# wood vs aluminum



## kwkemp1 (Mar 24, 2012)

New to site, and stumbled upon this looking at ideas to modify. I see many mods that use wood and others that use aluminum. Looking for pros and cons of both.

Any information is excellent as I am sure what ever I do will be a lot of trial and error.

Thanks Kevin


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## Jdholmes (Mar 24, 2012)

There are no cons to aluminum other than price...if that's a factor...which for me it was and that's why most of mine has been wood.


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## jigngrub (Mar 24, 2012)

You own an aluminum boat, might as well have the tools get the experience of working with aluminum.

Aluminum isn't that expensive if you buy it at a scrap/salvage yard.

Aluminum lasts many times longer than wood and is a fraction of the weight, this is a huge benefit when modding a small tinny. Lumber weight can add up quickly and is deducted from the maximum capacity rating for the boat.

Using aluminum makes for a much more professional job... using lumber, not so much. there's a reason why the pros and manufactures use aluminum.


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## MrSimon (Mar 24, 2012)

Another vote for aluminum!


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## kwkemp1 (Mar 25, 2012)

mrsimon, jigngrub, and jdholmes. Thanks for the advice. My next question is I have a 1648M Lowe. Plan to take out the back bench and middle bench. However the middle bench has a gravity flow livewell. I use this boat for fishing and duck hunting, therefore the middle bench really is cumbersome when moving around reeling in a sturgeon, salmon or duck hunting. How do you fill this whole?


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 25, 2012)

Aluminum is the way to go if you can, I personally couldn't afford the price difference. I do disagree with whoever said wood does not have a professional look to it. There are several boats on here with mods made of wood that look amazingly professional in my opinion.


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## jigngrub (Mar 25, 2012)

kwkemp1 said:


> mrsimon, jigngrub, and jdholmes. Thanks for the advice. My next question is I have a 1648M Lowe. Plan to take out the back bench and middle bench. However the middle bench has a gravity flow livewell. I use this boat for fishing and duck hunting, therefore the middle bench really is cumbersome when moving around reeling in a sturgeon, salmon or duck hunting. How do you fill this whole?



In case you don't realize it, the benches in your boat are structural and removing them will weaken your boat significantly. It is also where your floatation foam is stored.

I suggest incorporating them into your mods by decking between or over them. Decking between/over the front and middle bench will give you a nice platform for fighting a fish and lots of storage space beneath the deck for decoys and whatever.


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## kfa4303 (Mar 25, 2012)

Aluminum stock and angle are great. You can get it readily at Lowes/HD and/or scrap yards. It's best joined together using rivets and/or stainless steel sheet metal screws. There's nothing wrong with using wood per se as long as it's used properly. Most folks that do use it tend to do so because they have they already have common wood working tools and are familiar with the material. If you do use wood, NEVER USE PRESSURE TREATED WOOD on a tinny. The preservatives in it will cause electrolytic pitting when they come in contact with the hull. Instead, use non-PT, exterior grade wood and seal it. You can use epoxy, f'glass and resin, or Spar Urethane. You'll then want to attach it to the hull using Stainless Steel hardware (preferably dipped in 3M marine sealant). That's really about it. The rest is up to you, your budget and imagination.


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## MrSimon (Mar 26, 2012)

kwkemp1 said:


> mrsimon, jigngrub, and jdholmes. Thanks for the advice. My next question is I have a 1648M Lowe. Plan to take out the back bench and middle bench. However the middle bench has a gravity flow livewell. I use this boat for fishing and duck hunting, therefore the middle bench really is cumbersome when moving around reeling in a sturgeon, salmon or duck hunting. How do you fill this whole?



I agree, the middle seat is annoying as heck when trying to fish or hunt. You can take the seats out and put in a full floor, but as was said, it might compromise the rigidity ... although its been done many times with no issues ... but there are a lot of variables like hull thickness, motor size, how you use the boat, etc etc etc.

I'd say use the middle seat as the rear base for a deck. I did the exact same thing on my 1648 Lowe. It was super easy and the functionality was great. You can just put a plug in the bottom hole and have yourself a nice dry storage bin.

