sealed enough?

theoryofwi

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so i was kinda worried that i didnt have enough epoxy on my marine plywood i got at menards. i put 2 coats on all the wood and im outta epoxy and it just seems thin in some spots. but i just found out most guys dont even use marine plywood. what do you guys think? i really dont wanna go buy more epoxy i already used a gallon. and the edges do have 3 coats.deck1.jpgdeck2.jpg
 

jigngrub

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Re: sealed enough?

It'll be a lot better than nothing and doesn't look too bad.

I'd hit the side you're going to apply carpet glue to with some 120 grit sand paper, just enough to dull the shine and give the glue something to grab. I don't have much luck with adhesives sticking to slick shiny surfaces for very long.

Using a solvent based all weather carpet adhesive like this one will be your best bet:
Amazon.com: Dap 00443 Weldwood Outdoor Carpet Adhesive, Gallon: Home Improvement
 

theoryofwi

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Re: sealed enough?

Thank u. So I just made lines where all my rivets where from the old wood to the new wood. I didn't wanna reuse the same holes. So when I drill through what I just epoxied what do u guys use as a filler in the holes? Aluminum rivets I take it too?
 

jigngrub

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Re: sealed enough?

No real need to seal the rivet holes, the rivets will pull up real tight and will let very little water if any in... but if you do want to seal them, drill and seal them before you install the carpet or you'll make a mess on your new carpet.

Open end aluminum blind (pop) rivets will be the way to go if you're going to rivet, but self tapping stainless steel screws will be the easier install with carpet.
 

ondarvr

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Re: sealed enough?

Marine plywood isn't really much more rot resistant than normal exterior ply. You need about 10 mils of epoxy to have a good water resistant coating, this equals about 3 coats. A Thin epoxy coating doesn't help much. Putting carpet over plywood creats about the worst environment possible for any type of wood, so it needs the best possible protection from water.

Any holes need to be sealed well or the rest of your hard work is almost a waste of time, as soon as water gets in the degradation begins.
 

jigngrub

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Re: sealed enough?

Marine plywood isn't really much more rot resistant than normal exterior ply. You need about 10 mils of epoxy to have a good water resistant coating, this equals about 3 coats. A Thin epoxy coating doesn't help much. Putting carpet over plywood creats about the worst environment possible for any type of wood, so it needs the best possible protection from water.

Any holes need to be sealed well or the rest of your hard work is almost a waste of time, as soon as water gets in the degradation begins.

Meh, considering that manufacturers don't even seal the plywood on new boats I'd say that wi's job is better than factory. I've also seen a few resto threads where they just use 2 coats of urethane sealer... and 2 coats of epoxy is much stronger than 2 coats of urethane.

Rivets and screws fill the void into which they're inserted and unless they constantly submerged the amount of intrusion is minimal.

With that being said, I personally would buy another 1/2 gallon of epoxy resin and apply 2 more coats to the top side and edges because I'm OCD. The bottom of the decking isn't going to get wet unless it's in constant contact with wet foam... or the boat sinks.
 

Woodonglass

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Re: sealed enough?

I always recommend to predrill and then coat the holes and the fasteners, what ever they are, with some form of sealant. Water WILL find its way into any unprotected hole, no matter how tight the bolt or screw, or rivet is that is filling the hole. If it's not sealed with a sealant, water will penetrate it. Carpet holds water and therefore it's almost like having the wood submersed all the time, unless you wet vac it after every use and let it dry in the sun. I'd Highly recommend a couple more coats of Epoxy AND predrill and coal ALL holes.

Just the opinion of an
 

ondarvr

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Re: sealed enough?

Meh, considering that manufacturers don't even seal the plywood on new boats I'd say that wi's job is better than factory. I've also seen a few resto threads where they just use 2 coats of urethane sealer... and 2 coats of epoxy is much stronger than 2 coats of urethane.

Rivets and screws fill the void into which they're inserted and unless they constantly submerged the amount of intrusion is minimal.

