PT Lumber on pontoon

[fish till ya bleed]

While reading the pontoon forum I have seen more than a couple of times that you must isolate PT lumber from aluminum. Can someone or several of you fill me in on the do's and don't s of using PT lumber to re-deck a pontoon boat. My main concern is I have already finished the decking and have everything but the helm and the seating finished. Thanks in advance.

 

[MH Hawker]

i sure can ,,,,,do not use it,,,, at all it also lacks the strength of marine plywood, so replace it with the right wood right now you own a abortion that no one who know any thing will ever buy when it comes time to sell, i passed one by like it when i bought my boat

 

[GA_Boater]

Even the manufacturers of Marine treated wood say it should be isolated from aluminum contact. I don't how it can be isolated when the wood gets wet, the chemicals leech and can do harm to the aluminum.

 

[ondarvr]

Did you buy it at the hardware store, or from a pontoon boat supply house? They sell PT plywood designed for toons (boat use), but you won't find it at a box store.

 

[Scott Danforth]

The chemicals in pressure treated wood will corrode aluminum quickly

 

[fish till ya bleed]

I was unable to buy marine plywood at local stores unless I wanted to buy a full bundle which I did not need 45 extra sheets. So I purchased .875 x 5.50" premium decking and used .250 20thd self tapping teks screws to attach it with 2 screws per board per cross member. I have some 2 part epoxy pipeline coating paint that I have used on wood in exterior service that has been in service over 10 years and looks like it is 2 weeks old. Will that isolate the treatment solution from the aluminum.The pressure treated lumber all of you have been referring to is that the old treated lumber or the new process? Thanks again.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I would use simple ACX exterior grade plywood and some old timers waterproofing, then put carpet down. will last over 20 years

borrowed from a Woodonglass post:

Of course you can adjust the volumes if you don't need a gallon. It's very important to really soak the edges. That's where the water will attack first. It's also important to finish with a liberal coat of full strength Marine Varnish to seal the outer layers and give good UV protection.

 

[HotTommy]

FTYB,
I understand that you don't want to have to start over and pay for both the wrong plywood you've already bought and the more expensive plywood you actually need. But, the advice you've already received is on target. Even with current PT plywood, you have to use coated deck screws because the chemicals they inject into the wood to kill insects contains copper that will react with and corrode conventional steel screws. If you keep what you've already installed, you run the genuine risk of having the aluminum structure that holds your boat together weaken and fail. .... Over the years I've saved just about enough money by doing projects myself to pay for the mistakes I've made while doing projects myself. Sounds like that might apply to you too. Good luck.

 

[MH Hawker]

and PT is 5 layers and marine is 7 the deck is the back bone of the boats structure so its now a lot weaker

 

[Scott Danforth]

and arauco ACX plywood is 7 layers

 

[Jeep Man]

Take the advice. A few hundred bucks and a bit of elbow grease to seal it properly easily trumps replacing pontoons and/
or structure in a year or 2. And while we are on the subject, do not forget the trailer bunks. I have seen guts replace these with PT and cover them with carpet (which is great for retaining the chemicals. It's a fast way to create a bunch of pin holes in your pontoons.