Here are some pics of what I did. All I did was bolt some 2x4s between the middle seat and the front seat, slap some plywood on top of it, and install a cheapy fixed seat pedestal. Loved it!


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## gotmuddy (Mar 26, 2012)

If you can afford it, aluminum all the way. The only downside I have noticed is the aluminum deck is quite a bit louder than the wooden one.


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## Johny25 (Mar 26, 2012)

I will humbly disagree that aluminum looks more professional. If you have a $4000 TIG machine and you are a welder you can make aluminum look great. That being said, erector set aluminum angle bolted or riveted together does not say professional to me. 

There are pros and cons to both and here are a few.

Wood- Pros and cons
Pro's
1. Easier to work with for the average everyday guy (especially compound angles)
2. It floats, so as long as it stays dry it will add flotation if your so unlucky to flip your boat
3. Sound deadening better than aluminum
4. Cheaper (if you make a bad cut not a big issue)

Con's
1. weight (not as bad though if you frame it correctly with 1x2 or 2x2 where possible) 
2. longevity not as good as aluminum
3. can soak up water if stored outside or used in bad weather a lot
4. can warp or bow 

Aluminum- Pros and cons
Pro's
1. lightweight (unless you use 1/4" wall lol)
2. Durability
3. Does not soak up water
4. Visually looks good if done with a TIG or MIG pulsed welder (who has this though lol) 
5. Does not bow like wood can

Con's
1. More expensive
2. Not as easy to work with for average everyday joe's
3. Does not float
4. Does not make the boat any quieter 
5. Not as strong (and this is a debatable statement, because it is stronger than wood given the same dimensions and weight. But how many mods have you seen with 2x4, 2x2, or 1x2 aluminum tubing? Like none, and the cost of that would be very high compared to the cheap aluminum angle that is commonly used. So wood is stronger IMO given the sizes that are used versus aluminum.)

I went back and forth on this issue myself and decided to go with wood. I will put my boat mod, looks wise and strength wise next to any of the aluminum mods that everyday guys have done on here. And the extra weight the wood added actually made my small tin handle and perform much better in bigger waves and wind. Thats my 2 cents on this subject


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## jigngrub (Mar 27, 2012)

Johny25 said:


> I will humbly disagree that aluminum looks more professional. If you have a $4000 TIG machine and you are a welder you can make aluminum look great. That being said, erector set aluminum angle bolted or riveted together does not say professional to me.



You don't need a welding machine of any kind to frame with aluminum, all you need is a rivet setting tool ($20) and an assortment of blind rivets that're a lot cheaper than stainless steel nuts, bolts, and screws.

I think a lot of folks don't frame with aluminum because they're afraid to try it because they think it's harder... but it's not. It cuts and goes together just like wood.

For those that think wood is cheaper, it's not. By the time you've spent the time and money to replace your wood framing mod once or twice because it rotted quicker than green jello goes through a goose, you'd have been time and money ahead to frame with aluminum.

... and yes, a wood framed tinny *does not look professional*, because *professionals don't frame aluminum boats with wood!*

Did I mention wood rots and aluminum doesn't?


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## FuzzyGrub (Mar 27, 2012)

Johny25, good pros/cons. Everyone needs to evaluate their abilities and what they want to put into a boat.

It doesn't have to be an either/or question. Many boats here have used a combination of both. My current project has aluminum floor and sides, will have mostly aluminum framing, but will have plywood for top decks.


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## MrSimon (Mar 27, 2012)

A few things in support of aluminum (can you tell I'm biased :lol: ):

1. Its not all THAT much more expensive than wood. With wood, you have to factor in the cost of the wood, stainless steel hardware, brackets, multiple coats of urethane, and a topcoat of paint .... it adds up pretty quick.

2. Old aluminum ladders are FANTASTIC for building the support structure for an aluminum deck (or a wood deck for that matter). Ask around and search Craigslist .... you can find aluminum extension ladders for about $30, which gives you around 70 feet of aluminum I beam. 

Buying aluminum angle at Home Depot is ridiculously expensive ..... don't ever do it! Think outside the box and find ways to re-use old aluminum. Some guys have found old used road signs and used them as decking.

