Deck Advice Needed Please

jorgepease · Feb 12, 2018

PAR said: ↑

I disagree in that low density and more importantly peel strength foam is the way to go. To make it stiff enough, you need a significant sheathing and/or core thickness. In either case, the costs (foam, fabrics, resin, etc.) will be considerably higher, than a lightly sheathed plywood build and the effort to make it fairly smooth also much higher, as a sandwich core composite. Do look up the cost of a single 4x8' sheet of 1/2" H-80 or similar, before you discount plywood.
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I think the main concern was weight so a low density foam core panel is much stiffer and lighter and will require less of a support structure, it won't rot and yes will cost a bit more but then again it's not going to rot on so ... what are the true costs? As for getting it as smooth as ply sheathed in glass, I don't know what are you talking about, fairing will be exactly the same and if he wants to do it right he would infuse or bag the panels on a smooth table to get the top side perfectly finished with no fairing at all.

Stormbringer79 · Feb 13, 2018

jorgepease said: ↑

I think the main concern was weight so a low density foam core panel is much stiffer and lighter and will require less of a support structure, it won't rot and yes will cost a bit more but then again it's not going to rot on so ... what are the true costs? As for getting it as smooth as ply sheathed in glass, I don't know what are you talking about, fairing will be exactly the same and if he wants to do it right he would infuse or bag the panels on a smooth table to get the top side perfectly finished with no fairing at all.
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Weight was indeed the original concern but if it is going to be a very negligible difference then cost wins out I think. I'd like to have the top side a bit rough to aid with grip, this will be coated with an anti slip coating of some description too. I am never going to have the option to do things properly unfortunately, this is a build being done in the garage but I'm good with it not being perfectly flat

Stormbringer79 · Feb 13, 2018

Just reading through today and I noticed that I completely missed you first post Par, please do not think I was dismissing what you said as I was not at all. Thanks for the welcome too

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Deck Advice Needed Please

jorgepease Senior Member

Stormbringer79 Junior Member

Stormbringer79 Junior Member

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