Re-Boarding Litedeck

[MixingWizard]

Hello all,

I'm about to begin the potentially arduous task of re-boarding 40x 8x4 decks. It seems like it should be relatively straightforward, but as I've never done it before I could use a quick idiot check. 

I'm planning on using 18mm class 2 hex board sheets sourced from a flight case company, as it seems to be the most cost effective way of doing it, and saves me having to paint them all beforehand. Can anyone see a potential issue with this? I looked at marine grade but it's insanely expensive, and as far as I'm aware they come with class 2 as standard. 

Next up I'll make some jigs to attach to the bolt holes on the frame, allowing me to line up the board nicely with the correct amount of overlap. I'm hoping the boards will just drop in place without needing any trimming but I suspect that won't be the case.

Then I guess just Tek screws to the aluminium!

Sounds easy. Am I missing anything?

Cheers,

MixingWizard

[TomHoward]

How much are the hex board sheets costing if you don't mind me asking if they are cheaper than marine ply?
I guess you won't be able to repaint if that makes a difference?

We use Wickes hardwood ply (£40 a sheet, £36 with the discount card) and Leyland Trade Vinyl Silk black - but ours is Steeldeck so that is pretty much what it comes with.
We don't trim the ply - let it hang over 3mm-ish on all edges and to be honest we don't jig it just line it up over all edges.

Try not to put the Tek screws through where the bolt holes are...

[Stuart91]

As Tom says, the drawback with hex board is that it's much harder to touch up or repair afterwards. A gouge in standard ply can be filled, sanded and repainted. Which is a bit of a faff but certainly cheaper overall than fresh wood. 

[Stuart91]

Hex is also quite slippery out of doors if that's an issue. 

[MixingWizard]

Interesting, that was actually one of the reasons I was going for it - I assumed the texture would be grippier.

[MixingWizard]

2 hours ago, TomHoward said:

How much are the hex board sheets costing if you don't mind me asking if they are cheaper than marine ply?
I guess you won't be able to repaint if that makes a difference?

We use Wickes hardwood ply (£40 a sheet, £36 with the discount card) and Leyland Trade Vinyl Silk black - but ours is Steeldeck so that is pretty much what it comes with.
We don't trim the ply - let it hang over 3mm-ish on all edges and to be honest we don't jig it just line it up over all edges.

Try not to put the Tek screws through where the bolt holes are...

Have you done yours post 2020? I haven't found any outdoors rated ply for less than £80 a sheet, let alone marine grade. Admittedly I don't think I checked Wickes as I just assumed it would be more expensive. 

I believe the last quote I had for hex board was around £60 a sheet. I'm now having second thoughts about it. Although I really don't fancy freshly painting 40 plywood boards, I can see how the hex board would scratch easily and look a bit rough if you just painted the gaps. Then again, TopDeck (and it's variants) come with it as standard -maybe it's a tougher version?

https://www.spp.co.uk/flightcase-hexa-plywood

[sandall]

Wickes 18mm 8'x4' is still £40.

[Stuart91]

56 minutes ago, MixingWizard said:

Interesting, that was actually one of the reasons I was going for it - I assumed the texture would be grippier.

I suspect there's more grip than standard ply when they're dry, but less when they're wet. 

My stock of decks includes both, and I certainly prefer the standard ply. 

If you're largely indoors then it's far less of a problem. 

[themadhippy]

Top tip for painting stage decking,DONT use paint with added grit,great for stopping you skating across  the  stage in the wet,but things can get a bit bloody when singists drop to there knees as part of there act.

Edited February 22 by themadhippy

[kerry davies]

Top tip for non-slip Steeldeck? A generous spray of a proprietary cola drink and handfuls of sugar. Temporary and washable with hot water.

Springsteen used to run down from the top of a PA stack and do a knee-slide but most of the audience didn't see the soapy/oiled water he poured on his jeans first.

Edited February 22 by kerry davies

[Stuart91]

I was in a church hall not long after some unruly teenagers had been throwing icing sugar around. Unfortunately someone had tried to mop it up. The resulting sticky mess was apparently almost impossible to shift. 

[ImagineerTom]

18 hours ago, MixingWizard said:

Interesting, that was actually one of the reasons I was going for it - I assumed the texture would be grippier.

Normal, non surfaced ply all the way. You can’t really paint it, if it gets damaged it’s unrepairable and every screw or staple that goes into it adds another point of failure. 
 

Regular ply painted black is cheaper, easily repairable, durable, adaptable / flexible in actual use and will match any other decking you sub in. 
 

as for painting - with a roller (on a stick) it’s reasonably quick; because of the quantities you’re going to do invest in a £30 spray gun from Toolstation and spray paint them: 4-5 thin layers (each one at 45degrees to the last) will give you a fast, even coat in surprisingly little time. 

[TomHoward]

We don't specifically use outdoor rated, just hardboard ply and give it a couple coats of Vinyl Silk & paint the edges.
Painting we use an 18" roller on a pole (one of those ones like a broom that holds both ends) and a paint skuttle that fits it.

It gets wet but it isn't outdoors all the time as such.

Structural Ply you'd think would be a better choice but what we've tried we've found it's a poorer finish and tends to be knotty.
For Wickes you can get 10% further off with the TradePro card - I've signed up as a joiner/carpenter for theatre and it got accepted.

Edited February 24 by TomHoward

[Dave m]

If you were using outside a lot you could use Buffalo Board or similar?

Phenolic 18mm is about £60-70 a sheet but doesn’t need paint.

[MixingWizard]

Thanks for all the advice chaps. I've ended up going for far eastern hardwood ply and have been really impressed with the quality of it. Half way through painting and slightly regretting not getting buffalo board but it'll be worth it when done, and it least it will match anything I hire in.