Harbor Freight sells an air powered rivet gun for like $30, and aluminum rivets are pretty cheap. Drill, pop. Drill, pop. Its easy as pie.

3. Find a good metal distributor to buy your aluminum sheets for decks and floor. You should be paying only a little over $100 for a 4x8 sheet. And make good use of your almost free aluminum ladder to build a good solid foundation .... that way you can get by with thinner decking and flooring, which saves a lot of money.

4. Throw some cheap carpet on top of the aluminum to quiet things down. Don't glue it down (velcro or something) so you can remove it in the winter and keep it clean.


I'd be willing to bet that I could do an all aluminum build for only a few hundred dollars more than wood. Heck, I might even try :lol:


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 27, 2012)

Save the wood for your wife. Aluminum is all around better than wood, hands down.


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## Captain Ahab (Mar 27, 2012)

Just so you are aware, aluminum is not much (if any) less weight then wood


If you search this site you will find a chart someone posted a few years back about this very topic


I did my boat with a wood deck (sealed and painted and anything underneath is aluminum


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## Poormans Boatright (Mar 27, 2012)

I used a little wood on mine but mostly aluminum, no big deal as to which way you go as this is just a personal prefrence, If I did it all over again though, I probably wouldnt have used any wood, or used very little. just my opinion.
Heres a link to my build:https://https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=19816


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## UtahBassKicker (Mar 27, 2012)

I love the comments that imply using aluminum makes you more of a man or more of a professional! Classic stuff. :lol: Bottom line, use what works for you, it's your boat.


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## kfa4303 (Mar 27, 2012)

six of one, half dozen of the other, I suppose. Although, I think rivets are pretty cool lookin' myself. Most tin boats are riveted to begin with, so are Spitfire and Mustang airplanes, shoot even Levi's are riveted. Granted, it may not look quite as slick as a nice weld that looks like a row of dimes, but if that's what you or your buddies are wasting time looking at on the boat, you need to get around more fish or senoritas in bikinis  Besides, most riveted framing gets covered with decking anyway so you won't see much, if any of it if you don't want to. That being said, I used wood on my boat before I became with rivets and it works great. Keep us posted.


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## jigngrub (Mar 27, 2012)

Just to clarify:

I prefer a plywood deck over an aluminum deck, aluminum is too hot and loud for me as decking. I seal all of my plywood decking with 4 coats of epoxy resin, if I did that with wood framing it would be much more expensive and time consuming than aluminum.

I prefer aluminum framing over wood framing because it is lighter and stronger.


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## Bigkat650 (Mar 27, 2012)

Aluminum, purely as a building material, is better option then wood in almost all circumstances when building on an aluminum boat. Primary reasons are that it last longer without fear of rot or warping, and it is lighter then wood.

With that being said, there are other factors which can determine which is right for you. If you are on a budget, wood as a building material is more readily available, and cost less then if you are buying aluminum at retailer. Yes, there are added expenses, such as bolts, screws and sealer which will bring the cost closer to aluminum, however it is still less expensive to purchase and use wood as your primary building material.

You can make the argument if you purchase aluminum from a scrap yard, it cost less. This very well could be true, but not everyone has access to a scrap yard that has aluminum angle. A similar argument could be made that I could cut down a tree in my back yard and mill up some 2x2's for free.

Now if you plan on keeping and using the boat for 20+ years, you will probably have to replace much of your wood--in which case the aluminum is a better long-term investment.

For me, wood was the right choice. I have a very tight budget; I'm OK if it doesn't last 20 years, as I only plan on using it a few seasons before I upgrade. When I upgrade, the boat will be worth less then the amount of money I have into it--so I would just assume that I take less of a hit on it, and build it as cost-effective now as possible.


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## FuzzyGrub (Mar 27, 2012)

In case I can't find an old extension ladder, I have priced square and L alum at the yard. Ouch! I know I will have to buy some but hoping to find some scrap for that as well. 

The metal yard had a 10' shear and brake. Without those items, my floor would be a mess, and not have a water tight seal at the seam. For those with all the tools and experience, I am sure aluminum is easy for you to work with. Making boxes with just framing, sheet metal, and rivits, can be rather ugly. Allot of grinding and filing to clean up those sabre saw cuts. Covering it with carpet is not an option for me.

