Diesel soaked plywood

[hd002e]

I hope this is the right forum for this topic.

My boat has exposed plywood floors instead of the pretty teak and holy thats found on all yous pretty yachts . The issue is that the PO (I am also a bit guilty) spilled some in diesel on the plywood and it soaked through. I am on a mission to clean up the boat and get rid off all the smells and the plywood floors are definitely a major contributor. Short of replacing the floor, what can I do to clean the floor? I am even considering painting it to lock in the diesel smell but not confident that paint would stick to a greasy piece of wood.

Thank you!

[tkeithlu]

QUOTE: "Short of replacing the floor, what can I do to clean the floor?"

Replace the floor. I'm sorry, but short of setting fire to the boat, the diesel won't come out of the plywood. The good news is that it is plywood, not teak.

It is possible that you can seal it in, but I very much doubt it.

[Oeanda]

Add a thin layer of more plywood maybe, screw it down, seal and paint/finish it?

[Ogosh]

Well on a good note, it wont rot.

[jeanathon]

Seal it in with oil based product. You could try linseed oil/ turpentine mix first. Try cleaning as much as you can first with a degreaser.

Good news is sealing it in will make those floors look better.

[gamayun]

I soaked a board with diesel and put kitty litter on it and kept it outside for a few days. You could try that. Maybe press down on the kitty litter with something heavy. I'm not sure if it really did all that good (I tried a bunch of things) or if the diesel soaked into other parts around the engine because there's still a really slight smell that I can pick up in my clothing, but I don't really smell it in the boat.

[Oeanda]

Originally Posted by hd002e

plywood floors

Some photos would be a big help.

As jeanathon said, you can try to even it out by applying oil everywhere. Linseed and tung oil formulations are the usual culprits. It will probably have a dark rustic mottled appearance but it could also be quite pleasant, depending on what sort of decor you have going in there now

[Cheechako]

I would replace it, but if it's quality ply and you'd rather not, I would:
- wash the surface with Joy, Dawn etc. Mixed strong in warm water. But do not let the water sit a long time on the wood, wash/rinse/rub water off with a towel.
-Acetone, MEK, or any de-oiling solvent even could be used, but the dish detergent de oils very well. Do this outside. Let it dry outside.

-If it is bare plywood, then you will likely need to sand a bit with maybe 80 grit as the washing will raise some grain.
-Now seal it with Zinnser Shellac. (not any of the faux white shellac like products) Shellac can be used with Mineral Oil and on oily woods also like Teak and Cedar.. So I suspect it will work with the Diesel.
-Do a test spot and let it dry.
-If all seems good, Then I would select a good old fashioned oil based enamel to finish up. I wont use latex paint on a boat, but you could even use EXTERIOR high quality Latex house paint. The good stuff ($45 a gallon and up pre inflation) Use a quality name, not like Behr or Valspar commonly sold at the big box stores. They have their own mix especially to make big profit. Sherwin Williams or Dutch Boy are good.

[glenn.225]

Originally Posted by gamayun

I soaked a board with diesel and put kitty litter on it and kept it outside for a few days. You could try that. Maybe press down on the kitty litter with something heavy. I'm not sure if it really did all that good (I tried a bunch of things) or if the diesel soaked into other parts around the engine because there's still a really slight smell that I can pick up in my clothing, but I don't really smell it in the boat.

We used to use Varsol (available as dry cleaning fluid, paint thinner) and asborball (kitty litter) to clean the shop floor, would come out very clean. Not necessarily the most environmentally friendly thing to do.


Soak the varsol in a bit with a old paint brush then cover with the absorbent material and leave for a couple hours. Repeat if necessary.

It will take most of the fuel out and you should be able to seal it with some sealer.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

QUOTE: "Short of replacing the floor, what can I do to clean the floor?"

Replace the floor. I'm sorry, but short of setting fire to the boat, the diesel won't come out of the plywood. The good news is that it is plywood, not teak.

It is possible that you can seal it in, but I very much doubt it.

I'm with tkeithlu on this one. It is that once the diesel has soaked clear through the 5 layers or 7 layers of plywood, I find the thought of adequately sealing it hard to envision. You would be able to get most of the outer skid, but those places where the hull curves up, and the underside of the plywood has been cut away to help the sole with the curve will be very thin and porous.

That said, it is probably cheaper to make an attempt with the sealer and paint, so you could make the experiment. If you decide to do that, PLEASE let us know how it works. Thanks in advance.

Ann

[RaymondR]

Try white spirits.