Rebuiding seats... what to seal them with?

[JimG]

I'm rebuilding the back seat in my virage and noticed that the old rotten wood has some type of sealer on it. What is this? Some people say its fiberglass, others say some type of varnish but I have no idea. I'm a novice boater so some specifics on applying this stuff and exactly what type of coating this is would be great. Thanks, Jim

[RONNIE]

use West system epoxy James

[Rickracer]

I laminated them with a layer of glass cloth rolled out very wet, and they have already outlasted the PT wood that I used before, and still look like new. May not be the best way, but it worked well for me. :cool:

[pyro]

Visit www.rotdoctor.com

Buy a 2 quart kit of their CPES (Clear Penetrating epoxy Sealer) resin. This stuff is almost water-thin, it's a special blend of solvents and resins with some chemicals derived from tree sap among other things. It comes in two cans, part A and part B, they are mixed 50/50. I swear by the stuff. It soaks all the way through the wood. Once treated, the wood will never rot.

It doesn't matter what you COAT the wood with, once the moisture finds its way in, it will still rot. Once it's treated with CPES, you don't have to coat it with anything.

If you have an area that's starting to flex and get soft, Soak the hell out of it with this resin, do it twice, 24 hrs. between. It will be harder that new. The stuff is expensive, and it will give you a mild buzz and headache, but it's worth it.

I did all my seat frames in my Vegas XT with it. Now they are preserved forever.

They did a lab test with the stuff, they took a long 4x4 balsa log and bored a hole halfway into the side, and poured it in the hole. They did this with every similar product on the market. CPES traveled 18 inches through the wood grain. The next best product did 4 inches, from what i recall. GET SOME.

-Chad

[Rickracer]

:D

[JimG]

Thanks very much guys. Pyro, I just checked that stuff out and it looks pretty good. I'll probably go with that since it seems pretty easy to apply and it isnt that expensive. One question though. Did you apply that stuff after you assembled the frame or before. I was kinda lookin for something that would bond everything together also.

Ronnie, is the West system epoxy whats holding all those little blocks of wood the are glued all over my boat for attachment points for the radio and dash and stuff like that?

[pyro]

It depends on how you plan to assemble it. Epoxies and polyester resins will stick much better to the wood treated with CPES than it will to untreated wood. Go ahead and cut all the wood parts to shape, then treat each one. The edges of plywood will soak up a LOT of the stuff. Just keep applying it until it won't soak up any more. Then let it sit overnight (outdoors maybe, it stinks) and do it again the next day. Put it together however you like, stock seats are mostly stapled together. Make it even better if you want, let it dry another couple of days, then coat it with West epoxy. That seat will last forever.

[Techno]

You just hit the staple on the head!
The wood is sealed and then you pump staples through the sealed surface into the wood.
The only way I know to prevent a future problem is to bond a sacrificial tack strip in. If this rots you just change it while the rest of the system stays solid. If it never does rot-cheap insurance.

[Liqui-Fly]

Haven't done it yet but plan on cutting a dado about and inch wide around the perimeter of the seat back and then using epoxy bond a tack strip in flush with back...if ya know what I mean...

My alter ego said just by new ply and replce it every once and a while and stop trying to build a piano...not to mention resins are very heavy.

David

[Jeff_G]

Why spend the big dollars and work? Just use pressure treated plywood from the local lumber yard. treated all the way through will outlast the boat and easy to work with. Put sopme vent holes in so it will dry faster and away you go. Don't try to put anything on PT though. Simple, and cheap.

[gtsmpuc]

Have done two large offshore boat interiors that get more use than most boats I know of as far as water and people jumping around on them and not getting taken care of. After the seats are completely assembled cover tehm with regular fiberglasss resin. Mix it just like you were about to lay glss just cover all the wood. Brush over all surfaces not putting it on real thick. Cover with foam and fabric staple with stainless. Can't beat it. The foam and stiching will rot before anything else.