Inside cabin plywood

[FrankyB]

Hi, newbie here with recently purchased 89 Four Winns 315 vista. I'm gutting the cabin and wanting to rebuild. Can marine grade plywood be used or is their toxic risk, I'm not wanting to lay on a bed area that may have toxic risk like pressurized lumber if there are any similarities.
Second question-are there better hardwood veneers than others to use inside the cabin (maple vs cherry)
Thanks!
Frank

 

[Ned L]

No problem with 'marine" plywood for interior work, .... other than why go to the expense. If painting, an ACX is fine. If you are planning on finishing it bright, then a veneer of your choice.

 

[gm280]

If there is any chance of the plywood getting wet, then you have to use either marine grade or an exterior grade plywood. Don't use any quality veneer type plywood because they are not exterior glued and if it ever gets wet or has a high humidity probability, it will delaminate. So the plywood you use has to be exterior glued. JMHO

 

[Woodonglass]

All Household "Cabinet Grade" veneered plywood uses standard glues in their laminations and as gm280 states is not the best choice for "Bright Work" paneling for boats. You can use some sealers and oil stains to to greatly alleviate some of the inherent dangers but depending on the "Wet" conditions of your boat, over time you could still have issues. All Ext. Grade Plywoods use Waterproof glue in their laminations and as Ned L suggests this makes them a much better choice but...sadly they don't come with a nice finish that you want to leave natural. You can buy veneer to finish them with but that can be quite tedious to say the least. So if you provide more specific details we can/will guide you to the best choice.

 

[FrankyB]

Thank you guys for your responses. The important thing to me is I now know that marine plywood does not have the arsenic in it that pressurized lumber does. Great to also learn about the laminates and their glue. For the most part, it sounds like exterior plywood is my cheapest solution followed by marine grade and a good coat of paint. Related question - does marine grade plywood require a special type of sealer or primer? Same with the type of paint to use? Thanks!
​Frank

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Teak Plywood and Starboard may be options depending on your aplication & budget.

I have seen people on a strict budget using Luan plywood and finishing it to look like teak-- but its been harder to find with exterior glues in recent years.

 

[Grandad]

I've had good success using laminates such as Formica/Arborite to cover exterior grade plywood. It's available in many woodgrains, finish shines and tonal colors. It's impact resistant, non-allergenic and obviously waterproof since it's used for countertops. It's a little tedious to install, but once the edges are carefully trimmed, further finishing is unnecessary. - Grandad

 

[Ned L]

"Related question - does marine grade plywood require a special type of sealer or primer? Same with the type of paint to use?"

....... Short answer is "No".

 

[DeepBlue2010]

Thank you guys for your responses. The important thing to me is I now know that marine plywood does not have the arsenic in it that pressurized lumber does. Great to also learn about the laminates and their glue. For the most part, it sounds like exterior plywood is my cheapest solution followed by marine grade and a good coat of paint. Related question - does marine grade plywood require a special type of sealer or primer? Same with the type of paint to use? Thanks!
​Frank

What is your plan to finish the wood? Fiberglass it and gelcoat it, or painting or .....?

 

[FrankyB]

My plan was to paint the plywood where it is used primarily for structure (i.e, under the bed) and then to replace the laminate cabinet doors with stained/varnished hardwoods. I'm debating to use hardwoods or laminate to build the framework (stiles) for the cabinets. Is there any downside to using hardwoods, other than perhaps weight and cost?

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Hardwoods will expand & contract more with moisture content -- In comparison to plywoods -- and only in 2 directions width and thickness but not length of the grains. They are also more prone to warpage.

That said --

As long as you plan & accommodate for expansion in your design you should be ok.

You can laminate hardwooods to reduce warpage risks but its often not deemed worth the added effort & cost for all parts. ( example -- a raised panel with more sections tends to be more warp resistant ). Kiln dried lumber lowers warpage risks also.

The species you choose will dictate rot resistance.

Teak being one of the best, Poplar being one of the worst , White Oak & Mahogany are somewhere in the middle. ( consult some charts & experts on this one )

Starboard machines like wood --making it an option as well.


Good luck !

 

[FrankyB]

Thanks Wellcraft - that was educational!

I'm leaning towards using maple for the doors and drawer fronts and wanting to go to a very contemporary look vs the traditional nautical look found in most boats today. I'm striving for more of that pottery barn, dark mocha, look that just lets a little of the grain show through. For the framing and stiles, I'm now thinking of using external plywood for the facing of the stiles (painted to blend with the cabinet doors) and perhaps using the Starboard for the insides where I do like a clean white finish. Given what you said regarding expansion, the stiles create more of a challenge (color matching) since I need to allow more space for expansion between the adjoining cabinet doors. One area of my boat has 10 of these cabinet doors side by side. Any space afforded for expansion will show if a different color.

Frank

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Sounds interesting.

The look you are describing is often created with tinted finishes -- that is often used on factory finishes as hard maple as it does not absorb stains well and the can control the finish thickness with pre set spray equipment. ( soft maple does absorb stain well though-- (different species ) )

Different finishes will have variable water resistance. Minwax poly shades does come pre-tinted but poly-urathanes are not rated that well for harsh environments and can provide variable results in appearance. Marine varnish would be a good choice but I have seen that come pretinted. You could tint it yourself but it will be more complex.

You may want to try some samples.
I am sure you can find a look you like -- but you may want to experiment a bit to make sure things will turn out to your satisfaction before locking in your design.