If you lend me a shear, brake, and a welder, I'll give it a shot and go all aluminum!


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## Johny25 (Mar 27, 2012)

If I had that sort of equipment I would build my own custom boat from the ground up, or is it from the water up :lol: If you seal your wood and take care of your boat properly the wood will outlast you and me both.


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## Del Corbin (Mar 27, 2012)

Seeing wood mods being added to aluminum boats that have stood the test of time for 40 or 50 years or longer makes me cringe.


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## gotmuddy (Mar 28, 2012)

welding anything into or on top of a tinboat is a bad idea. The boat will flex, the deck will flex, but the weld will not. screws/rivets are far better than welds. And I got one of them fancy TIG machines :mrgreen:


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## Johny25 (Mar 28, 2012)

Welds beat rivets any day hands down. The best built boats in the world are welded, not riveted anymore. If built and welded correctly it will not flex enough to make any issues. I ran tugboats for many years and put stresses on them that would be hard to explain to everyday boaters and all our tugs were welded at every seam. I know I am talking steel now but it has the same principle. 

If welded correctly, and you break something in your boat then my guess is you are doing something with that boat that you shouldn't be doing. I'm having a hard time imagining breaking welds unless you are intentionally ramming into things. Then you may as well just buy a tugboat and fish out of that.


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## gotmuddy (Mar 28, 2012)

Johny25 said:


> Welds beat rivets any day hands down. The best built boats in the world are welded, not riveted anymore. If built and welded correctly it will not flex enough to make any issues. I ran tugboats for many years and put stresses on them that would be hard to explain to everyday boaters and all our tugs were welded at every seam. I know I am talking steel now but it has the same principle.
> 
> If welded correctly, and you break something in your boat then my guess is you are doing something with that boat that you shouldn't be doing. I'm having a hard time imagining breaking welds unless you are intentionally ramming into things. Then you may as well just buy a tugboat and fish out of that.



its not the same principle. Aluminum does not like to flex, steel does. welding a deck down in a riveted boat is a bad idea. You dont have to try to destroy a boat for the deck to flex. Run through some choppy water and watch a riveted boat.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 28, 2012)

gotmuddy said:


> Johny25 said:
> 
> 
> > Welds beat rivets any day hands down. The best built boats in the world are welded, not riveted anymore. If built and welded correctly it will not flex enough to make any issues. I ran tugboats for many years and put stresses on them that would be hard to explain to everyday boaters and all our tugs were welded at every seam. I know I am talking steel now but it has the same principle.
> ...



Not if you weld to the ribs and gunnels.


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## jigngrub (Mar 28, 2012)

I would *NEVER* own a welded aluminum deck, and I kind of snicker at those that do when they want add mods or accessories.

I want to be able to easily remove and reinstall my decking so I can make below deck repairs if needed, periodic inspections and cleaning, and add or remove accessories easily.

There will always be issues that need to be addressed below deck and it always seems that these issues pop up more frequently when access is the hardest.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 28, 2012)

jigngrub said:


> I would *NEVER* own a welded aluminum deck, and I kind of snicker at those that do when they want add mods or accessories.
> 
> I want to be able to easily remove and reinstall my decking so I can make below deck repairs if needed, periodic inspections and cleaning, and add or remove accessories easily.
> 
> There will always be issues that need to be addressed below deck and it always seems that these issues pop up more frequently when access is the hardest.



I have an access hatch...2 as a matter of fact. Big enough to crawl in. My deck is spot welded in. You just have to plan correctly that's all....that and my boat isn't plugged with JB weld and 5200 to keep it floating.

But back to the original topic. It's almost like Coke or Pepsi...almost. If you have the resources, aluminum is usually the best choice...usually. But you can get great results with wood. The main thing is take your time in the planning stages and think things through thoroughly.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 28, 2012)

Del Corbin said:


> Seeing wood mods being added to aluminum boats that have stood the test of time for 40 or 50 years or longer makes me cringe.



And I am sure the folks with wooden boats that have stood the test of time for 40 or 50 years would find that statement funny.


