Riv nuts and wood covering bench setas

[Southern Appal]

There have been a number of posts on both these topics over the past couple months.

I want to use plywood to cover aft and middle bench seats. It seems to me that riv nuts would be a good way to afix the wood. I know lots of you wonder at putting wood on bench seats, and here is my reasoning. I have a 1236 flat bottom, so stability when standing is a big issue. I am getting older and balance is iffy sometimes. I will have to fish from a seated position. I also plan to use oars to propel the boat, so I want the seats to be a little cooler than the aluminum.

I've read the threads about riv nut size and tools for seating them. I will probably get Harbor Freight's long handled riv nut tool. They give a number of different sized riv nuts with the kit. I am concerned that the aluminum riv nuts may be too soft and eventually pull out. These seats will get a lot of use. Do you think I'd do better with steel riv nuts?

I appreciate your thoughts.

 

[RedBeardtheButcher]

I would think steel will rust out over time. If you're just doing it to have a cool spot to sit an easier option would be one of those stadium seats that have the nice cushion and a back on them. Absolute easiest thing in the world to do would be simply to use a bath mat type of thing. If you're worried about rivets pulling out you could use carriage bolts with the heads countersunk.

 

[DaleH]

What's on the existing seat, anything? FWIW my 12' tin has nice wood seats and when I went to refinish them, it was just backing out the SS oval head screws. Taking the wood off, the wood was just placed over the tin bulkhead framing, which was full of foam. There was a turned 1" lip of tin all the way around the top of the seat frame and in a few spots - where the screws would go - someone (factory? OEM?) had placed or glued some 1" square stock pieces about 3" long.

Some of the holes were well worn, where my screw wouldn't get a bite, so I just filled the existing holes with some waterproof 5-minute epoxy and broken pieces of toothpicks. Worked like a charm!

Get the picture?

 

[Outlawelectric]

I used 1/4" aluminum rivnuts and stainless steel screws with trim washers to secure 3/4" carpet covered plywood to my bench seats on my Lowe 1436. I also routered out and installed seat bases in two positions on the middle and back bench. I've used the boat four times since I completed it and I'm very satisfied with with the seat tops. I haven't noticed any movement which would woller out the rivnuts, and I have pushed and pulled on the seats looking for movement of the bases and they seem to be sturdy. On the other hand I was in bass pro the other day and wiggled the seats on a new tracker and the for sure were moving under the carpet. One word of advise for sure go with the long handled rivnut tool, I got the standard tool, and it was a chore for me to set the nuts. Good luck to ya.

 

[Southern Appal]

Thanks for your ideas. RedBeard, the item description did not say the rivnuts were stainless, but I figured to put on some 5200 to cover the steel. Hopefully that will be enough coverage to keep steel from exposure to elements.

Thanks again everyone who took the time to reply.

 

[skipper123]

Have done this many times, use exterior not treated plywood thats for outdoor building not boats. Prime and paint the plywood cover in nice outdoor carpet and drill eighth inch pilot hole thru plywood into seats and screw with SS screws will out last me and you unless you leave it in the weather most of the time. Mine sits under a carport and last for years and looks good, cool to touch and quite to boot.

 

[colinmcclelland]

As long as you are not putting a tension load regularly on the rivnuts aluminum will be fine. If they are just for boards on the bench seats I wouldn't worry about using aluminum.