Where to buy wood

[sinkingship]

Hey guys I figured if anyone would know the answer to this question it would be someone from here. I am in the process of building a trailer and want to deck it out in marine grade plywood and will also be building some boxes that I am debating building out of the same material. Any one have an idea of a local lumber yard I could pick this up from? Local as in the Houston area...


Thanks in advance for your help!

[gerald]

Don't really know any places in Houston. The last marine plywood I bought was in Austin. I just wanted to make clear what marine plywood is. Marine plywood is a high quality plywood with fairly uniform plies and no voids in the inner plies. The glue used to make marine plywood is waterproof and will pass certain tests. The ratings are BS1088 and BS6656 with the 1088 stuff being the best. Either will work. This stuff is strong and works well.
However-- untreated marine plywood is NOT rot resistant and does not necessarily weather well at all. Okoume--which is generally the best all around marine plywood--will rot very quickly if unfinished. You CAN get treated marine plywood and you can paint, or otherwise encase marine plywood and it will last a long time. I really don't think marine plywood is the best choice for decking out a trailer. Some of the exterior grade treated plywoods or treated solid woods wood be better. Marine plywood would be fine for building boxes as long as they are completely finished. Once again there are probably better, and more economical materials to use. With 1/4" marine plywood costing from $60 up to $100 I shudder to think what 3/4 costs.

This is just my opinion. I'm sure any number of trailers have been decked with marine plywood and I'm all wet. Knock yourself out.

You can also use google to find marine plywood in Texas. Houston does have several but others will have to tell you exactly where.

[TexaRican]

Houston Hardwoods off 290. Google them. Fair prices and good selection.

[sinkingship]

Appreciate the info Gerald. I may just look into going another route. My father was the one who had reccomended that I deck it out in the marine plywood. I just took his years of experience he had on me and figured he knew better that I did what to use. The whole thing here is that I would like the bottom piece alone to last as long as possible for the simple fact that not only will it be bolted down in the middle, but the in the corners I was planning on welding a little 90 degree corner bracket to hold it down. I could always go back and grind the weld off if necessary, was just hoping to prevent having to do that. The boxes though...after hearing THAT cost...will be made differently and I think I will just treat the wood myself and hope for the best.

Thanks again for the info/input!

[gerald]

Pressure treated wood is really hard to beat. The price is reasonable and you can finish it in a variety of different ways.

I thought I might also add that I am gathering the parts for a BBWorks Boat Hauling Teardrop. I'll use pressure treated plywood for the bottom part of the floor and pressure treated 2X4 for the stringers.

[Turner]

Back in my Motorcycle camping days, I bougth a Harbor Freight 40"x48" trailer and decked it with 3/4" CDX plywood that had two coats of paint on both sides. It has set outside for almost 5 years and no noticable decay or damage.
I plan on removing the car topper from it and remove the plywood, as I will build a bigger box base out of the same stuff and convert it to a Kayak hauler. Probably Cedar box sides and more painted CDX Ply for the tops.

[bowgarguide]

Gerald
You might want to rethink the treated wood inside a closed trailer,fumes are not good.
Ron

[sinkingship]

Bow...I saw your post on the Texas teepee and I have to say...WOW. With each and every project that comes along I get the opportunity to aquire new tools. As it sits right now I hope to one day have enough space, knowledge, and tools to do what you have done. As it sits right now this trailer build has allowed to me get a welder and a good set of cutting torches. Along with those being the major purchases I have snagged several smaller hand tools such as a vice, clamps and so on and so forth. My wood working tools are coming along as well, but I fear no where near what is needed to do that. Ike was courteous enough to take out my fence and that is what got me my new framing nail gun and smaller brad nailer...oh also a sliding compound miter saw as well. Today I went and looked at possibly purchasing a cutoff saw for the tubing I will be using on my trailer, but was having trouble forking out the 200 bucks. The only reason I was looking at it was because I was having a bit of a blowout issue using the cutting torch to cut through the 1 1/2 x 1/8 wall square tubing

[gerald]

Gerald
You might want to rethink the treated wood inside a closed trailer,fumes are not good.
Ron

The floor will be double layer with insulation in between. Only the bottom sheet will be pressure treated. The top 3/4" sheet (which will be the inside) will be untreated.

[Cut N Shoot]

I have a friend that is in the chemical business.He said treated wood aint what it used to be not toxic like it used to be.

[bowgarguide]

Sinkingship
Go to Harbor frieght and bye there cutoff saw 59.00 bue the guarantee and for 2 years they will exchange right at the store if you have a problem.
I ran a torch, fitting all my life . let me see if I can help you,on the square tube start on the edge ,angled away from the tube ,then roll the torch angle in and cut the side,not the flat.
To do this you need about 40 lbs of presure on oxegen,and make sure the center hole is clean,get you a pair of tip cleaners and always keeo that center hole clean,thats the one that does the cutting all the rest are just to heat the metal. now when you get pretty good you can cut that tubing and put all the slag on one side
If I can help you just drop me a line.
Ron

[hdcowboy]

I have a friend that is in the chemical business.He said treated wood aint what it used to be not toxic like it used to be.

Same thing I heard! I know they changed the formula a while back, pressure treated boards used to have a kind of green tint to them now there more yellowish.

[shoalwater18]

Some of the new treated wood will EAT many fasteners. Check with manufacturers for the correct type of fastener. Direct contact with uncoated steel is a problem. I did not believe the warnings about the corrosive effects of treated lumber. Boy, was I wrong. It will eat aluminum in a New York minute...uncoated steel a bit longer. Electro galvanized is NOT the same as hot dipped. The stuff has cost me money...watch out.

[sinkingship]

Bowgar,

I took your advice and went by Harbor freight today. They are having a sale for the 4th of July and so I took advantage of it. I picked up their 14'' cutoff saw that regularly runs 89.99 for 64.99 and the extended warranty as well. I snagged an additional package of 5 blades too since I was there. All in all I left the store spending 105.00 bucks thanks to me BS'in with the girl behind the counter for a bit...she gave me an additional 10% off!