Attaching Wood To Aluminum Boat

Taking the quick and easy way out by just ramming in a few screws through a cored structure can and does cause thousands of dollars of unexpected damage.

Attaching wood to aluminum boat.

Bolts need to be threaded completely. Note that tensile loads on screws place shear loads on the threads so in soft material like aluminum you ll generally get greater holding power with thicker i e coarser threads. Aluminum is a corrosion resistant metal that holds up well in harsh environments. Drilling the guide holes is done to slide the bolts on the wood into the metal frame.

Self tapping screws also called sheet metal screws are very versatile. Bolt the wood to the metal frame by pre cutting holes so the bolts fit through. Login to view the rest of this post. Short ish video comparing how well or poorly four different common adhesives bond aluminum to wood specifically maple.

Wood and sheet metal screws require pilot holes. You can use bolts that are made specifically to screw wood to metal or steel if you re attaching a wood flush. They can be used to securely fasten metals together including aluminum. They can also be used to efficiently fasten metal to other materials such as wood or plastic by creating a much stronger bond than a regular nail.

If you use the wrong kind of screws to fasten aluminum base metal however you may set in motion a chemical reaction that will quickly damage the aluminum. For example select 1 4 20 rather than 1 4 28 screws for mounting hardware to a mast.