sapele being overkill (don’t disagree - this is a learning journey on marine ply for me so certainly I’m no authority on it), Humber say they use either Sapele or Malaysian marine ply (no idea what wood Malaysian ply would be...) though saying that, they coat the top of the deck and say they put clear epoxy under (though this has been questioned) ... so perhaps if they didn’t use Sapele the condition would deteriorate too quickly

[Steve509926]

Yes Yellow and White is the "harder" stuff and I think it was illegal to import as it wasn't grown commercially due to it being so slow growing, I could be wrong but that's what I've always thought.
Malysian marine ply could be anyhhing but I would tend to think it was Light Red Meranti ply.

[Steve509926]

Just been corrected by a mate of mine who still works in the industry. It's not illegal to import White Meranti as it is now grown commercially and all Yellow Meranti has to be certified as grown sustainably but is very rarely imported.
White Meranti is apparently used for garden furniture instead of using Teak.

[GuyC]

Overthinking Alert!

from an inveterate overthinker.

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by GuyC

Overthinking Alert!

from an inveterate overthinker.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji106] ... interesting though, getting a good amount of info in here for other ppl

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by GuyC

Overthinking Alert!

from an inveterate overthinker.

[xpertski]

[emoji23] that’s me told [emoji23]

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by xpertski

[emoji23] that’s me told [emoji23]

It got my grey matter working though

[jeffstevens763@g]

https://gttowing.co.uk/online-shop/trailer-floors/

Don't know how this stacks up price wise lasts very well

[paintman]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

https://gttowing.co.uk/online-shop/trailer-floors/

Don't know how this stacks up price wise lasts very well

Looks like the stuff I've got on the floor of my Sprinter van.
It's a mobile workshop, I've had it from new (2002) & I'm in & out of the van load door umpteen times a day & wear on the surface is virtually nil.
Totally unaffected by thinner spills.

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

https://gttowing.co.uk/online-shop/trailer-floors/

Don't know how this stacks up price wise lasts very well

Interesting product! I guess it’s standard ply with resin coating top and bottom, which if it is would mean no waterproof glue between the piles - so any moisture that gets in could spread between the layers easier? Probably would work fine for a good few years but not sure I would trust it in a Rib (which is wet above and below) ... you could I guess if using it make sure the sides are all sealed as well, and try ensure any screw holes are sealed and don’t penetrate the underside coating ... price wise it would be middle ranking when compared to marine ply, about the price of BS1088/Lloyds approved Okoume/Gaboon marine ply but more expensive than Merani marine plywood.

I noticed with my Humber floor that whilst it seems the marine ply is very good quality and solid (if a little damp now ... 16 years old though so not bad considering it didn’t seem to have much underside protection), when fitting the seating and console Humber had screwed through the underside face of the ply, so no matter how good the glue was or what coating was underneath, like epoxy or resin/glass, condensation and any water in the void (presumably from the front locker seal not performing) would have an unprotected way of finding its way up the thread of screws and into the various layers of the ply .... which in that sense the wood did incredibly well to not delaminate or deteriorate (other than getting damp) after 16 years of use ... makes me think it probably is Sapele marine ply

[jeffstevens763@g]

bit of tech stuff xpertski

https://www.lathamspecification.co.u.../buffalo-board

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by xpertski

Interesting product! I guess it’s standard ply with resin coating top and bottom, which if it is would mean no waterproof glue between the piles - so any moisture that gets in could spread between the layers easier? Probably would work fine for a good few years but not sure I would trust it in a Rib (which is wet above and below) ... you could I guess if using it make sure the sides are all sealed as well, and try ensure any screw holes are sealed and don’t penetrate the underside coating ... price wise it would be middle ranking when compared to marine ply, about the price of BS1088/Lloyds approved Okoume/Gaboon marine ply but more expensive than Merani marine plywood.

I noticed with my Humber floor that whilst it seems the marine ply is very good quality and solid (if a little damp now ... 16 years old though so not bad considering it didn’t seem to have much underside protection), when fitting the seating and console Humber had screwed through the underside face of the ply, so no matter how good the glue was or what coating was underneath, like epoxy or resin/glass, condensation and any water in the void (presumably from the front locker seal not performing) would have an unprotected way of finding its way up the thread of screws and into the various layers of the ply .... which in that sense the wood did incredibly well to not delaminate or deteriorate (other than getting damp) after 16 years of use ... makes me think it probably is Sapele marine ply

EN314-2 Class3 is equivalent to WPB exterior ply. Water ingress will not spread though the bonding layers of the ply providing all the edges are sealed correctly. Birch ply is good stuff providing it is made with well seasoned Birch as it naturally has a high resin content.

I think Buffalo Board is well worth a look, especially as the surfaces are pre sealed.

I think you have already decided that you are going to use Sapele, but you are still trying to justify the price. Go for it, don't think you would be happy if you didn't.

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

bit of tech stuff xpertski

https://www.lathamspecification.co.u.../buffalo-board

Cool, very interesting stuff! Definitely learnt something new there, thanks for sharing!

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

EN314-2 Class3 is equivalent to WPB exterior ply. Water ingress will not spread though the bonding layers of the ply providing all the edges are sealed correctly. Birch ply is good stuff providing it is made with well seasoned Birch as it naturally has a high resin content.



I think Buffalo Board is well worth a look, especially as the surfaces are pre sealed.



I think you have already decided that you are going to use Sapele, but you are still trying to justify the price. Go for it, don't think you would be happy if you didn't.

Thanks Steve, interesting additional information, tbh I had never heard of Buffalo board before! I don’t know if many others had as well...

Re; having made my mind up in Sapele - to be honest not really, actually was swaying towards the eDecks supplied Meranti marine grade plywood, seems to tick most boxes, better for the purpose of flooring than Okoume, and much cheaper, and I know others on the forum have used it without problem. Aside from that I also want the best material for the job, and that seemed to be Sapele, but the price differential is hard to justify that’s true (nearly 5x cost!) - if the price was more like £100-150 sheet I’d go for Sapele, no question, but it’s allot more than that (about £300 inc vat per sheet versus £59 for Meranti). So given there may be no real tangible difference once all glassed up and flow coated - I’m leaning the opposite way, to Meranti.... for which the consensus on here seems to be that would be absolutely fine for a long lasting new floor.

But also very interesting to learn about Buffalo board!

Also, whilst clearly I have an interest in this information, I thought it might be good to collate all your knowledge on the topic onto this thread for others to read through if they wonder the same ... so a genuine thanks for contributing!!

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by xpertski

Cool, very interesting stuff! Definitely learnt something new there, thanks for sharing!

did you notice duraply for boat building

[xpertski]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

did you notice duraply for boat building

No I hadn’t but quickly trying to find out [emoji106]

Amazing source of knowledge this forum!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by xpertski

No I hadn’t but quickly trying to find out [emoji106]

Amazing source of knowledge this forum!

Surely if you’re going to glass it in, the grade of board is largely irrelevant. Many manufacturers don’t use ply these days, they use foam. The strength is in the GRP & the substrate is just a form.