Floor Boards.

[Tompatt]

Im planning to just put down some plywood floors in my jon. with 2x4s for support. how thick of plywood do u think would be best? any pics of yalls floors? i dont think im gonna carpet the floors cuz i think the carpet would just smell bad after a while. just get pressure treated wood and paint it the same color as the boat.

 

[bassboy1]

Avoid pressure treated wood. Use regular, coated with a water sealer.

Look at all the projects - many have low decks like you are talking about. See how these people did theirs.

 

[Tompatt]

Avoid pressure treated wood. Use regular, coated with a water sealer.

Look at all the projects - many have low decks like you are talking about. See how these people did theirs.

why avoid?

 

[natetrack]

the treated wood has copper in it from the treating process that can react with your aluminum hull and cause corrosion on the hull which can weaken it and cause holes and leaks.

 

[Tompatt]

the treated wood has copper in it from the treating process that can react with your aluminum hull and cause corrosion on the hull which can weaken it and cause holes and leaks.

ok that makes sense. lol so wat should i do? coat all the wood in sealant first and then paint? or the other way around?

 

[natetrack]

you might be able to just use an oil based exterior paint since that is designed to be weather resistant anyway.

i doubt paint would stick to sealer and i don't think sealer would go through the paint so you might just have to use a few coats of paint to cover the wood and protect it.

 

[BLK fisher]

Does anyone know where I can find out where to read up on this copper in pressure treated wood thing. I am curious because the price of wood would skyrocket because the price of copper is up and the wood isn't that high. Just curious.

 

[3weight]

you might be able to just use an oil based exterior paint since that is designed to be weather resistant anyway.

i doubt paint would stick to sealer and i don't think sealer would go through the paint so you might just have to use a few coats of paint to cover the wood and protect it.

You can always use 30lb roofing felt in between any places where the metal touches the wood. There isn't a whole lot of price difference and a heck of a lot easier IMO. Just unroll the felt and lay the plywood on top and cut with your razor. You can attach the felt with liquid nails, staples, tar, whatever.

 

[bluegillfisher]

I'm replacing the deck boards in my jon. Right now they are Pressure treated Ply almost 3/4 thick. It is carpeted with beautiful green astro turf. They lay on top of the ribs. I am replacing with 1/2 ply. I am coating with thinned enamel for primer and two coats of enamel. My paint guy has stuff to sprinkle on wet paint so it is not slippery. I am putting pink foam under ply and screwing ply into ribs. If I didn't have ribs in boat I would screw ply to 2x2's and paint everything.
I removed the deck-boards this winter and they weighted a lot. The plywood has never been treated or painted and it sucks in the water. The front deck of my boat is made from the same stuff and one corner will lift above the gunwale when it dries out and then back down when it gets wet. I guess the guy who put it together didn't think it needed to be screwed all over--just here and there. Shucks, maybe he ran out of screws.

Mary

 

[Tompatt]

I'm replacing the deck boards in my jon. Right now they are Pressure treated Ply almost 3/4 thick. It is carpeted with beautiful green astro turf. They lay on top of the ribs. I am replacing with 1/2 ply. I am coating with thinned enamel for primer and two coats of enamel. My paint guy has stuff to sprinkle on wet paint so it is not slippery. I am putting pink foam under ply and screwing ply into ribs. If I didn't have ribs in boat I would screw ply to 2x2's and paint everything.
I removed the deck-boards this winter and they weighted a lot. The plywood has never been treated or painted and it sucks in the water. The front deck of my boat is made from the same stuff and one corner will lift above the gunwale when it dries out and then back down when it gets wet. I guess the guy who put it together didn't think it needed to be screwed all over--just here and there. Shucks, maybe he ran out of screws.

Mary

lol. but im not gonna be screwin them into the ribs of the boat or anywhere on the boat. im just gonna lay them on the floor with 2x4s around the ribs. would pressure treated wood still affect it?

 

[bobessary]

about the thickness of the ply use 1/2" with the most amount of layers as you can find

 

[bassboy1]

lol. but im not gonna be screwin them into the ribs of the boat or anywhere on the boat. im just gonna lay them on the floor with 2x4s around the ribs. would pressure treated wood still affect it?

You determined to use that aren't ya? Some other reasons not to use it is that it is heavier and more prone to warping. Definitely not the ideal wood for boats.

 

[Tompatt]

lol. but im not gonna be screwin them into the ribs of the boat or anywhere on the boat. im just gonna lay them on the floor with 2x4s around the ribs. would pressure treated wood still affect it?

You determined to use that aren't ya? Some other reasons not to use it is that it is heavier and more prone to warping. Definitely not the ideal wood for boats.

but dude. how the heck am i supposed to paint over sealed wood? just like normally? ok......so if i carpet it. will it smell after time? like mildew?

 

[bassboy1]

Because you are making yours removable, you have quite a few options. If carpeted, you could take the boards out, and store them in the garage. That way, they will dry out nicely, and also would be out of the elements except when fishing. If you don't want to go that route, I would use a good oil based paint, and forgo the water sealer. Oil based paint is pretty water resistant in and of itself, and if you store the boards inside, the regular plywood unpainted will last you 15 or more years. If there is any piece of the boat that is the same green color, and removable, you can take that into a paint store and they can match it. Or, an email to Alumacraft may give you the correct color name. May want to mix some sand in with the coat topsides of the deck, for traction.

 

[dreadinger]

I have replaced and built several decks using untreated wood and just putting a sealer on it. From the research I have done treated wood is meant to be exposed to the air and will warp a lot easier than untreated if sealed. With that being said, how long would you expect the flooring to last, I am sure in either case it would last longer than you would own the boat or decide to take it out and put in another floor plan. I have had many carpeted boats and have never had mildew using marine carpet and most of them have sit through quite a few rain showers.

 

[Ram]

Here's the project I just completed with my 18' Tracker Grizzly jon boat.

https://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectThumbs,p,469,00.html

 

[Waterwings]

Great job, Ram! 8)

 

[bcritch]

IMO If you are against the carpet idea, which is fine, I would go with a 5/8" exterior plywood and use either the watersealer or the Oil based exterior paint to match a color you would prefer. Either case the floor would last many years.

 

[Tompatt]

Because you are making yours removable, you have quite a few options. If carpeted, you could take the boards out, and store them in the garage. That way, they will dry out nicely, and also would be out of the elements except when fishing. If you don't want to go that route, I would use a good oil based paint, and forgo the water sealer. Oil based paint is pretty water resistant in and of itself, and if you store the boards inside, the regular plywood unpainted will last you 15 or more years. If there is any piece of the boat that is the same green color, and removable, you can take that into a paint store and they can match it. Or, an email to Alumacraft may give you the correct color name. May want to mix some sand in with the coat topsides of the deck, for traction.

i forgot about that XD. so wat would i need if i put the carpet down?

 

[GregE]

Here's the project I just completed with my 18' Tracker Grizzly jon boat.

https://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectThumbs,p,469,00.html

That looks great. I have a 1648 Grizzly that one day I'll mod.

Are your 2x4 brackets aluminum or galvanized steel?
What type of fasteners did you use to fasten the metal brackets to the boats existing aluminum? (I can't quite see what they are)

Thanks!