[seydou]

View attachment 59789

It

Here is what I got. It holds three rocket boxes, plus everything else. View attachment 59788

It does look like really good material. I do wonder how friendly it is to bare feet and its longevity to UV exposure.

 

[Bobthegreat]

It’s fine on feet, however the only time I’m standing on it is at camp. It’s designed for dog kennels and chicken coops.

 

[seydou]

It’s fine on feet, however the only time I’m standing on it is at camp. It’s designed for dog kennels and chicken coops.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[seydou]

It’s fine on feet, however the only time I’m standing on it is at camp. It’s designed for dog kennels and chicken coops.

Questions about cutting it. What did you use? How sharp were the edges and did you do anything to address them?

 

[theusualsuspect]

I've used duraslat for beaver tails and in drop bags. Works great and is cheap. Not sure how solid it would be in a cockpit, might have to run webbing under the middle of it to help support it. Dunno, for $20 you can experiment. Use a circular saw, cuts like butter. Murdochs usually has it.

 

[seydou]

I've used duraslat for beaver tails and in drop bags. Works great and is cheap. Not sure how solid it would be in a cockpit, might have to run webbing under the middle of it to help support it. Dunno, for $20 you can experiment. Use a circular saw, cuts like butter. Murdochs usually has it.

Good point. It's so cheap it can't hurt to give it a try I suppose. I might use a butane torch to melt the edges a bit and make them less pokey.

 

[theusualsuspect]

They’re pretty smooth when you cut them. I didn’t find the need but no harm in trying. I’ve been running It in the bottom of my everything and drop bags for probably 1k miles and haven’t seen any issues.

 

[seydou]

They’re pretty smooth when you cut them. I didn’t find the need but no harm in trying. I’ve been running It in the bottom of my everything and drop bags for probably 1k miles and haven’t seen any issues.

Thanks for letting me know that.

 

[Bobthegreat]

Yep circular saw, and I just sanded the edges with a palm sander.

 

[RDW1]

For those contemplating marine vs cdx vs underlayment.
Cdx is the bottom of the barrel grade. Inner cores have a lot of edge and inner voids to trap water. C face, D back and X core. If it's 5 ply it may have 1 D center and 2 X cores. You'd be surprised at the crap cores that get layed up in CDX.
Underlayment has fewer voids. May have solid knots in the core. Allowable edge voids are much less than CDX. The voids are usually removed from the face by plugging. I don't recall the number but your limited to the number of plugs that can be on a face. Keeps high heeled shoes from poking a hole through a knot. Not a big worry on a raft.
Marine grade usually has more but thinner layers and a clear face and back. Very few if any edge voids.
Bottom line it is the number of voids and not the strength that makes marine better for wet applications. Although more thinner layers are stronger.
I wouldn't use CDX on anything exposed to elements. Underlayment is fine if you seal all the edges and exterior voids. Marine grade still needs sealed but it is prettier look if you care about that. Overall I'd choose a good 5-7 ply underlayment and seal any voids and the cheapest and most durable material for a raft.

 

[seydou]

For those contemplating marine vs cdx vs underlayment.
Cdx is the bottom of the barrel grade. Inner cores have a lot of edge and inner voids to trap water. C face, D back and X core. If it's 5 ply it may have 1 D center and 2 X cores. You'd be surprised at the crap cores that get layed up in CDX.
Underlayment has fewer voids. May have solid knots in the core. Allowable edge voids are much less than CDX. The voids are usually removed from the face by plugging. I don't recall the number but your limited to the number of plugs that can be on a face. Keeps high heeled shoes from poking a hole through a knot. Not a big worry on a raft.
Marine grade usually has more but thinner layers and a clear face and back. Very few if any edge voids.
Bottom line it is the number of voids and not the strength that makes marine better for wet applications. Although more thinner layers are stronger.
I wouldn't use CDX on anything exposed to elements. Underlayment is fine if you seal all the edges and exterior voids. Marine grade still needs sealed but it is prettier look if you care about that. Overall I'd choose a good 5-7 ply underlayment and seal any voids and the cheapest and most durable material for a raft.

That is some very good info to know. Thanks. When you say underlayment, are you referring to something like AdvanTech?

 

[RDW1]

That is some very good info to know. Thanks. When you say underlayment, are you referring to something like AdvanTech?

That stuff looks like strand board. You'd want plywood graded for subfloors or underlayment. B grade faced plywood would work great but it's usually hard to find. AC grades should have C cores and the edge and back voids should be easy to seal.

 

[seydou]

That stuff looks like strand board. You'd want plywood graded for subfloors or underlayment. B grade faced plywood would work great but it's usually hard to find. AC grades should have C cores and the edge and back voids should be easy to seal.

My understanding is it used as subfloor material. I know a couple trailer builders that use it as decking. I was wondering what you were referring to when you said "a good 5-7 ply underlayment".

If I end up not getting diamond plate casting decks I will most likely go with MDO or marine grade ply.

 

[BenSlaughter]

Somewhat historically subflooring was a slightly better grade of true plywood. Either 3\4" or 1 1\8". Waterproof glue, fewer voids
It's still available, but has mostly been replaced by OSB.
Marine ply is great, but big $$. MDO is where it's at. Slap a coat or two of penetrating epoxy, maybe some spar varnish.
My rower's compartment floor is 5\8" MDO with a marine vinyl\linoleum over top for no slip, and wear. 20 years old and still (mostly) good as new.

 

[RDW1]

This site does a really good job explaining plywood types. Plywood Grading Information | Anderson Plywood
I'm not entirely sure about advantech or if it's rated for exterior exposure. Not real familiar with MDO or how it's made either. I can tell you that the mill I worked at made virtually every type of plywood. How it may have been treated after it left the plant, I'm unsure. I can tell you that the same glue and layup methods were used from CDX to marine to luan.

 

[seydou]

Somewhat historically subflooring was a slightly better grade of true plywood. Either 3\4" or 1 1\8". Waterproof glue, fewer voids
It's still available, but has mostly been replaced by OSB.
Marine ply is great, but big $$. MDO is where it's at. Slap a coat or two of penetrating epoxy, maybe some spar varnish.
My rower's compartment floor is 5\8" MDO with a marine vinyl\linoleum over top for no slip, and wear. 20 years old and still (mostly) good as new.

Did you use SeaDek or something similar?

 

[seydou]

This site does a really good job explaining plywood types. Plywood Grading Information | Anderson Plywood
I'm not entirely sure about advantech or if it's rated for exterior exposure. Not real familiar with MDO or how it's made either. I can tell you that the mill I worked at made virtually every type of plywood. How it may have been treated after it left the plant, I'm unsure. I can tell you that the same glue and layup methods were used from CDX to marine to luan.

That's really helpful. Thanks.

 

[BenSlaughter]

Did you use SeaDek or something similar?

It was done by the outfit that built my frame(American Whitewater)

I'm not sure what it is.
I'll get a picture of it for ya this evening.

 

[seydou]

It was done by the outfit that built my frame(American Whitewater)

I'm not sure what it is.
I'll get a picture of it for ya this evening.

I'd appreciate that, thanks.

 

[BenSlaughter]

Did you use SeaDek or something similar?

Sorry for the delay, here's a shot of my(grubby) floor covering.