What Glue to stick wood battens to metal Hull

[DandGNWales]

We are just cruising our newly purchased project 55 foot Narrow Boat Home. I will be stripping out the cabin side and roof wood, so I assume I would glue some wooden battens to the hull metal then screw or nail the ash or oak faced ply to the battens, so if I have it correct what is the best glue to use, as I want this to be a one time upgrade

[Ex- Member]

Screw and screw

 

Stixall is the best glue I've ever come across, it's a sealer as well and a multipurpose adhesive. Even with a good adhesive like Stixall I would screw using tek screws as well.

 

Adhisives like Gripfill will likely fail as they dry brittle, I'm so glad we screwed as we did use Gripfill initially much of it failed within a year.

[W+T]

Hi, i would first see once you have stripped it out how the original battens are fixed in place, if they are screwed in place i would just rip out battens and screws and reuse the hole to fit new battons with screws.

If they are stuck in place, it will be a task to get the old ones off, and then if you dont want to drill knew holes i would use a Sikaflex, there are many different types to choose from but they are an excellent silicone/glue, not cheap but good.

Is the roof cladding curved?

 

 

wolly

[GUMPY]

Hilti gun is your friend

[ditchcrawler]

Hilti gun is your friend

I have seen a boat battened like that, when he finished he went round the outside of the cabin with a grinder taking the points off.

[W+T]

Hilti gun is your friend

 

 

Ah yes, why didnt i think of that, good bit of kit

[ditchcrawler]

I stuck the wood to the inside of my steel side doors with No Nails and I had hell of of a job getting the wood off after 10 years. split the ply and removed with a chisel in the end

[bizzard]

About 15 years ago I used an old steel workmans privy as a tool shed. I stuck a wooden batton on either side inside to support a shelf with the original No-nails without even cleaning the metal walls first, I just held em there for ten minutes then plonked a ply shelf on them. The privy is being used elswhere here now not by me but the shelf is still holding up with mountains of heavy paint tins and stuff on it. The original No-nails seemed better and more powerful than the latest stuff.

The bog roll holder is still in it too.

[Neil2]

There was a lengthy discussion on this subject not long ago http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=60597&hl=glue#entry1152945

About 15 years ago I used an old steel workmans privy as a tool shed. I stuck a wooden batton on either side inside to support a shelf with the original No-nails without even cleaning the metal walls first, I just held em there for ten minutes then plonked a ply shelf on them. The privy is being used elswhere here now not by me but the shelf is still holding up with mountains of heavy paint tins and stuff on it. The original No-nails seemed better and more powerful than the latest stuff.

The bog roll holder is still in it too.

That's my experience too - a lot of tradesmen swear by no nails but they are talking about the stuff from 10-15 years ago. The modern stuff just doesn't seem as good. I'm a Gripfill fan, but I bow to the greater experience of guys like Julynian so I'd be inclined to give Stixall a try next time I have the need.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Neil2

[ditchcrawler]

About 15 years ago I used an old steel workmans privy as a tool shed. I stuck a wooden batton on either side inside to support a shelf with the original No-nails without even cleaning the metal walls first, I just held em there for ten minutes then plonked a ply shelf on them. The privy is being used elswhere here now not by me but the shelf is still holding up with mountains of heavy paint tins and stuff on it. The original No-nails seemed better and more powerful than the latest stuff.

The bog roll holder is still in it too.

Yes the eco stuff that is water based is a waste of time IMO

[Bones]

Yes the eco stuff that is water based is a waste of time IMO

 

What us the non eco version of glue to stick polystyrene to steal?

[smileypete]

What us the non eco version of glue to stick polystyrene to steal?

 

Maybe dot and dab with spray foam, used carefully ie not toooo much! Could also be used to fill in gaps, thread earlier about it here:

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=44238

 

Going back to the OPs question I suspect battens will expand and contract width wise with humidity and a thin layer of glue may not reliably cope with this movement. Plywood seems to work better.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited October 20, 2013 by smileypete

[mrsmelly]

We are just cruising our newly purchased project 55 foot Narrow Boat Home. I will be stripping out the cabin side and roof wood, so I assume I would glue some wooden battens to the hull metal then screw or nail the ash or oak faced ply to the battens, so if I have it correct what is the best glue to use, as I want this to be a one time upgrade

Hi

 

i cannot say about modern stuff but in 1999 when there were far less products out there I chose the original " No nails" product and stuck the entire lot of battens to the steel using that with no screws. I then fixed T and G and ply sheets to them using a combination of nails and screws. I sold the boat but am still in touch with the buyer and as yet nothing has budged and all is still solid some 13/14 years later the time saved was humungous against screwing it all on, it depends on how much risk you are willing to undertake I suppose.

 

Tim

[Ex- Member]

Hi

 

i cannot say about modern stuff but in 1999 when there were far less products out there I chose the original " No nails" product and stuck the entire lot of battens to the steel using that with no screws. I then fixed T and G and ply sheets to them using a combination of nails and screws. I sold the boat but am still in touch with the buyer and as yet nothing has budged and all is still solid some 13/14 years later the time saved was humungous against screwing it all on, it depends on how much risk you are willing to undertake I suppose.

 

Tim

 

 

To be honest even if your glue failed at any time nothing much would move as it becomes basically one structure, you might hear a lot of noises though when boat is expanding & contracting, but it would most likely stay in tact.

 

What failed on our boat was batten glued timber to under the gunwale where screwing wasn't possible. The entire length failed both sides even though pressed firmly all the way with studding. I also had occasion to have to remove several battens and again following unscrewing the glue had failed in quite a few places. I was using Gripfill initially which I noticed dried to something like a brittle plastic.

 

I now use a product called Stixall, it dries but not rock hard, more like a hard rubber, it's a glue and sealer, for the past 5 years I've needed no other product for gluing or sealing other than Stixall. I've even stuck metal to glass with it, and a section i stuck in error was a nightmare to remove just a few days later.

 

The modern glues now are a far superior product IMO

[gloswood]

Just battened out our 57ft wedged the top and screwed the bottom glued the center with automotive polyurathane sealant better than gripfill it remains fexible if you try to pull the battens off when cured you split the timber any automotive paint factor will sell it, if you can find one wich is a member of the Trade group, on line (i only say that as thats who we buy our paint through no vested interest) use their own brand pu sealant we pay about £6 a tube+ vat