With that being said, I personally would buy another 1/2 gallon of epoxy resin and apply 2 more coats to the top side and edges because I'm OCD. The bottom of the decking isn't going to get wet unless it's in constant contact with wet foam... or the boat sinks.

It's one of those things where it depends on how long it needs (or the owner desires it) to last. These are the same types of methods used to make these boats years ago, 90% right but lacking in a couple areas, this resulted in premature rot. Drill a hole for a screw or something and don't seal it and it will be the entry point for water.


I tend to recommend two routes to go, an owner can do everything possible to prevent future rot, even using no wood, or do nothing to prevent rot and get it done cheap and fast. Even doing nothing to seal the plywood will easily result in 5 to 10 years of service with no issues and sometimes even much longer if the boat is shown some kindness in life.

If someone wants to actually prevent rot for as long as possible you can't take short cuts, every detail counts, one shortcut and you may have undermined the entire effort. So if 3 coats of epoxy is needed for a waterproof finish (nothing is actually waterproof) and 2 are applied, it means it may fail sooner, maybe much sooner. The difference in lifespan between an uncoated surface and one with too little product applied may not be much, so the effort and money may be wasted.

Spar varnish and some other methods and mixes sort of work, but they aren't really that water proof, more like very water resistant and can have a limited lifespan, most need to be reapplied frequently to prevent damage.

When any of these products are applied under a carpet they are stressed to the max, it's about the most hostile environment for any product to survive in, so it needs to be done right if you expect it to last.
 
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theoryofwi

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Re: sealed enough?

thanks guys! ya i plan on keeping the boat. for how long idk? at least 5 years probally. so im sure from reading this i should be fine! now i just gotta put it together and match up my existing carpet with new stuff. and not walmart carpet
 

theoryofwi

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Re: sealed enough?

Have u guys ever heard of some spray glue that can b shot through a spray gun? I can't find it but heard its great. I have a gun as well
 

Woodonglass

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Re: sealed enough?

You Can spray regular Contact Cement with an old standard Cup gun. It will eventually ruin the gun, but they're cheap at Harbor Freight!!!:D

If you don't mind my asking, what's the application?
 
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Scott Danforth

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Re: sealed enough?

you can get 3M 77 spray adhesive in a rattle can from Menards or Fleetfarm (much cheaper than thru 3M channels). works great and wont mess up your gun.
 

jigngrub

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Re: sealed enough?

Have u guys ever heard of some spray glue that can b shot through a spray gun? I can't find it but heard its great. I have a gun as well

That would be Resorcinol glue, that's the glue they use at the factory to lay carpet in boats... it's also used to stick fiberglass insulation on metal HVAC duct work.

It's available for commercial purchase and use but I haven't been able to find it on the retail level.
 

theoryofwi

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Re: sealed enough?

The application is carpet to the epoxied wood! N it's a old crappy gun. Thanks guys!
 

theoryofwi

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Re: sealed enough?

That would be Resorcinol glue, that's the glue they use at the factory to lay carpet in boats... it's also used to stick fiberglass insulation on metal HVAC duct work.

It's available for commercial purchase and use but I haven't been able to find it on the retail level.

googling it quick looked like it shouldn't be that hard to use. has anyone ever tried using the 2 part epoxy as another layer/adhesive for carpet to wood? just asking. hopefully i get her done next week and can post pictures!
 

jigngrub

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Re: sealed enough?

You'll have the best results with one of these 2 products:

DAP Products - Construction Adhesives - DAP? Weldwood? All Weather Outdoor Carpet Adhesive

DAP 32 fl. oz. Weldwood Original Contact Cement-00272 at The Home Depot

I've used the contact cement and it works very well, you could use it in your sprayer.

The most important tool for a professional looking and long lasting carpet or vinyl installation is a good roller:
Roberts Extendable Floor Roller-10-955 at The Home Depot
 
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