# Marine Plywood - Looking for Advice



## senomozi (Oct 4, 2009)

Hello LJs,

I have a customer who wants me to build a table and a small cabinet for his sailboat. Even though these will not be exposed to the weather (they will be installed in the main cabin) I want to use marine plywood.

I have been researching marine plywood on the web and find it difficult to come up with a choice. I have seen 3/4" sheets ranging from CAD 115 to CAD 350. Some claim to be BS1088 compliant while others don't claim any compliance but still call the product "marine" grade. I have to match the existing woodwork. ( http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af342/senomozi/existing_cabinet.jpg ). Not sure what type of face veneer this is and if it was stained or not.

Can anyone provide some guidance here. Links to useful documentation would be great too.

Thanks.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

The picture link is not working …

My only experience with marine plywood is in building a kayak from Chesapeake Kayaks. They used a marine plywood called okume - a type of mahogany I believe. The only thing I remember is that it has no voids - a bad thing if you are using it as a boat hull. I'm not sure that a cabinet needs marine plywood, but it won't hurt.

Are you sure you need 3/4" material? I'm not sure how big the cabinet is, but a large cabinet would be lighter while a small cabinet could benefit from a little more space by using 1/2" (or maybe 3/8" ?)


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

Your question is a bit over my head, but I know that sailboat interiors are usually teak (if that helps at all). I use Bristol Finish water-based polyurethane, which is available at your local West Marine.

BTW, the photo link didn't work. Good luck and keep us posted.


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## senomozi (Oct 4, 2009)

OK, the picture link now works.


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

can you get veneered WBP boarding that is close to your colour match as i think teak tho correct for what you want to do is very expensive i have made manty boat interiors with marine ply that is veneered but i'm in the UK so i cant surgest anywhere for you SORRY

Andy


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## senomozi (Oct 4, 2009)

Steve said: "Are you sure you need 3/4" material? I'm not sure how big the cabinet is, but a large cabinet would be lighter while a small cabinet could benefit from a little more space by using 1/2" (or maybe 3/8" ?)"

That's a valid point. I want 3/4" for the table because it will be supported in only two points by the existing table support mechanism. I will need a little more than 1/2 a sheet for that so I figured I would use the rest of the sheet for the cabinet instead of buying a thinner sheet for it. Just trying to save the customer some money ;-)


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## pommy (Apr 17, 2008)

3/4 looks so much better as well


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## chriswright (Nov 13, 2008)

To my knowledge, marine plywood is made to be submerged or at least in repetative contact with water. If this is going inside the cabin, you should be fine useing regular ply with a marine grade finsh.


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## Routerisstillmyname (Oct 16, 2008)

http://www.design-technology.org/plywood.htm

http://www.gunnersens.com.au/products/marine-plywood.html?tab=2


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## rlwilson (Jan 21, 2010)

Marine ply has more to it than water resistance… the plys have to be solid with no voids because they are use as a structural core material. there are 2 grades 1088 (only buy if it has a lloyds of London stamp there are lots of fakes) which has the highest quality benchmarks and 6566 which is a little lower and good for smaller boats and parts with a lesser structural load… there are a few wood choices in either grade Okumie being the lightest, and some companies have even branded there own panels (hydrotech basically 6566 meranti) (powerply) (eurolite) and so on… Marine ply is quite confusing… however for your part I would use a exterior ply as anything else is overkill… if you must use marine ply find a 6566 grade as you do not need 1088. 
I have been building ply core composite boats for 10 years.


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## jackass (Mar 26, 2008)

*You are in Quebec (La Belle Province) and quite likely your project will not see salt water. Depending on how large the table is, I would use solid wood if it is small. I'm no expert, but the wood pictured looks like mahogany, teak would be darker, so if you chose maple or birch I'm sure you could match the stain, and I think you, by the sound of things, could butt joint enough wood to complete what you want, biscuits, t&g etc. I don't like working with plywood. Most manufacturers try to disguize plywood anyway.
Jack*


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## JohnL (Jul 19, 2010)

Your project is probably already done but…

What I understand from a bunch of reading is that the only major difference between 'marine grade' and regular plywood is that marine grade has no surface knots and has no voids and the manufacturer certifies the boards as such. There is regular plywood which matches both of these requirements but does not go the level of certifying as such. The reason you'd want marine-ply would be for exterior and structural work, all of which would be sealed with epoxy, which would take care of the waterproof issue.

So, for your project, you'd be able to use any wood which would match.


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