# What type of wood to use for transom?



## morning jigger

I'm replacing the wood transom board on my Sea Nymph and unsure of what type of wood is best to use. I've heard pressure treated.. then I heard pressure treated is bad on alluminum? Any advice is much appritiated!


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## Troy Dave

I have a 12ft cartop boat I did many years ago. Used a piece of oak for the inside beam and covered a piece of plywood with fiberglass for the back plate. Its still good after 20+ years and its always been stored uncovered outside.


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## KaGee

An exterior plywood. Ash wood is good. A good lumber yard should fix you up. Don't use treated. Once you have cut and drilled the piece, seal it in epoxy.


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## muskyhound

as kagee said, coat with epoxy if you dont seal it good it will delaminate if you dont use marine grade, I only use marine ply because the glues they use are water proof, you can also use constrution grade plywood that they use to build concrete forms, do a google on plywoods and you will learn lots.


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## KaGee

A good exterior grade is way cheaper and has glue equal to marine grade. For a transom, you don't need a finished side that you are paying for with marine, unless you really want it to look purty.


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## morning jigger

thanks for the help!


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## I Fish

Go to this site:http://forums.iboats.com/forum.php

Scroll down about half way and you'll see the Boat Restorations, Building and Hull repair. Some great reading here, and people with a lot more experience than I. If you look around, you'll probably find a thread where somebody did exactly what you're doing, usually with pictures. And no, definately do not use treated plywood.


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## jnpcook

Thanks for the useful information.


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## DUTCHHARBOR

Marine grade plywood is what you want you dont need any thing else. It will last you for years


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## 82bassman

Morning jigger,
I have to agree with I Fish. Go to Iboats. I went there for questions about doing my floor and transom. I spent several days in the restoration forum reading prior to doing any work. It is actually easier then one would think. The hardest part is going to be waiting for temps to be above 60 so the resin can set properly. Any exterior grade plywood works. Good luck on your boat.


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## juicebox

you dont need marine ply, exterior grade ply will work great, provided you seal it the right way and don't chince on resin and make sure you actually encase the plywood in glass cloth.


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## Huntinbull

I used the new composite decking material for my transom. Epoxy-ed two pieces together, then cut/planed them to the correct shape/size. Never will rot. Solid as can be.


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## morning jigger

thanks for all the great advice! Gotta love OGF!


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## sherman51

just my 2 pennies. i would use either one of the new composits as listed earlier or marine grade plywood. with something this important i just wouldnt take any chances at all. marine plywood uses a much better glue than others. and its all made out of hardwood. which will stand up to the weather on its own for years. but go ahead and seal it good. either of these done right will last longer than the rest of the boat. and give you complete peace of mind. i put a new floor in my boat, i used marine plywood, sealed it with rhino truck bed liner rubber then sealed all the edges and seams with fiberglass. that floor will still be there when they pry the steering wheel from my cold dead hands.LOL. and there all right about the treated plywood, i have used it before also. just didnt last like i thought it would. just extra weight you dont need. marine plywood does cost just alittle more but no more than you need. why not use it?? you have plenty of reasons to use it, but no real good reasons not to use it. now its all up to you.


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## FISHERBALL

The chemical that's used in pressure treated plywood will corrode aluminum. The glue used in exterior plywood is the same as marine grade. Marine grade uses better wood. I've been using iboats.com for a couple of years, you learn alot from experts. Naval architects & motor designers for major motor companies are members.


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## Dan44149

Never use treated lumber where it will contact any metal that isn't galvanized. Even galvanized metal will be adversely effected by the treated lumber over a short period of time.

You have good advice above on the composite/exterior ply.


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## Dawitner

If you don't want to use plywood you can use a pourable fiberglass material called Seacast. It works great, I did a boat last year with it. 

You first scrape out all the old wood, I used a chainsaw, then you just pour in a new transom. iboats has lots of helpful hints and pictures on their site.


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## Doboy

HEHE,,, ALL GOOD ADVISE! $$$$$!
I own a saw mill,,, Farmers are always asking for locust posts, (they will last 50-75 years in the WET GROUND) and Poplar boards, for the siding of their barns, (+- 100 years out in the elements!) SOOO, when I replaced the transome board on my 14'er I cut a 1 1/4 thick 16"x36" and bolted it on with stainless. I coated it with marine grade varnish,,,the stuff the 'sail guys' use on their teak,,, just to make it purty. +- $15.


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## sliderfan

google homestead hardwoods.they sell nothing but marine lumber and have the best prices i have found.located in ohio


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