Eureka - Deck Choice

[imafigureskater]

Hi all! I have actually posed most of this question to Michael via email, but thought I would post it to the other experts here.

I think I may want to make the decks have a little bit of a statement. Can I simply pick a wood veneer and laminate it onto 4mm gaboon? I will cover the entire deck with epoxy. If I do, do I need to laminate two plus to keep an odd number? Do I need to worry about the rotting properties etc?

Ok, for an even crazier question - could I decopauge the deck? (ie, glue on pictures etc.) Would that hold up to the epoxy covering? If I make it look beautiful, would that be an area to throw a lightweight glass over? It seems stupid to glass an area that doesn't see much action, but if I spend time on something like that, I would want it protected!

Finally, since the deck is above the water line and will be epoxy covered, can I just buy a cheap sheet of doorskin plywood or do I need to buy actual gaboon?

Thanks all!

Danielle

[imafigureskater]

Ok - it seems like I officially posted "yesterday" again - I will elaborate on my decopauge idea.

Since the decks on the tanks for the Eureka are fairly small, and I am wanting to use this to canoe around here in Florida, my thought was to take different brochures from different places to canoe around here and use them to decorate the deck and really personalize the canoe.

So ... there are two questions here - 1) is this a workable idea or will the paper and epoxy not mix. and 2) do you all think this will look cool or stupid?

[bitingmidge]

It's today now!

Yep, two posts: 10:28pm and 12.45 am, and you are still online!

I rather like the decoupage idea! I'd epoxy the deck first, and sand it well. You may have to use epoxy for gluing down the bits just to ensure adhesion, or maybe something like superglue would work. In either case you really need to experiment.

My guess would be to just use a very light varnish-thin coat of epoxy and place the pics down on it. Alternatively, I suspect you could just use varnish?

Controlling the finish won't be as easy with epoxy as it will with traditional decoupage varnish.

It's worth giving it a go, I think it could look fantastic.


Can I simply pick a wood veneer and laminate it onto 4mm gaboon? I will cover the entire deck with epoxy. If I do, do I need to laminate two plus to keep an odd number? Do I need to worry about the rotting properties etc?
Finally, since the deck is above the water line and will be epoxy covered, can I just buy a cheap sheet of doorskin plywood or do I need to buy actual gaboon?

Glueing wood veneer onto the deck will work well as well, search for information on "marquetry" for ideas. Once it's encapsulated in epoxy and varnish it will be well protected.

Don't use the door-skin ply. It's relatively heavy and doesn't have a waterproof glue, it has fewer plys as well, so won't be near as durable even when epoxy coated.

Cheers,
P

[imafigureskater]

It's today now!

Yep, two posts: 10:28pm and 12.45 am, and you are still online!


I am about to go to bed now though ;-)

I am rather liking the idea of getting the brochures for places here in Florida and decopauging with them so that the canoe is particularly mine. Of course, that part is down the road a bit. I still have to find the ply! ;-)

[Boatmik]

haha

Love the decoupage idea. I would do some test runs to see how the paper was affected by the epoxy too. It might go too transparent.

If you went crazy with the decoupage it wouldn't only be a boat - it would become an art-piece!

I'd make sure there was a good 3 or 6mm gap between the edge of the decoupage and the deck plywood edge too - just to make sure it did not provide a wick for water to get in.

Best wishes
Michael

[Boatmik]

Another thought - though more technically complex is to use two veneers on the deck and inlay some veneer in a pattern that reflects something about Florida or something about your life or thinking.

There would be squillions of links on this board to things of this type.

Michael

[imafigureskater]

haha

Love the decoupage idea. I would do some test runs to see how the paper was affected by the epoxy too. It might go too transparent.

If you went crazy with the decoupage it wouldn't only be a boat - it would become an art-piece!

I'd make sure there was a good 3 or 6mm gap between the edge of the decoupage and the deck plywood edge too - just to make sure it did not provide a wick for water to get in.

Best wishes
Michael

I was a little worried about the transparent possibility not knowing anything practical about epoxy yet. I guess I will take some scrap wood and play with "leftover" epoxy from the initial parts of the build.

I had thought about going crazy when I was looking at a kayak and decided 1 - that is way too much work - and two, I didn't think I would like the look. Now, I am thinking I like the idea of doing something on the smaller deck. Thanks for the caution and I will let you all know how and when I do it!