Fitting new wooden door inserts

[WotEver]

Hi all,

 

I may get around to replacing the rear door inserts on Wot Ever this winter (but probably in reality won't find the time). I'd like some advice from the collective as to the best way of sealing the edges of the inserts.

 

The steel doors are pretty conventional with a 20mm return on the edges, with a veneered ply panel let into it and secured with screws on the edges. The existing inserts have failed (mostly) at the bottom edges where they've wicked up any moisture that's got there.

 

I have some ash faced MDF which I was considering using, but I truly dislike MDF and may well end up buying some ply. Whatever I fit, I could give the edges several coats of oil/varnish/epoxy/whatever prior to fitting them. Or I could set the edges into a nice squidgy bead of Marineflex. The problem with the oil-type sealer is that it may not be 100% waterproof, and I'd be back to square one. The problem with Marineflex is that I'm not sure I'd be able to get them out if I ever wanted to replace them again.

 

So... what does everyone else do? What's generally accepted as best practise?

 

Thanks in advance,

Tony

[madcat]

Not MDF [weetabix] if any moisture is in the offing.Ply is a bit more durable.

Fixing,on the advice of a friend I have been using plumbers putty for a lot of sealing tasks and it seems a good choice,available from builders merchant and suchlike everywhere.You will be able to remove them allthough this stuff does stick quite strongly.So far I have sealed the bullseye ring to the roof,the mushroom vent to the roof and both engine room portholes to the cabin sides with it and no problems yet.Use a good amount and it squeezes out as you tighten the fixings,then remove the surplus with a bit of stiff plastic used edge on.Seems way better than mastic .Next job is to reset the wooden slide runners on it if I can remove them intact and the weather is fair this weekend.Will report back when I finish this job as fixing wooden parts to steel and not getting wet creeping into the gap is a problem. It is overpaintable if need be and can handle surface pitting of the steel so should be the thing for under my slide runners.Wish me luch getting them off the failed [in parts] mastic stuff.

[OldGoldy]

....snip.....

 

The steel doors are pretty conventional with a 20mm return on the edges, with a veneered ply panel let into it and secured with screws on the edges. The existing inserts have failed (mostly) at the bottom edges where they've wicked up any moisture that's got there.

 

.....snip.......

 

.The problem with Marineflex is that I'm not sure I'd be able to get them out if I ever wanted to replace them again.

 

 

I'd use ply, paint back and edges generously. Fit & secure at edges as normal. Seal edges/gaps with marineflex or similar, overpainting to match. If you have to remove in the future, you have only a relatively thin fillet of sealant to cut through with a stanley knife. You may want to consider gluing a thin sheet of polystyrene to the inside of the steel before fitting the ply.

[WotEver]

You may want to consider gluing a thin sheet of polystyrene to the inside of the steel before fitting the ply.

I would never have considered that... you mean to deter condensation?

 

Tony

[OldGoldy]

I would never have considered that... you mean to deter condensation?

 

Tony

 

Absolutely. In fact, thinking more on it, I'd consider thinner ply and thicker polystyrene.

 

Note: I don't have a trad boat yet, but those are my thoughts

[NB Alnwick]

Thoroughly prepare and paint the steel first with at least two coats of undercoat and three of top coat. Then use a good quality exterior ply for the linings. The ply needs to be coated on all sides with West System epoxy - following the West System instructions. The ply can be finished finished with paint and/or clear varnish. That is what we are doing . . .

[RobinJ]

Thoroughly prepare and paint the steel first with at least two coats of undercoat and three of top coat. Then use a good quality exterior ply for the linings. The ply needs to be coated on all sides with West System epoxy - following the West System instructions. The ply can be finished finished with paint and/or clear varnish. That is what we are doing . . .

Excellent suggestions!

Most of the ply I have installed (including the deck boards) I have edged with hardwood first, this helps to stop any separation of the ply in the presence of water etc.

Also if the return is far enough away from the edge, a slot can be cut in the back of the wood to accept it (may mean rather thicker edging) giving a cleaner finish?

[WotEver]

All great suggestions, thanks. Two questions:

 

1. Can you get hardwood-veneered (ash/oak/whatever) WBP ply, or would I have to veneer it myself?

 

2. I've heard of but never used or seen West Systems Epoxy. They appear to do several different ranges - what am I looking for for this application?

 

Thanks,

Tony

[soldthehouse]

All great suggestions, thanks. Two questions:

 

1. Can you get hardwood-veneered (ash/oak/whatever) WBP ply, or would I have to veneer it myself?

 

2. I've heard of but never used or seen West Systems Epoxy. They appear to do several different ranges - what am I looking for for this application?

 

Thanks,

Tony

Is this a wind up I thought you were a timber man after your contributions in previous threads!!

[WotEver]

Is this a wind up I thought you were a timber man after your contributions in previous threads!!

I know what I know, and that which I don't know, I'm not afraid to ask about

 

Tony

[NB Alnwick]

All great suggestions, thanks. Two questions:

 

1. Can you get hardwood-veneered (ash/oak/whatever) WBP ply, or would I have to veneer it myself?

 

2. I've heard of but never used or seen West Systems Epoxy. They appear to do several different ranges - what am I looking for for this application?

 

Thanks,

Tony

 

You will get all the answers you need here:

 

http://www.robbins.co.uk/

[real_vibes]

How are you fundamentally fixing the wood to the metal. Is it the norm to use adhesive? I currently have a set of leaky hatches, this is due to a poor quality job done by the previous owner. He has fixed thin ply in place without the depth required to allow a snug shut. U assume he has no more nailed it (or similar) to the metal, is this the norm? Yo replace I imagine I should just model my new hatches on the set that fit snugly and work and glue in place (once I have sanded and treated the metal underneath)?

 

'poor speelling the gamet due to uPhone!!!

[WotEver]

How are you fundamentally fixing the wood to the metal.

On ours, and this is pretty common practice, the return on the steel doors has a couple of small holes on each side, to take say 30mm #5 screws which screw into the edges of the ply. Not a strong fixing my any means, but the inserts are only decorative, so as long as they're a snug fit, it doesn't need to be.

 

As I said in the OP I'd quite like to set the panels into a surround of Marineflex, but I'm not sure they'd ever come back out if I did.

 

Tony

[ChrisPy]

if you want to make the job permanent use Balcotan or similar polyurethane adhesive. It works like the insulation material but it doesn't expand so much. It does creep round the edges and produce a pretty good edge seal.

Again .... Robbins, or other brands from Wickes or Screwfix.

[WotEver]

if you want to make the job permanent use Balcotan or similar polyurethane adhesive.

I'm a fan of PU woodworking adhesive for rustic and/or weatherproof jobs, as evidenced by the black stains on my fingers (when oh when will I remember to put on latex gloves when gluing up?).

 

I wouldn't want it to be that permanent though.

 

Tony