1/2" moisture resistant lauan?

[mikeschn]

Does anyone here know where I can get 1/2" moisture resistant lauan?

I suppose I could use the 1/4" moisture resistant lauan from Home Depot, and glue up 2 to make it 1/2" (nominal of course). Heck that might even be the answer to making plywood larger.

But I think I'd rather start with 1/2" stuff.

Any ideas?

Mike...

[jstrubberg]

Mike, I've never seen anything other than 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch. A quick Google search turns up no sources either.

I don't think there is such a thing.

[mikeschn]

I used 1/2" moisture resistant lauan on my escape hatch build. Bought it at Pontiac Plywood. They no longer sell it.

And according to this site, I might have to get the Okoume... http://www.columbusmillwork.com/specialty-plywood.php

They only have moisture resistant lauan/meranti in 1/4".

Mike...

[GuitarPhotog]

What's magic about luan? Wouldn't another 1/2" moisture resistant plywood do as well?

You can tell I'm not a wood worker, so if this is an idiotic question, ignore me and move on with your discussion

<Chas>

[mikeschn]

Only that the lauan is affordable. The marine plywood is much more money. But of course, the price is forgotten very quickly...

Mike...

[Martiangod]

What about mahogany?
And whats affordable, doing it once, or every couple years?

[GPW]

There’s this old saying , that I’ve come to realize is the BEST advice ever.... "The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten, so build your teardrop with the best materials...”

[mikeschn]

I just picked up a book on stitch and glue boat building, and just finished reading the chapter on plywood. It says, If a boat is meant to live at a dock for weeks at a time or on a trailer year round, choose at least a moderately durable wood species. A less-dense panel such as okoume is fine for kayaks, rowing shells, and other small craft that will be stored under cover. But it may discolor or even rot if exposed to the weather for months at a time unless all surfaces are 'glassed. Among the durable or moderately durable tropical hardwood species are khaya, sipo, sapele and meranti.

Meranti, as you will recall is another name for Lauan!

My local plywood supplier doesn't have those fancy marine plywoods.

http://www.publiclumber.com/store/pc/vi ... ategory=21

In the 1/2" size marine birch is $69 a sheet.
Teak is @219 a sheet...

I could go to Boulter Plywood, but it's 720 miles each way... 12 hours and 41 minutes each way.

Mike...

[mikeschn]

Ah ha... I found it!

http://marine-plywood.us/mahogany_meranti.htm

Mike...

P.S. It's only a 2 1/2 hour drive!!!

[jstrubberg]

Yeah, finding specialty woods is becoming a pain.

Around here, even Okumwe means sitting down in front of a computer screen and trusting the guy picking your shipment knows what he is is doing.

[doug hodder]

Mike...see if you can find some 1/2" MDO, (medium density overlay)...made for the sign industry and has a nice smooth finish on it can be had primed as well. I used it on the Voyager. Doug

[Martiangod]

Mahogany skin wood be nice ( pun intended )
Build an exoskeletin out of cedar or mahogany, dado in the ply skins, embeding them in gorilla glu or epoxy
Once sealed, all endgrains would be embedded.
Use stainless or brass exposed screws, or copper nails spaced for appearance, Put a radii on the outside corners of the exoskeletin. epoxy, glass or poly the exterior




Vintage aluminum windows and doors and stainless piano hinges
or make own window frames out of mahogany



Bottom paint lower 10 inches nice marine red, with a white breaking stripe




Couple nice stainless deck vents

Deck plates for cable hatches



Theres 100 year old mahogany boats out there, should last forever

[GPW]

Mike, that seems to be some really Nice ply !!! And what, about twice to three times as expensive as the junk (that fails so quickly) they sell for plywood at the box stores... That seems pretty reasonable in the long run ...

[hull je]

mike i agree with doug about the mdo,used it on the boat i built.mdo weighs about the same&the price also close to inteior/exteior plywood.also there is hdo which is used for concert molding(such as large buildings.3/4 4/8 sheet weighs 75 lbs...googel is your friend...

[jonw]

There are multiple types of Mahogany: luan, meranti, okoumi, etc.

Here's a good source of information, and they will ship to you if you can afford the postage. http://www.boulterplywood.com/. Look under their marine plywood.

At least you'll see what's available and what to ask about locally. Often better lumberyards can special order stuff like this for you...