'Marine' PLY
Chris Turner
should use Marine Ply. Is this just plywood? And is this something i can
pick up from HBase B&Q? Anything else i should know, like thickness,
gratefully recieved.
TIA,
Chris.
Matt West
It is just an exterior grade of ply and quite common. The
instructions would state marine ply because it withstands a little bit
of water. However, if you shower was to every leak, then you'd
probably have more worries that the plywood panel getting knackered!
Use a thick piece to give you a good flat surface. I used some that
was about 25mm thick. I then coated this in PVA (to make it slightly
more waterproof - but mainly because I'd just done the walls) and then
stuck the tray down with a bed of silicone sealant (3 tubs worth).
Wickes up the Botley Road would be a cheaper source for ply. Or even
better would be Jewsons to the left or the timber merchants on the
right near the A34 flyover.
stuart noble
Matt West wrote in message <7be5jusgscdre5tao...@4ax.com>...
>It is just an exterior grade of ply and quite common. The
>instructions would state marine ply because it withstands a little bit
>of water
signs in Scandinavia apparently, so it must have a pretty high spec.
Chris Turner
Interesting that you bedded the tray down on silicone, as the instructions
say not to do that. However i'm beginning to think that these instructions
are a bit of a disclaimer on the part of the supplier to disscourage anyone
blaming them in any way, as marine ply seems to be associated with building
boats, which is a bit overboard for my tiny shower cubicle!!
Doesn't silicone make for a 'bouncy' base for the tray? The all-knowing
instructions says concrete...
Cheers,
Chris.
"Matt West" <ma...@ox11.com.com> wrote in message
news:7be5jusgscdre5tao...@4ax.com...
Ledswinger
news:agum0m$ai0$1...@news.ox.ac.uk...
> Matt,
>
> Interesting that you bedded the tray down on silicone, as the instructions
> say not to do that. However i'm beginning to think that these
instructions
> are a bit of a disclaimer on the part of the supplier to disscourage
anyone
> blaming them in any way, as marine ply seems to be associated with
building
> boats, which is a bit overboard for my tiny shower cubicle!!
>
Well, if it is a standard stone resin tray, then it'll probably have a
warranty as long as your arm (mine came with 25 years warranty). Over that
length of time, if *you* were underwriting your product's durability, then
you'd want to be certain that it is installed correctly, and you won't be
footing the bill for "alternative" installations. On the basis that they
know their stuff, follow the maker's instructions absolutely.
> Doesn't silicone make for a 'bouncy' base for the tray? The all-knowing
> instructions says concrete...
>
Mine offered silicone or cement as options. I opted for silicone, and there
is no bounce at all. With a 75lb tray the silicone gets squeezed down very
tightly, and instead of being just a sealing compound, the silicone becomes
a combnined sealant, filler, glue and fastening compound. Works very well
indeed, but don't use it if the instructions rule it out.
Led
chris French
<chris....@lang.ox.ac.uk> writes
what used to be called exterior ply? (I've had some outside for about to
years unsealed with no delamination)
So yes anything from the local place should be fine.
I used 18mm ply under mine, supported on 4x2 timber, bedded onto a
sand/cement mortar (don't use to much)
--
Chris French, Leeds
Paul Mc Cann
There is a BIG difference between marine ply and exterior grade ply,
both in price and quality.
If the spec called for marine ply then exterior grade would not be a
suitable substitute. (Im not arguing the rights or wrongs of the spec.
However the very real risk of leakage in this situation would IMHO
warrant using the best material available. A leak here could go
un-noticed until it had causes considerable damage.)
One of the factors affecting the deterioration of play s the existence
of voids within the plys. Moisture here causes the ply to bubble and
de-laminate. Marine grade ISTR is guaranteed to have no voids
whatsover, among its other superior qualities.
Shop fitters regularly use exterior grade ply in lieu of marine grade
when manufacturing outside name boards. Invariable these break down
within a short period of time exhibiting the problems detailed above
Paul Mc Cann
James Day
But not to high impact loads - which a (stone) shower tray would
impart - especially when your trying to manhandle it into position
-they are somewhat heavy. Ply, even 25mm will bend a little, MDF I
suspect would snap. Try standing on an MDF plank if you don't believe
me.
James Day
Matt West
<cjtur...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Matt,
>
>Interesting that you bedded the tray down on silicone, as the instructions
>say not to do that. However i'm beginning to think that these instructions
>are a bit of a disclaimer on the part of the supplier to disscourage anyone
>blaming them in any way, as marine ply seems to be associated with building
>boats, which is a bit overboard for my tiny shower cubicle!!
>
>Doesn't silicone make for a 'bouncy' base for the tray? The all-knowing
>instructions says concrete...
Yes, my instructions said concrete, but that seemed too messy and
would of been virtually impossible for my installation as I had to
virtually drag the tray across the ply base to get it into the slot
(walls on three sides and very tight).
In fact it didn't really need anything. The shower tray was machined
flat on the underside and sat well on the ply. I used silicone as it
would squelch out easily and wouldn't leave cavities under the tray,
yet would be thin enough so the tray sat on the ply base and not on a
thick bed of gunk. Silicone is also a good glue.
If you can install the tray without leaving cavities underneath, then
I'm sure you don't have to use concrete. The manufacturers are just
covering their arse.
stuart noble
James Day wrote in message <3d335295....@news.demon.co.uk>...
>>I would have thought exterior MDF might be better. They use it for road
>>signs in Scandinavia apparently, so it must have a pretty high spec.
>
>But not to high impact loads - which a (stone) shower tray would
>impart - especially when your trying to manhandle it into position
>-they are somewhat heavy. Ply, even 25mm will bend a little, MDF I
>suspect would snap. Try standing on an MDF plank if you don't believe
>me.
metre square, and an inch thick. And presumably the less movement the
better.