Oak Plywood

R

Rich M

New member
I just saw some 1/4 inch oak plywood at Home Depot for about $22/sheet. It is comparable in weight to the Luan I have been using to build my boats.

I'm thinking it would be a great step up without the cost and difficulty in obtaining true marine ply. The oak should be quite a bit more rot resistant than the pine or whatever wood is in the Luan. It is definitely a stiffer wood.

Anyone got any comments or experiences with this wood?
 
I just saw some 1/4 inch oak plywood at Home Depot for about $22/sheet. It is comparable in weight to the Luan I have been using to build my boats.

I'm thinking it would be a great step up without the cost and difficulty in obtaining true marine ply. The oak should be quite a bit more rot resistant than the pine or whatever wood is in the Luan. It is definitely a stiffer wood.

Anyone got any comments or experiences with this wood?
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Luan is quite rot resistant, it is a good marine wood. Luan plywood from a lumber yard, however, is horrble boat building stuff, since it is often horribly glued and full of voids. If you wanted to spend some time, you could test the oak plywood with a boil - freeze test as is the standard plywood test. Boil the wood, freeze it, Boil, freeze, etc... It works best as a comparison of several woods to see which holds up best. I don't think I'd be real interested in the oak plywood, since it is likely to be stiff and fail when tortured. I'd also want to know if it was a white oak or a red, since white is much better in resisting penetration from water.

I don't understand what the difficulty of obtaining marine plywood is. Order it from a dealer and pick it up from the freight depot when it comes in.
 
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All the box store oak plywood I've ever seen was very very thin oak veneer on sub par pine plies. Not that it matters with veneer but it is always red oak which is not rot resitant. There are no shortcuts for marine ply. You get it or you live with uncertainty of the consequences.
 
To deminstrate the difference between white and red oak. Red oak if cut thin and dunked in soapy water can have bubble blown through it if you put one side to your lips and blow bubble will come out the other. White oak will not. I was told by a furnature maker thats why red oak is not prefered for boats its to pourous and actually absorbs water.
 
Rich,

On the Refuge Forums I use the name duckinRI. I think on the Hybrid Boat Pics thread I posted the telephone number of the lumber yard where I purchased marine plywood for a real good price. They are in Maine.

It might be worth calling them. If the number's not in the thread, let me know. I've got it with my boat information.

This stuff was a real joy to work with.
 
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Thanks, Guys.

Steve - I have a place about 2 hours south of me where I can get marine ply. The problem still comes down to not being employed and the wood costing $50 per sheet on top of the drive.

I saw the "oak" and had to ask if it was a better wood than cheap pine ply... Always learning. Someone once said that the BIRCH was good but it needs epoxy encapsulation since it will absorb water given half a chance.
 
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