By sealing these seams, moisture, insects, dust and air can't permeate into a home. Ken is comfortable using epoxy for a plywood bottom becuase plywood is “dimensionally stable”. When plywood is exposed to water or extreme humidity conditions it can cause the glue to come undone, weakening the entire integrity and foundation of the wood. How To Seal The Plywood. I took PAR's and Gonzos (and others) sealing advice almost a decade ago when I did an extensive restoration on a small cruiser. Since it’s the ideal wood for moist or wet conditions, it’s often used to craft boats, boat parts, or outdoor furniture in coastal areas. To make the plywood of the boat waterproof follow the below given steps: Clean the sides of the veneered marine boat with a clean cloth. The answer to this question is yes, Marine-Grade Plywood should be treated. The many layers of Marine Grade Plywood are held together with waterproof adhesive, allowing the wood to withstand direct contact with water. Wait for three hours and then apply a second coat. Jolt epoxy with glue and open lid then mix epoxy and hardener in a bowl. Plywood that has been stored indoors and is still as dry (12%) as when manufactured, does not need to 'breath'. But total encapsulation is the key - that means enough coats to form an effective barrier, including all the sharp edges and bolt holes, etc. On a new boat, with pristine seams between the planks, it is pretty straight forward. Many of the boats in Ken’s shop are there because of poor maintenance, improper storage or other forms of neglect. A leaking deck, especially with wood cores, can lead to core rot and eventually delamination of the deck and loss of structural rigidity. Both the above posts are accurate advice. Among them, the best is using a wooden sealant. There are thousands of ply/epoxy boats built that are completely encapsulated. Unsealed seams diminish the effectiveness of the cooling and heating systems of a home which can adversely affect utility costs. Most all boats have some sort of “core” in the decks. As has been mentioned, for the deck on a bass boat, simply painting the plywood with a good quality oil based enamel (and maintaining it) will last for decades . You can choose any suitable sealant. Any reasonably handy boat owner can caulk their own boat, there is no magic involved. So I rebuild boats and have replaced sections of flooring before but this one I chose to rip the entire floor out and remove all the foam (what a pain that was) anyway this weekend I am going to put in the new floor, marine plywood, and drill and pour the new foam. An oil based enamel paint IS a better option (tougher, longer lasting, better UV resistance) than varnish for sealing … With that said when I am done with that I have to seal it. Ordinary plywood usually has 3 to 5 layers, while marine plywood has ten layers or more. You might wince at the cost of coating with epoxy since the coating will possibly exceed the cost of the plywood itself but it is the only way to protect it. However, there are several ways of waterproofing plywood for a boat. Unfortunately, plywood is made by gluing layers of wood together where it is later finished with a veneer. Plywood is a wood that is oftentimes used on docks and boats. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this. Plywood used as a subfloor, wall underlayment or roof sheathing needs to have the seams sealed with caulk. First, sand the plywood surface with 80 grit sandpaper. He generally removes andreplaces bad wood, then reseals, varnishes and paints as appropriate without using epoxy. Next step is to take a paintbrush and fill all the holes and joints with epoxy. 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