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## bassboy1 (Mar 28, 2012)

Jdholmes said:


> And I am sure the folks with wooden boats that have stood the test of time for 40 or 50 years would find that statement funny.



I would gather that you have never done much with wooden boats. Wooden boats are _very_ labor intensive. Very. Owners of those boats will very often spend as much, or more time maintaining them as they do using the boats in the water. For those that own them and enjoy them, it is a labor of love. 

We are talking painting or varnishing the hull and topsides, _every_ season, and the superstructure every 2-3. Caulking constantly. Even having to remove and re-bed critical hardware (cleats and such), to prevent water intrusion, every few years. 

I'm not saying I blame them. The end result with wooden boats is absolutely gorgeous, and for those that have the time, that sort of maintenance and such can be a relaxing way to kill a weekend. If I ever found myself in a position that granted me much free time, and the desire to spend every second of free time chasing little green fish ever waned, I'd own a wooden boat in a heartbeat. 

But, the moral of this story is that comparing longevity of a 50 year old aluminum boat to that of a 50 year old wooden boat is not at all a fair comparison.


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## Jdholmes (Mar 28, 2012)

Oh I understand all too well the labor involved...just the comment of seeing wood on an aluminum boat that ha survived 50 years making someone cringe stuck me as funny...as though wood would not survive the same test of time. Wood is beautiful and long lasting when properly cared for...

My family had a 27' little sailboat that was a lot of maintenance - it does take work, but it certainly doesn't make me cringe to think about putting the wood on an aluminum boat. 

Aluminum is great, and like I have said before if I had the money I would do the whole framing with it and probably will someday. But nothing beats the warmth and beauty of wood for the bits that you see - it is much more visually appealing than a metal surface and can last a good long time properly cared for.


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## MrSimon (Mar 28, 2012)

Threads like this prove to me over and over that variety truly is the spice of life. Some guys prefer the look and feel of wood and others find beauty in metal. I'm glad we have options!!


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## Jdholmes (Mar 28, 2012)

Amen brotha.


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## hotshotinn (Mar 28, 2012)

i went with alumimum in my boat.It is a 1648 alumacraft and i put .63 traed plate for flooring with foam between the ribs and i use .125 alumimum plate for the deck extention.I just decided not to put ply wood init as it wood need replacement down the road.ALUMimum cost more but yopu figure doing it once is worth something over plywood needing tobe done over and over.I leave my boat outside uncover sometimes and rain does not harm alumimum and it does plywood


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## Johny25 (Mar 28, 2012)

I like to be in bare feet in my boat and aluminum just does not like bare feet. I like the feel and look of wood plus a little fuzzy carpet. My son and I tie off under a tree and take naps in the boat during the mid day fishing slowdown. I couldn't imagine doing this on an aluminum deck ugh. The sound of the waves lapping the boat is really nice also  Makes me want to take a nap right now lol


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 28, 2012)

Johny25 said:


> I like to be in bare feet in my boat and aluminum just does not like bare feet. I like the feel and look of wood plus a little fuzzy carpet. My son and I tie off under a tree and take naps in the boat during the mid day fishing slowdown. I couldn't imagine doing this on an aluminum deck ugh. The sound of the waves lapping the boat is really nice also  Makes me want to take a nap right now lol


 
Hydroturf! ;-)


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## Johny25 (Mar 28, 2012)

$80 for a 3'X5' piece! Would cost me over $400 just to do my little 14ft boat, no thank you :lol:


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## RiverBottomOutdoors (Mar 28, 2012)

Johny25 said:


> $80 for a 3'X5' piece! Would cost me over $400 just to do my little 14ft boat, no thank you :lol:



Worth every penny but you can find it cheaper than that. Awesome stuff.


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## kwkemp1 (Apr 2, 2012)

thanks for all the great responses. Looking at all the information provided I will be going aluminum. Main reason since I will be duck hunting out of this it will get muddy and bloody. Therefore it is easier to wash out.
Kevin


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## Johny25 (Apr 3, 2012)

Sure now ya tell us lol...... I would have said aluminum all the way if you would have said duck hunting was your main purpose. [-X


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