Pros and cons of aluminum decking vs plywood decking

I wanted to expand the topic to say for riveted boat but couldn't.

I know that the aluminum would last forever and the plywood has a lifespan, but other than that...

I bought a riveted boat. This is my first aluminum boat so this is my first time.

I am trying to contain the cost of my mods so that my inexpensive boat doesn't wind up being an expensive boat. That being said, it looks like the plywood deck would be less expensive. But, by the time you apply the various coatings for rot and skid prevention, how close to the cost of aluminum plating will you get? I am still trying to figure out how best to treat the plywood. I don't think I want carpet, so it would be plywood with a nonskid surface applied.

Then there is the feel. When done right, would the plywood deck have as good of a feel as the aluminum? I really like the look of those aluminum decks, but maybe a well done wood deck would be as nice.

If I went the aluminum route, welding would be out of the question. I have never welded and dont have a tig welding machine. The tig welder would cost as much as several boats. I was looking at several aluminum brazing products online. They look interesting, but the demos show people working on small pieces. I don't know how well this would work when attaching aluminum angles to the hull or attaching aluminum decking to the ribs. Screwing or riveting might be a viable option. The riveting tools are inexpensive. Since the hull is riveted, I don't know if there is any reason why the decking and supports shouldn't also be riveted.

There is also a middle ground. Could rivet an aluminum frame and the screw a wood deck to it. Plywood would be easier to cut.

I would like some advice from the more experienced boat builders on this site. I don't want a sentimental family keepsake as much as an affordable functional fishing boat. I will use this in shallow inshore saltwater flats and marshes, and will put a mudmotor on it.

Thank you!

Another option, one I'm going with as I switch to aluminum, is a threaded nutsert or compression rivet. Drill the hole, insert the rivet and compression tool, after it's compressed you have a fitting that a screw can thread into to hold the aluminum down. Plus for maintenance you can unscrew the deck and reattach as needed.

As far as aluminum sheet and angle material check around for a metal suppliethatht carries used metal. Many times you can finreturneded material from someone that ordered extra. It's still new but sells at a used price. That's where I got all of mine at $2.50 a pound.

I'm a big aluminum fan!

As you said, once you treat, seal, and paint plywood .... it costs about the same as a sheet of aluminum.

Old aluminum ladders make excellent bracing material. I've gotten a few 20 foot ladders off Craigslist for less than $20. Its a great option.

Riveting is the way to go ... with some nuts and bolts thrown in where you need them. A good rivet gun shouldn't be more than $50 and rivets are fairly cheap.

Spend a lot of time sitting in your boat thinking and visualizing what you want .... then draw some pictures .... refine them .... and just get started.

tsaints1115 said:

Another option, one I'm going with as I switch to aluminum, is a threaded nutsert or compression rivet. Drill the hole, insert the rivet and compression tool, after it's compressed you have a fitting that a screw can thread into to hold the aluminum down. Plus for maintenance you can unscrew the deck and reattach as needed.

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Now that sounds intriguing. Can you point me to a link/site for these? Or advise where I can find them?

I am starting to like the idea of aluminum sheet metal for decking instead of those fancy tread plates. If sheet metal is good enough for the hull then why not for a false floor? Most people are already standing on the sheet metal hull anyway. I think I am going to use sheet metal and spray bed liner on it!

One way to look at it is like this. Most of these old tins boat we are working on and replacing wood is over 25 years old with the wood for the factor that was not sealed the way we are sealing wood now. 25 years is a long time I don't see where it would be the same price metal vs wood. The metal would last forever but
Do you really need that Much time. I think wood would be just fine and a lot easyer to work with and if you mess up a cut a lot less money to buy new wood vs metal. And for carpet. Carpet is for the house leave it at that. I hate carpet in a boat it holds water.

https://www.rivetsonline.com/

This is an online place but I got mine at Menards.

