Best plywood from Lowe’s??

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RickFenn
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Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by RickFenn »

Me and a buddy are getting ready to build two GF16’s. We’d rather just head up to Lowe’s and pick up plywood rather than have it shipped. What’s a recommendation for plywood from them? Don’t want to break the bank but don’t want junk either. Thanks in advance for advise!

RickFenn

silentneko
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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by silentneko »

Neither of the Lowes by me sells much that is worth using. The only thing most guys will suggest is good exterior (not pressure treated) ply as a last resort, but the best you'll find there is usually BCX. It's ok for some decks, and bulkheads, but not much else, and it's much heavier.
You will end up paying more to get it right then the good ply would cost you to begin with. If you want to save on shipping try to source good ply locally, but lowes doesn't really carry any.
Built: 15ft Skiff, 16ft Skiff, Modified Cheap Canoe, and an FS17.

Capt UB
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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by Capt UB »

There is a reason you buy Marine Plywood....

25 years ago, you could find good exterior abx and bcx, not true today.

I built a Chalmette 14 (another designer), used Lowes and HD best ext ply, 80 % finished it started coming apart... Pulled it out front and put a sign on it "free fire wood"! As they say "pay now or pay later....

This is from BBC's site:

Welcome to our Marine Plywood Online store!

Why marine plywood?

Small boats:

While small stitch and glue boats can be successfully built with inexpensive exterior plywood, there are many advantages to using quality marine plywood.
•Marine plywood provides greater protection: A small scratch through the resin or glass, if not repaired immediately, may expose the plywood to water. Exterior plywood may not last long in that case.
•Marine plywood increases the resale value of your boat.
•Marine plywood is stronger and has consistent mechanical properties, with no voids.
•Marine plywood is easier to work with, especially when bending, and finishing.
•For small boats, quality 4 mm plywood is a good substitute for the ¼ inch exterior ply often specified.
•Marine plywood (except for Fir) will not check. That feature may by itself pay for the difference in cost. To get a good finish with Douglas Fir or Pine, the hull will require extra fiber glassing and large amounts of fairing compound. This is not necessary with Meranti or Okoume.

Larger boats:

The use of marine plywood is a must for larger boats.
Fast planning boats are subjected to serious bottom pressure and quality marine plywood should be used for the hull panels if only for mechanical reasons. The designer of your planning power boat probably specified marine grade plywood for that reason.
Large displacement type boats that spend all their time in the water, at the dock or at sea, should also use quality marine plywood. While the fiberglass and resin will protect plywood, any scratch or dent may allow moisture to creep in and damage cheaper plywood. Marine plywood will give you peace of mind in addition to all the advantages listed above.

piperdown
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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by piperdown »

Big box stores aren't going to have good ply in stock. Try calling around to lumber yards and see what they have or what they can get.
I should have taken my own advice and called around since there was a lumber yard that happened to have marine ply in stock. Instead I ordered it through Menards and had to wait 3 weeks for it to arrive. Shipping charge wasn't too bad. It was ship to store for around 13-15 bucks if I remember correctly and then I drove over and picked it up.

Besides I don't think I've seen 1/4" exterior ply in stock at any of the big box stores. Biggest I've seen is 4x4 panels.
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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by Capt UB »

I did find locally in DeLand Florida, American made Marine Fir plywood. I used one sheet as a sole (floor) in the FS14 SandPiper. It was covered with epoxy and a vinyl marine flooring. Never again, very thin veneers and just ugly looking ply!

piperdown
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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by piperdown »

Capt UB wrote: Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:32 pm I did find locally in DeLand Florida, American made Marine Fir plywood. I used one sheet as a sole (floor) in the FS14 SandPiper. It was covered with epoxy and a vinyl marine flooring. Never again, very thin veneers and just ugly looking ply!
the marine ply I ordered through menards wasn't bad at all. Just took a long time for shipping.
Eric (aka, piperdown)

"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain

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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by Jeff »

RickFenn, take a little time and search out your local lumber yards to see if you can locate true marine plywood. If you are not successful, call me' as buying enough marine plywood for two GF16's will cost the same as shipping for one. Don't use Lowe's or HD, just poor quality and you will be disappointed in a short amount of time. Again, if you can't find good marine plywood, call us and we will price it out for you including Terminal shipping which is the most reasonable venue!! Jeff

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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by Fuzz »

Rick do like Jeff said. But while you are at it order all the building supplies needed and have them ship it to you guys all at once. I would highly recommend getting more epoxy than what it called for in the build notes, like double the amount or more. Narfi and I had BBC ship a good size order to us here in Alaska and it worked out very well cost wise. If they can make it work to us then shipping to you is no problem.

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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by piperdown »

Fuzz wrote: Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:06 pm Rick do like Jeff said. But while you are at it order all the building supplies needed and have them ship it to you guys all at once. I would highly recommend getting more epoxy than what it called for in the build notes, like double the amount or more. Narfi and I had BBC ship a good size order to us here in Alaska and it worked out very well cost wise. If they can make it work to us then shipping to you is no problem.
Good point! I've already gone through 2.5 gallons of epoxy and had to order 2 more. I just hope it's enough..... :help:
Eric (aka, piperdown)

"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain

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Re: Best plywood from Lowe’s??

Post by Chenier »

piperdown wrote: Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:09 pmBesides I don't think I've seen 1/4" exterior ply in stock at any of the big box stores. Biggest I've seen is 4x4 panels.
My HD has full sized 1/4" BCX that I'm using for the deck template of my MF14. Note I said "template". It's not actually going to be part of the boat.

I'm using cut offs from the template and the 3/4" BCX used to make the work table as shims and cleats while I assemble the MF14's framework. As I cut it up I'm discovering voids and delaminations all over the place. The BCX does a good job of laying flat and not causing any trouble if you screw it down. But it would cause all kinds of entertainment if you tried to put a bend in it, as one does building a boat.

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