Applying Mahogany Veneer to deck

[Porkchunker]

I'm in the process of restoring a wooden boat my father build in 1958. The gunwhales are solid mahogany plank trimmed with an oak (red or white...not yet sure) strip. The deck at the bow and the hatch covers are some kind of marine ply with mahogany veneer. The bulkheads supporting the hatches and the toolbox in the walkway are marine ply...probably fir. The gunwhales, bow, and hatchcovers are in fairly rough shape and I'm considering covering them with a mahogany veneer. I'd like to cover the fir plywood bulkheads so they are mahogany and match the rest of the gunwhales and hatches.

Boat stays in the garage under a cover when not on the water. So other than a bit of spray, or rain when fishing, the decking/veneer will be well protected and kept out of the weather.

What are the pros/cons of applying veneer? What thickness of veneer should I get? What is the best glue/adhesive for this? What is the best way to hold the veneer down FLAT while the glue/adhesive is setting, so that I don't get a lumpy/wavy surface effect?

Here is a link to a couple pics of the boat: http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats/skopje179.html

Porkchunker

[DanishBagger]

Looks like it's pretty flat areas, so I would go for as thick veneer as possible, simply because it will last longer when abraded. this way you won't get anything wavy either, just hold it down at the edges.

Glue wise, I would go for epoxy - if for nothing else, then because you need not put an enormous amoung of pressure on it. And it will last.

[Hunter25]

Veneers are great. They can spruce up an ordinary hatch or panel. Your thicknesses need not be excessive, they are decorative pieces and why spend the money on extra material when you do not need it. A 1/16" veneer will be fine. Epoxy is very strong, expensive, messy, difficult to clean up and not necessary. Pick up a bottle of "TiteBond III" and save yourself some bucks and difficulty on these non-structural parts. It cleans up with water before it is cured. Do not confuse it with TiteBond II or Original TiteBond, they are less water proof. TiteBond III is water proof.

[Porkchunker]

Thanks for the info.

[pashbe1]

normally I would use epoxy for this type of thing, but I think Hunter is right. Save yourself the $ & use the titebond. Make sure you wipe up all glue or it will stain the wood. With titebond pressure is important sand bags work well on horizontal surfaces for distributing weight. Maybe put the sand in plastic grocery bags to keep every thing clean and in manageable sizes. Very nice project by the way.