If I chose to go with a plywood floor, could I rivet it to the aluminum ribs, or would the rivets tear through the wood?

Most people just use stainless screws to attach it. I don't see why you could not use rivets if you can find some that will be long enough to work.

Go aluminum if you can. More expensive that's its only con.

Jeffrey said:

If I chose to go with a plywood floor, could I rivet it to the aluminum ribs, or would the rivets tear through the wood?

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I rivited my wood deck to the ribs, no issues and easy to remove if needed. I used 1/4" ply (over blue board) for the floor decks.

Ictalurus said:

Jeffrey said:

If I chose to go with a plywood floor, could I rivet it to the aluminum ribs, or would the rivets tear through the wood?

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I rivited my wood deck to the ribs, no issues and easy to remove if needed. I used 1/4" ply (over blue board) for the floor decks.

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Could you post a link to the blue board you used?

Was the blue board between the plywood and ribs or just between the ribs?

What did you coat the plywood with?

Jeffrey said:

Could you post a link to the blue board you used?

Was the blue board between the plywood and ribs or just between the ribs?

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The blueboard goes between the ribs. You get the thickness that makes the foam the same height as the ribs so your floor gets support from the ribs and the foam. Here's one example of the blueboard but it comes in different sizes and thickness.
https://www.lowes.com/pd_14546-46086-202631_0__?productId=3050997&Ntt=blue+insulation+foam+board&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dblue%2Binsulation%2Bfoam%2Bboard&facetInfo=

The floor of my boat is 51" for most of its length. But, the ribs are 1.5" high. If my floor sits at the level of the ribs, it starts out at around 52.5" wide and narrows over the length of the boat.

If I go with standard size sheets of either plywood or sheet metal, then if I want each piece to span the entire width I will have to cut each piece longways and the have quite a bit of waste.

Do most of you will floors wider than 48" try to make each piece span the width or do you put bracing on the hull midways and have multiple pieces span the width of the boat?

I can't speak from experience since I don't have a boat that wide but one thing I noticed on a build that seemed like a great way to handle that situation. Move the floor material all the way to one side so that it's touching the side. On the other side where the floor is short, you install a rod locker or similar to hide that missing flooring or make it unnecessary.

That's using the ole noggin'.

Jeffrey said:

The floor of my boat is 51" for most of its length. But, the ribs are 1.5" high. If my floor sits at the level of the ribs, it starts out at around 52.5" wide and narrows over the length of the boat.

If I go with standard size sheets of either plywood or sheet metal, then if I want each piece to span the entire width I will have to cut each piece longways and the have quite a bit of waste.

Do most of you will floors wider than 48" try to make each piece span the width or do you put bracing on the hull midways and have multiple pieces span the width of the boat?

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Ok so if I understand this correctly your issue/concern is that standard cut plywood or aluminum sheet 4x8 or 48x96 inches will be ok length wise but will fall short by 3 inches because your floor is 51inches wide. What’s the spacing of your ribs? And what’s the length of the floor.

If there is a rib that falls close to, or on the 4ft mark then make your cut on the center of it and butt your second peace up to it. I think it’s more wasteful to install a rod locker or storage box the length of the whole floor. I think that would be a heck of a lot more expensive just in material than a second piece of plywood or sheet of aluminum. Just saying.

I mean if you can benefit from a rod locker or storage like that then it’s all good, but remember you just lost a whole bunch of floor space. I haven’t seen many rod lockers 3 inches wide.

The width at the floor is 51". The width at the height of the ribs is 52.5" at the back of the boat and narrows as I go forward. I could have a welder tack channels where indeed them, so I could get extra supports. If I used a 48"x144" sheet of aluminum, I could get two pieces that are 52.5" to span the floor, and then have the waste. Maybe that is the way to go, but I could get a lot more efficient use of the sheet metal if I had a channel tacked in the middle and had two pieces of aluminum to span the width of the floor. I would have a seem in the middle, though.