Wood for interior/flooring (combined thread)?

[dogeconomics]

Hi there.

I'm in the process restoring a 1966 Bristol 24. Really fantastic boat. The idea is to get her back to her original look, as the previous owner had made some modifications. The original Teak and Mahogany are salvageable but all the laminates and varnishes need to be replaced. Hoping to use real wood. Also thinking about doing the hull sides throughout. We've looked at a number of different woods but are having difficulty deciding. Cherry seems too stiff, Mahogany too expensive, and I'm not certain how Cedar would turn out. Any thoughts or stories? If you are willing to share some images I'd be grateful!

[atoll]

getting a good interiour is really not that difficult,using reasonable quality malaysian ply wood with good coatings will provide low cost surfaces.

for trim if you have a resonably robust router oak,iroko or mohogany can be used to good effect.

see my refit of my mackwester 26 here.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rew-59975.html

[ozskipper]

Its dependant on local materials and wood types of course. But take notice of changes in more modern boats. Newer boats are using lighter coloured timbers, which of course makes the boat appear more airy.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by cmkelly

Hi there.

I'm in the process restoring a 1966 Bristol 24. Really fantastic boat. The idea is to get her back to her original look, as the previous owner had made some modifications. The original Teak and Mahogany are salvageable but all the laminates and varnishes need to be replaced. Hoping to use real wood. Also thinking about doing the hull sides throughout. We've looked at a number of different woods but are having difficulty deciding. Cherry seems too stiff, Mahogany too expensive, and I'm not certain how Cedar would turn out. Any thoughts or stories? If you are willing to share some images I'd be grateful!

On my 31.1 Bristol used Bruynzeel teak plywood for the bulkheads and other laminated parts, they are still in business so might be a good choice (but expensive I suspect)

I take it your interior is mahogany and the exterior parts are teak?

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

Its dependant on local materials and wood types of course. But take notice of changes in more modern boats. Newer boats are using lighter coloured timbers, which of course makes the boat appear more airy.

Although I love teak, I do like cherry and the lighter woods.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, cmkelly.

[dogeconomics]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, cmkelly.

Thanks! This is my first boat. Very excited.

[dogeconomics]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

On my 31.1 Bristol used Bruynzeel teak plywood for the bulkheads and other laminated parts, they are still in business so might be a good choice (but expensive I suspect)

I take it your interior is mahogany and the exterior parts are teak?

Yep. I was hoping to do strips instead of the plywood and laminate.

[MarkSF]

I thought that plywood was used for the bulkheads partly because of it's strength and stiffness.

[CarinaPDX]

This is not a one size fits all problem. You will be looking at different woods for different applications. If you want to go back to the original look you will probably be using teak or mahogany, but I would recommend against that. Not only are lighter woods more common in newer yachts, they are used for a reason: they make for a brighter, cheerier interior. So does using white paint and white laminate. So think a bit about the look you want.

As for plywood, I find teak-veneered plywood (or most plywood with a hardwood veneer) a pain and also too darkening to the interior. Oiling or varnishing will not only darken over time, but the number of times the finish can be sanded is very few. As far as plywood I would recommend either painting it or covering it with a plain laminate. This not only brightens the interior, it sets off the solid woods used elsewhere. Personally I don't think using the hideously expensive Bruynzeel plywood in the interior is justified, but if you want to toss away a pot of money be my guest. A quality waterproof plywood will do nicely, but check the surface if you are painting. OTOH for uses where the plywood might get exposed to water, such as a deck or house then by all means stretch to get the Bruynzeel.

For ceilings (the horizontal strips on the inside of the hull) I would recommend cedar, preferably Port Orford cedar but if not then yellow cedar. Attach 1/2" vertical furring strips to the hull first, then screw the ceilings into them. The space provided behind the ceilings will allow condensation to run off the hull, and will make it a LOT easier to fit the ceilings smoothly.

For solid woods you can use practically any hardwood. You don't need teak - its properties aren't particularly useful inside, it doesn't hold varnish well, and it darkens the interior. Mahogany does hold varnish well, but also darkens the interior. Don't be reluctant to mix woods; teak or mahogany trim really stands out against a maple counter top for instance.

Greg

[dogeconomics]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

As far as plywood I would recommend either painting it or covering it with a plain laminate. This not only brightens the interior, it sets off the solid woods used elsewhere.

I must replace the plywood on the headliner. Water damage and whatnot. We've talked about doing the wood strips instead. Definitely don't want it too dark in there, but if I'm going to have white paint I want to offset them with a richer colored wood. Cedar seems to be a good bet, from what I've read. No pots of money to throw away here.

[CarinaPDX]

Do you mean thin plywood with vinyl or laminate on it that is mounted below the overhead? If that is the case then I would probably not put strips under the deck - whatever you do, you will want to have easy access to the underside of the overhead for fasteners and possible leaks. In that case a plain laminate can do a nice job.

Greg

[dogeconomics]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Do you mean thin plywood with vinyl or laminate on it that is mounted below the overhead? If that is the case then I would probably not put strips under the deck - whatever you do, you will want to have easy access to the underside of the overhead for fasteners and possible leaks. In that case a plain laminate can do a nice job.

Greg

Is a single board not easier to remove than laminate in the case of leakage? I definitely see your point about fasteners though. Hm.

[CarinaPDX]

One way to do it is to put some furring strips on the overhead, then screw the laminate directly to the strips. Of course some pads would have to be located for lamps, etc, such that the mounting screws pass through the laminate into the wood. The plain laminate is strong enough on its own: no need to glue to a backing plywood.

Greg

[ssanzone]

based on the tone of your original post, i inferred that the goal is to restore her to her original condition (ascetically).

assuming that is correct, the comments about brightening up the cabin as less applicable.

Can you let us know what you have in mind as a budget?

I just took possession of genuine mahogany for $7 per linear foot (which is REALLY cheap).

are you planning on bulkheads, hulls, headliners?

with a bit more info you will get some creative solutions.

also, what is your aptitude for word working?