Hatch, just starting

[IraRat]

Arne, I couldn't find the bendy birch in South Florida. They had a bendy plain ply at a specialty lumber shop here, but it was 1/2 and wouldn't take the varnish real nice.

I originally ordered (yes, they actually mail this stuff) 1/8 bendy ply from COLORADO, to use for my interior roof. They never got the 1/8 in stock, so they sent me 1/4 instead. And that's why I was able to use it for the exterior roof too. (I thought 1/8 would be too thin.) In my avatar, you can see how that ply took the varnish. (That's just marine spar varnish, no stain.)

But I ran out of the material by the time I got to the hatch, and used 1/4 red oak at $30 a sheet. This isn't the best material for exterior use, so I varnished the hell out of it. It really takes the varnish nicely, really nice wood grain.

Basically, it was a matter of using whatever I could FIND. Also, I didn't skin the inside of the hatch.

My hatch is no masterpiece, but at least it opens and closes. Closing requires a little bit of manuevering, but as long as it doesn't fall off, I'm happy.

But any 1/4 material will make that bend without much of a problem.

[Arne]

I'm going to get a sheet of 1/4 and give it a try, no glue.... if it works, it will be much easier to apply 1 piece than doubling up 2 sheets of 1/8th...

[IraRat]

This is one problem I had, so be aware of it:

When I did mine, the heads of the brads kept popping through the wood, they wouldn't hold the sheet on. This may be because I used the red oak, and you may be fine.

So, in my case, I used screws around the outside edges, which are going to be covered with trim. Once it was screwed down, it was no problem using small brads into the cross spars.

I didn't use glue either, but even if I did, I would still have to set the sheet into place with the screws and brads, for the glue to have time to set.

[toypusher]

This is one problem I had, so be aware of it:

When I did mine, the heads of the brads kept popping through the wood, they wouldn't hold the sheet on. ......

If this happens, back off on the PSI that is feeding your brad nailer!! Lower pressure means that the brad will penetrate less.

Kerry

[mikeschn]

I switched to staples instead of brads when I had that problem!

Mike...

[TomS]

I'd forgotten all about bendy ply.... I'll see if I can locate some locally.

Arne,

I got my flexible plywood from Boulter Plywood in Sommerville, MA. It should be within driving distance for you in CT.

I used their 3/8 "Wacky Wood, a 2-ply luan ply, for the outer skin on my roof and hatch.