# Marine grade plywood vs aluminum decks



## CWCW (Apr 14, 2008)

I want to know your opinions of marine grade plywood decks compared to aluminum decks. I understand that even marine grade plywood can go bad and flimsy if not taken care of. If a boat with marine grade decks is kept covered when not in use and not taken out in the rain all the time, will they last 10yrs or so? One of the boats i have been looking at is a really widely known name brand (Alumacraft) for good built boats but they use marine grade plywood in the decks where some of the not so known brands use aluminum decks. What are your thoughts on marine grade plywood if it is covered and taken care of.


----------



## Captain Ahab (Apr 14, 2008)

If yo0u cover the boat and take care of the decking it shoudl last even longer then 10 years. The advantage to the plywood is that you can easily replace / modify it!


----------



## E-Rawk (Apr 14, 2008)

Are you a metal worker? Can you weld aluminum? 

I know I can't I'd rather have plywood. As long as you take care of it it will last plenty long enough for you to want to change the layout of the decks.


----------



## CWCW (Apr 14, 2008)

Wow! I didnt know that many people did deck modifications to their boats. Well i have always heard that marine grade plywood was some pretty tough stuff but the stories i heard about it, werent used on boat decks. I used to work at Home Depot and we would have people coming in the store asking for it and stating that it would virtually last forever.


----------



## Jim (Apr 14, 2008)

CWCW said:


> Wow! I didnt know that many people did deck modifications to their boats.




Crazy isn't it! :beer:


----------



## fowlmood77 (Apr 14, 2008)

I highly doubt marine plywood would last forever. After all it is wood ya know. But if you kept it covered, you shouldnt have a problem with it. The problems and repairs I have done on boat floors with wood comes when the manufacture glasses over the top, most of the time with chop glass and poly resin. Unfortunately poly and wood don't get along that well. All it takes is a hole somewhere for water to enter and then it is trapped. Trapped water in wood = ROT. Bad for the boat and it is no easy fix mind you. Not sure how
Alumacraft seals their wood but like said before if you can keep it dry for the most part you should be good. Aluminum decking doesn't ever rot and weighs less but is more expensive. There is only one boat manufacture that I know of that has an ALL aluminum boat. Other than your basic jon boats.


----------



## CWCW (Apr 14, 2008)

the lowe brand boats say to be all welded all metal boats but thats all i know of


----------



## slabmaster (Apr 14, 2008)

i think you can get aluminium decking in a G3 , and i know you can get aluminum decking in a war eagle. if you got the dough get the aluminium.


----------



## russo (Apr 15, 2008)

when i was younger i had skateboard ramps that were untreated, unpainted regular crappy plywood and they lasted almost 5 years of abuse and rain/snow/etc

as long as you take even basic care of your stuff and dont tempt fate id imagine the wood will last just fine
i was paranoid about this too but then one of my friends said its SALT water that is the real enemy here


----------



## CWCW (Apr 15, 2008)

I think i will be able to make the marine wood last. I will keep it covered all the time. I guess Alumacraft knows what they are doing. I hear they have been popular boat builders since the 1950s.


----------



## 02ranger (Apr 15, 2008)

How do the 2 compare to weight?
I know wood will be easier to work with but if I can go aluminum should I go that route to make it lighter..
I'm looking into decking a 16' Alumacraft jon but will be pushing it with a 9.9hp 4-stroke(restricted lakes) and want to go as light as possible


----------



## greenriverman1 (Apr 15, 2008)

Hi all,
First of all I am new to the Board. I have been watching the post for a few days now and have enjoyed reading all of the posts. 
My 17' crappie series Triton has an aluminum deck and I like it very well. A friend of mine has a Bass tracker and the deck is in need of replacement. I think that the boat is a late 90's model. 

DA


----------



## Jim (Apr 15, 2008)

greenriverman1 said:


> Hi all,
> First of all I am new to the Board. I have been watching the post for a few days now and have enjoyed reading all of the posts.
> My 17' crappie series Triton has an aluminum deck and I like it very well. A friend of mine has a Bass tracker and the deck is in need of replacement. I think that the boat is a late 90's model.
> 
> DA



:WELCOME:
Thanks for joining man! Looking forward to seeing some pics of yours and your buddies boats!


----------



## Waterwings (Apr 15, 2008)

Welcome Aboard, and get your buddie to join also


----------



## Popeye (Apr 15, 2008)

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I think for most amatuer boat builders/modifiers like most of us are, plywood would be the material of choice. It is cheaper to buy than plate aluminum and easier to work with. My Father-in-Law just replaced the plywood center console and decking in his boat last year. It was 8 years old. If he gets another 8 years out of the next one he will have still have paid less than half what he would have if he used aluminum. Besides, after 8 years it's time for new carpet anyhow.


----------



## Quackrstackr (Apr 27, 2008)

Plywood is easy but aluminum is forever.......

I replaced the front and rear decks in a Lowe that I had once upon a time after the boat cover started leaking (unbeknown to me) during some real gullywashers in July. After sitting in the heat with all that water for about two weeks, the original decks warped unbelievably.

