Marine Plywood: knowing the basics
Marine plywood is a great sheet material that can be easily cut using both hand saws and basic power tools. Marine plywood is often used to build boat interiors and to replace flooring during boat renovations.
But why do we have to use plywood specifically made for the marine environment and are we wasting our money on expensive ‘marine’ plywood when outdoor grade ply may work just as well?
I’m currently working on an 18ft fibreglass fishing boat that has been totally gutted by the previous owner. The boat is currently a ghostly empty shell with nothing but a loose BMC 1.5 engine. With help, the engine has now been moved to the back of the boat in preparation for the rebuild of the boat’s interior.
Although it’s a fibreglass boat, it will still require a plywood floor that will need to be reinforced with fibreglass matting. This is to protect it against the elements and to also form a waterproof structural bond to the hull of the boat. It would be a pretty awful to be in a capsized boat but imagine the floor conking you on the head as well if it wasn’t attached. With this in mind, I took to searching the internet for the solution.
