Duckboards

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

Hey fellow Thingers....

I love the look of duckboards, and want to build a set for my 73....Anyone out there have a list of supplies and building specs I could attain? Thanks ahead of time!!!

Morgan
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[Ferretkona]

I am a carpenter and for US $160 I would not spend the time to build them. Oak, stainless screws and marine grade epoxy glue. The material alone will cost over a hundred. I have the material in the shop and still not worth my time. But the pics should give you a layout. If I was going to build them I would use teak instead. More weather resistant.


http://www.thethingshop.com/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=181DB

[J Flare]

I bought mine on ebay from the Thing shop for $100

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

i seriously didnt expect the materials to run 160 bucks ....I saw them on e-bay for 90 bucks all the time plus shipping...perhaps your right...just seems like a nice weekend project....
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[emersonbiggins]

I made a set for the front of mine for about $20.
I can get 4' oak lathe for .50 a stick. I didn't put as much space between the slats so I have 10 boards instead of nine.

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

adda boy!!!!!!!!!!!! 20 bucks....love it.... any helpful hints before I try?
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[markie61]

Glue all your joints and reinforce with fastener.
I build outdoor furniture to sell and really like PL Premium. It is water-, UV-, temperature-proof and it remains slightly flexible for its life. The wood will break before the glue lets go - very strong. Once tube (its in a caulk tube) costs about $4 and will make 20+ sets of duckboards.
Mark
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Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!?

[MajerThing]

I'm in the process of building mine right now:

2"x1" furring strips
3/4 " screws
varnish/stain

All supplies together total less than $30.

Assuming your furring strips measure 1.5" wide (yes I know they are listed as 2"), just space the strips 1 1/8" from each other.

I'm still working on them but can give any advice (measurements, etc) if you need...

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

Majer..ANY help would be great..measurments and what not......thanks....im getting the car back from having the floors installed then i will build em....thanks again
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[chinarider]

I also do a bit of carpentry (cabinetry & wooden boat building, to be specific). Good that there's a discussion on this topic. I was also planning on making a set in a few months (have a few projects ahead of this).

I have some ebony stock left over from another project - probably just enough to make a set of duckboards. I also like the look of things being all black underfoot (as opposed to a lighter wood). I've had great experience using ebony on boats, and will probably finish this off with tung oil.

If you're planning on using oak - go with white oak over red oak; white has a tighter grain. It doesn't split as easily, and will hold up to moisture better. Also, the tanic acid in oak will eventually corrode steel & iron screws. You'll see this as dark spots where your fittings are. Bronze will last longer, but the best choice would be biscuits or pegs.

Ash is a very good choice for this type of application. It's durable, but not too difficult to work with. It's also inexpensive and easy to find.

Maple is another good choice, and you may be able to work with leftover stock, if you know anyone who does floors, or who has recently had floors done, etc. It's more difficult to work with than other woods, but it's incrediby durable.

Teak is also nice; it's superior for maritime use, but costs a little more & is harder to find. It's a naturally oily wood - which makes it great for outdoor applications, but the oils can also make it difficult to glue.

As for finishes, I like oils - 100% tung oil is what I use most often. It's easy to maintain, durable, and resists moisture well. Minor scratches can usually be fixed with just another coat of oil (no sanding or major prep work needed. It works best with harder, less porous woods.

I personally would avoid varnish (spar varnish, etc.), as it's a little too soft for this type of application. Same goes for lacquer. they both will look good, but just aren't designed for something like duckboards, which will take a lot of wear. Poly would be a much better choice. As with all varnishes, though, keep in mind that when they need refinishing, there will be a lot of sanding involved.

[MajerThing]

I'll try the tung oil. It sounds more low maintenance.

vmx12 - I should finish this weekend. I post measurements when I'm done and everything fits correctly.

[markie61]

Tung oil is great. Keep in mind it comes in different sheens. I would recommend the satin over the gloss since it won't show scuffs.
Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
------------------------------
Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!?

[chinarider]

Yeah, you should get good results with tung oil. When you buy it, keep in mind that there are various finishes these days that are called "tung oil", which contain other oils, drying agents, and very little actual tung oil. Pure tung oil is naturally slow to dry, and these other finishes have mostly come about to get jobs done more quickly. The drawback is that the finish won't penetrate as deep, or be as durable.

The two types of tung oil that you should consider are "pure" and "polymerized". The only chemical difference is that polymerized tung oil has been partially cooked to help the molecules bond, and speed up the drying process. Polymerized tung oil also typically contains thinners.

Pure tung oil will give you more of a matte finish and is slower to dry, whereas polymerized will give you more of a glossy finish, and is faster to dry.

Personally I prefer pure tung oil. I usually thin the first coat to 4 parts turpentine to 1 part tung oil (this will help it penatrate the wood deeper and dry more quickly). Subsequent coats I'd do on a 1 to 1 ratio, and the last coat or two are usually not thinned at all. All coats are rubbed in, and I'd plan on 6-10 coats, since duckboards will take a lot of wear. After that, just maintain them with another coat of oil as needed (maybe every year or so).

Hope you have fun with this. Maybe post some photos of the finished product?

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

thanks for posting the measurments when your finished....will be very helpful.....i can't waite to build em.
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[MajerThing]

I don't think I'll be able to finish the duckboards this weekend. I need a dado-cut saw for the cross members and won't have access to one until Tuesday. I'll gather my measurements and shoot some pictures of what I have so far tonight when I get off work.

[vmx12vmx12vmx12]

appreciated.thanks
_________________
"Don't you say another word about dat boy. Fact'o business, don't you say another word to me. I ain't listening to you no more mmmhhmm"---Slingblade---"I like them French fried potaters"

[markie61]

Someone in Puerto Rico named Won70 posted some pic in the gallery of what appear to be homemade duckboards - very nicely done. They are different from what I've seen in the past in that the top slats are side-to-side instead of front-to-back. They also appear to follow the spacing of the stampings in the floorboards.

Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
------------------------------
Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!?

[Thingster]

I'd think your feet would be more likely to get hung up on side to side duckboards. When they're front to back it'd be easier to get on and off pedals without resistance- as in what if the back of your sole caught on a board as you're trying to get off the gas and on the brake.


Justin
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"I like to take my Thing out and play with it."
1974 Thing (Play Toy)
1957 Sedan(Show Car)
1954 Sedan (On the back burner)

[emersonbiggins]

I still have work to do on these but they have 10 slats instead of 9 so the gaps are smaller.

[Ferretkona]

Looks nice, I like the tighter gaps. Do you use the stock locater tabs?