Replacement was a pain because the wood was an integral part of the structure on that particular boat. The gunnels sprung when the mounting brackets were unbolted and were a bear to get back to where they were supposed to be. The new wood was sealed incredibly well and the boat was even garaged, but getting the carpet soaking wet on outings and left to slowly dry wound up warping the decks again. The boat was sold with slightly warped decks.

I will never have another boat with wood of any kind if I can help it. Most allweld aluminums still have some wood in them, you just can't see it. Most of them still use a thick layer of wood in their transoms and cover that with aluminum. That wood can rot and you would never know it until you started having transom problems.

So far as I know, Triton is the only 100% wood free tin boat in the industry.


----------



## Zum (Apr 27, 2008)

pretty sure crestliner is wood free,aleast mine seems to be

you have a real sharp looking boat there,like that shade of camo


----------



## Rairdog (Apr 30, 2008)

02ranger said:


> How do the 2 compare to weight?
> I know wood will be easier to work with but if I can go aluminum should I go that route to make it lighter..
> I'm looking into decking a 16' Alumacraft jon but will be pushing it with a 9.9hp 4-stroke(restricted lakes) and want to go as light as possible



Plywood is roughly 25 lbs per 1/4 inch of 4x8 sheet (dry!). 1/2 ply = 50 lbs. Alum is 165 lbs per cubic foot. 1/8 (.125) x4x8 is roughly 55 lbs. I'm in the same situation and thats what my research povided.


----------



## Jim (Apr 30, 2008)

Rairdog said:


> 02ranger said:
> 
> 
> > How do the 2 compare to weight?
> ...




Welcome Rairdog,

Thanks for joining!


----------



## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

Zum said:


> pretty sure crestliner is wood free,aleast mine seems to be
> 
> you have a real sharp looking boat there,like that shade of camo



The Tritons are now made in the same factory as the Crestliners so it's possible.

Thanks for the compliment. I love the way this boat rides. It's the smoothest riding tin boat that I've ever been in by a long shot.


----------



## bassboy1 (May 1, 2008)

> Plywood is roughly 25 lbs per 1/4 inch of 4x8 sheet (dry!). 1/2 ply = 50 lbs. Alum is 165 lbs per cubic foot. 1/8 (.125) x4x8 is roughly 55 lbs. I'm in the same situation and thats what my research povided.


Now, saturate the plywood, and saturate the aluminum. Pull them from the water after a week, and see which is lighter.....

They key to using plywood is to have good drainage. Don't allow any place for water to accumulate. That means space up your supports from the hull, at least on top of the ribs, if not higher. Also, don't let mud and trash get underneath your decking, because they will retain water, and when in contact with plywood for a while, it will start wicking it up quite quickly. 



> I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I think for most amatuer boat builders/modifiers like most of us are, plywood would be the material of choice.


Oooh, but aluminum is so much more fun.  Not pushing one way or another, but you really don't need special tools to work it. Sheet can be cut on a table saw with a 60 or 80 tooth carbide blade, square and angle can be cut with a recipro. saw, with the stuff in a vise, or with a miter saw, again with a carbide blade. Odd shapes can be cut with a metal blade on a jig saw. To install rivets you just need a 20 dollar pop riveter, and a standard cordless drill and bits. 

Now, the other stuff makes it a lot easier - vertical band saw, horizontal chopping band saw, drill press, pneumatic riveter (don't yet have one of those) bending brake (nor one of those) etc. But it is still quite possible with most wood tools.


----------



## CWCW (May 1, 2008)

Thanks for the replies guys. I see that some people are giving weight specs on 1/4 and 1/2 inch plywood. Is this Marine Grade Plywood that you are talking about? I have had plenty of experience using plywood and pressure treated plywood, building in many different applications. Regular plywood wont last anytime in a wet enviroment but pressure treated plywood will last 10 plus years if stuck in the ground, being subject to bugs, dirt and water. Marine Grade Plywood is a grade above the pressure treated plywood. I would think this type of plywood would last 20yrs in a boat. I might be wrong but thats what i have been told by people in the lumber yard business.


----------



## bassboy1 (May 1, 2008)

Don't use PT in an aluminum boat don't you? The copper in the wood is a dissimilar metal with aluminum, and will soon react, corroding the aluminum, especially in a marine environment.


----------



## CWCW (May 2, 2008)

bassboy1 said:


> Don't use PT in an aluminum boat don't you? The copper in the wood is a dissimilar metal with aluminum, and will soon react, corroding the aluminum, especially in a marine environment.



Oh no, im sorry bassboy1, my message was confusing. I didnt mean that anyone would want to use Pressure Treated plywood in a boat. I was just comparing the longivity of marine grade plywood to pressure treated plywood in defense that i dont see how marine grade wood would become damaged in less than 10 plus years or so, if pressure treated wood can last at least 10yrs sticking in the ground (being that pressure treated wood has a lower live span than marine grade when in a wet environment).


----------

