Marine Plywood: An Overview Of Marine Moisture Resistant Plywood For Boats And Yachts, Laminated Water Resistant Deck Plywood Design

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 12:09

Currently, in many areas of construction, various types of wood are used. Such material has a whole host of important advantages and properties. Separately, we can note such a view as ship plywood. Let's consider the main features of this material and the requirements that must be met for it.

What it is?

Ship plywood is a laminated veneer sheet. In this case, the direction of the fibers changes from one layer to another. For the impregnation of individual layers of material, a special bakelite composition is used, therefore, such products are often called bakelized plywood.

Such wood sheets have a high level of strength, they are quite hard

This material is mainly used in the aviation industry and in the construction of small boats. But sometimes it is purchased for standard construction work.

Marine plywood has a number of important properties

• Fire resistance . The material practically does not burn. It can only be charred, while emitting a little smoke, which does not contain a large amount of toxic components. This can happen at temperatures of at least 350 degrees.
• Water resistance . Bakelized sheets are not destroyed or deformed under the influence of a large amount of moisture. At the same time, the minimum service life of such materials, subject to operation in contact with an aqueous medium, can reach 15 years.
• Strength . The strength level of this type of wood practically coincides with the strength characteristics of steel sheets.

In addition, it can be noted that this material is highly resistant to mold and mildew. Special careful processing of products during manufacturing does not allow them to appear on the surface.

The material is characterized by good resistance to impacts and significant loads . In addition, it is almost not exposed to harmful atmospheric influences, so it can be used to decorate furniture structures that will be placed outdoors. Often, whole garden kitchens and gazebos are built from such a tree.

Ship models can also be used to lay indoor flooring, walling and ceiling coverings. But in this case it is recommended to give preference to thin laminated sheets. For the manufacture of the deck part for boats, ship plywood of a special FBS grade is taken.

The thickness of these wooden sheets can vary from 4 to 40 millimeters . The length of products can reach 1500, 4400, 4900 mm (but there are also extended versions - 5600, 5700 and 7700 mm). The width of one plywood sheet can be 1250, 1500, 1550 mm.

Requirements

In the production of marine plywood, some important requirements for the quality of the material must be taken into account. They can be found in British Standard 1088/66. And also all of them are enshrined in the domestic document GOST 11539-83 of 1985.

The standard provides for several separate grades of marine plywood

• FBV . This type is a sheet, for the impregnation and gluing of which special water-soluble compounds are used. Most often it is a phenol-formaldehyde resin. But at the same time, it is applied only to the outer parts of the material.
• FBV1 . This type is similar to the previous one. However, here the phenol-formaldehyde resin is applied to both the outer and inner sides.
• FBS . This grade of marine plywood is glued using alcohol-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resin. Only the outer parts are treated with this impregnation.
• FBS1 . A brand of this type is treated with alcohol-soluble substances on both sides.

Ship plywood can be divided into 2 large groups - classic and non-classic brands . These types have different requirements. So, the first version is made of a special Okume veneer. The products are distinguished by their relatively low weight, high level of flexibility and durability.

The classic version has a laminated surface treated with waterproof compounds . It is often used in combination with epoxy and fiberglass. This plywood is comparable in strength to carbon products. It is distinguished by special decorative properties, which determines its high cost.

Most often it is used in the construction of a deck for yachts, ordinary boats.

Non-classical plywood is made from a variety of hardwoods, including beech, birch, and poplar. Cedar and pine are sometimes used. This plywood can be of a combined type. In this case, the top layer of the products is made of special peeled veneer, and the inner part is already made of hardwood.

This variety should not be used for structural tasks - it is most often used for interior decoration or furniture production

The cost of such materials will be slightly lower compared to the previous option.

In addition to the above requirements, there are other important nuances that should be taken into account when manufacturing and installing materials . The outer layers of the sheets can only be made from solid veneer strips. In the internal structure, splicing of different elements with each other is permissible. In this case, the width of each strip must be at least 400 mm for the FBS brand or 200 mm for all other varieties.

In this case, the longitudinal rows of the internal splicing should not coincide. Only in this case the product will be as strong and solid as possible. The outer surface of plywood should not have areas that are not covered with transparent varnishes and other special compounds.

Even small bubbles and unpressed areas should not be present on the surface of the sheet . Overlaps or irregularities with a height of more than 1 millimeter are also prohibited. All sheets can only be cut at right angles. In this case, the deviation per linear meter should be no more than 2 millimeters.

The ends of all sheets must be carefully processed

On models of the FBS brand, the ends are processed with an additional layer of bakelite composition. On samples of the FBV brand, they are covered with a special protective enamel.

Materials (edit)

Most of these sheets are made from veneer. It can be of different varieties . The most expensive and high-quality models are considered to be veneer made of exotic wood species (first of all, okume or keruing).

Materials created from such a base are distinguished by a special level of durability and reliability . But these models are produced exclusively abroad, so it is rather problematic to purchase them. For one square meter of such plywood with a thickness of about 3 millimeters, you will have to pay about 1200-1300 rubles.

Plywood made of birch veneer acts as a domestic analogue .… Such materials are affordable, their cost is about 2 times less than the cost of the previous option. But the level of strength and durability will be much lower.

Design

As a rule, models of such plywood have good decorative characteristics. They can be made in different colors ranging from light beige to chocolate and red . Some models are produced in black colors.

Marine plywood is coated with a special varnish . Such samples have a slightly rough surface. Fully laminated products have a completely smooth surface. Corrugated sheets are also produced today. They are used for laying flooring, as they are considered the safest for humans - it is almost impossible to slip on them.

Sometimes the interior of the premises is finished with moisture-resistant plywood made from different types of veneer. Such combinations allow you to create a beautiful and original design. And also they can be used for exterior decoration of furniture structures.