What kind of wood?

Hi folks, I dont have a whole lot of background with a lot of this stuff.. (Am a young kid, go figure..) I used to work construction (laying brick) and took multiple metals classes in school, but only one woods class. Any types of wood i should avoid for my supports? I know pine is a much softer wood than.. Oak or something along those lines. Do you guys think 2x2s will be strong enough? I am going to use 2x4 around the base of my butt seat, and the beams across in front and back of it, because i will be leaning on it a lot more than just putting pressure by sitting straight down. Maybe even more 2x4s than that.. Any input? Thanks!

i cant comment on what type of woulds other than treated is a no-no as the preservative eats aluminum. so you do non-treated and seal it with spar urethane.

I would go with 2x4's for extra strength. It shouldn't add too much weight and will add some strength to the frame. As far as the seat goes, it may be over kill but I would double the plywood underneath the seat base and then run 2x4's across the bottom of the plywood and tie them into the frame, might even be worth running them from front to back and side to side. That should be strong enough to hold up to anything you throw at it. As far as kinds of wood goes, I believe most 2x4's and other cuts you find at Lowes and such are pine because they are cheap and strong. Oak and just about any other wood is going to add to the expense and unless you are going for nice wood grain for looks it really isn't necessary. Plywood is probably pine too but I am not positive on that.
Chris

Yeah, that was kinda my plan running the 2x4s underneath forward back and side to side, in a cross, intersecting at the base of my seat. So they will be about 6 or 7 inches apart, depending on how big the base of my seat is. If i feel like i should or could get away with using 2x2s, i will just rip a 2x4 in half. But that can sometimes be a pain, if they are warped. (2x2's arent literally 2"x2".. are they? because i know "2x4s" are like 1.5x3 or something in actuality.) Is pressure treated wood a no go?

As stated already, avoid using any treated lumber. If constructed properly, 2x2's will be more than strong enough for any load you boat will carry. You might think that if 2x2 is good then 2x4 is better, but there is one problem with that. You're working with a boat that has limits on how much weight it can hold afloat and even if the boat can stay afloat, every bit of added weight means less speed. If you've got more speed than you want and you're sure your boat can handle the load, don't worry about the weight. As far as woods go, pine, spruce, and fir are most common in the majority of the country. For your plywood be sure to get "exterior" rated (not treated) plywood. Look around at the mods others have done with wood and get some ideas on construction methods and design before you start.

Yeah, i have a fairly shallow boat. Its an old Alumacraft Model F. Im thinking im going to need to run 2 batteries in there too.. (fishfinder, trolling motor, and pumps.. etc) Im going to go with 3/8 plywood i think, cause I only weigh 160. So maybe the thin plywood will shave off a little weight. But when Im in a tournament with a livewell full of 5 pounders, that will add a bit of weight im sure.. So yea i have to keep this thing as light as possible. Im thinking im going to deck the back half of the boat too. Just a little lower that in front.

JMichael said:

If constructed properly, 2x2's will be more than strong enough for any load you boat will carry.

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X2

I'm lucky to have a full wood shop. I figure a 1" X 2 1/2" piece of poplar is stronger than a 2X4. I'm not a big fan
of using 2X4s in boats an attitude I can afford because of my shop.
If I had a welding set up I'd use aluminum.

Here's a good link:
https://intheboatshed.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48:wood-types-and-uses&catid=43:general-boat-building-techniques&Itemid=68