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Hardboard or masonite for final skin?
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 1:15 amby DiabloCanyon
OK, forgive the newbie question but, for building a Woody, will Hardboard suffice for the final, outer skin (or 2 pieces of hardboard) if it is coated with enough epoxy-resin or varathane or is it too structurally weak of a material to hold up compared to plywood?
Thanks!
Tom
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 4:48 amby 48Rob
Hi Tom,
Masonite is not as strong as plywood, but it is strong enough.
Masonite will work for the exterior skin and will last a long time if it is encapsulated, and kept that way.
Because of the way it is made; wood fiber/pulp that uses steam and great pressure to form the sheets, if moisture gets in, it will fail very fast.
Plywood can handle a few wettings before it starts to give.
Rob
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 4:56 amby Shadow Catcher
Marine grade plywood is the BEST choice period.
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 6:20 amby len19070
Tom
I use Masonite a lot, but not necessarily as an outer skin.
But every day I drive past my old High School and look up at an Observatory dome on the roof that has been there since I went to school there in the 60's....And its still used and is made out of Masonite.
With regular maintenance it will work.
Happy Trails
Len
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 6:35 amby GPW
I've used untempered Masonite for over 50 years , to paint on (Art) and never had any problems , save a little warping .. (unsupported ) But I did prime both sides ... Wondering how that min/poly sealer would work on this ??? ... Seems like the Old timers used it a lot ... Wonder how it worked for them ... Most of what we read , they either covered it with canvas and painted or just painted it .. Never a word of how it held up ...
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 10:46 amby HandyAtLeast
1/8" tempered hardboard weighs 23 pounds, which is one pound more than water resistant 1/4" lauan.
Posted:
Thu May 05, 2011 3:39 pmby GPW
That's good to know HAL!! I would have thought it's heavier
Posted:
Sat May 21, 2011 1:06 pmby 2bits
Maybe I misunderstood, but didn't you say this was going to be a Woody and you wanted to use Masonite as the OUTER skin? So what you would actually see is sealed Masonite? I would think you would want to use something with some grain to it, but I must be misunderstanding.
Posted:
Sat May 21, 2011 4:08 pmby 48Rob
Maybe I misunderstood, but didn't you say this was going to be a Woody and you wanted to use Masonite as the OUTER skin? So what you would actually see is sealed Masonite? I would think you would want to use something with some grain to it, but I must be misunderstanding.
Technicalities...
