The price of marine ply

[Rational Root]

I've been quoted the following prices for marine ply 8'x4' sheets

The local builders providers

BS1088
6mm sheets 29 euros + vat
18mm sheets 75 euros + vat

The local marine supply shop

BS1088 - Branded Robbins Elite Marine Ply
6mm sheets 75 euros + vat
18mm sheets 275 euros + vat

I appreciate that there's variations in quality, but ouch, that's a
hell of a price difference.

Anyone know what sort of price I should expect to pay (in Irelandor
even the UK) for reasonable quality marine ply. Bear in mind that this
will all be painted, so I don't need it to have expensive pretty veneers.


Dave

[Andreas Jordahl Rhude]

What is "vat"?

[kc8pql]

"value added tax"

[Rational Root]

What is "vat"?

Say I earn another €1000

The Government takes €420 in direct tax, and another €50 or so in Pay related social insurance, and I get about €520 of the original €1000.

Then when I go to spend it, they add 21% vat (TAX) onto what ever I buy.

So out of my origainl €1000 euros, I get to spend about €430.

It gets worse, since if someone is selling something for €430 then part of that cost is made up of the tax they pay, on their salaries etc. So in effect, from my €1000 I really get the benefit of about €300.

You may say that I get the benefit of the Government and services, but I would have gotten all that without working extra hard for the additional €1000.

So VAT is just another way of the Gov sticking their lazy greedy hands in my pockets and taking my money.:eek:

[katiedobe]

Sounds like you need to have a revolution over there. We had one over here because of the greedy king!!

Seriously though on the Marine ply question I would go with the less expensive ply, it is certified and stamped Marine grade right? So why pay for a brand name.

[Gold Rock]

Here in the US of A, my local vendor is selling 18mm 'AB' (that's virtually best quality face veneers) non-marine grade ply for $90 USD. 75 euros even with vat doesn't sound too bad. There's a wide spectrum of products out there wearing the "marine grade" tag, and a definate range of quality, but nearly 300 euros for anything that doesn't make you breakfast in the morning sounds a little much.

[donald branscom]

I've been quoted the following prices for marine ply 8'x4' sheets

The local builders providers

BS1088
6mm sheets 29 euros + vat
18mm sheets 75 euros + vat

The local marine supply shop

BS1088 - Branded Robbins Elite Marine Ply
6mm sheets 75 euros + vat
18mm sheets 275 euros + vat

I appreciate that there's variations in quality, but ouch, that's a
hell of a price difference.

Anyone know what sort of price I should expect to pay (in Irelandor
even the UK) for reasonable quality marine ply. Bear in mind that this
will all be painted, so I don't need it to have expensive pretty veneers.


Dave

I just bought some marine ply in California. but it had some filled knot holes.
Filled with wood not putty. $184.00 for two 4' x 10' sheets 3/8 inch thickness.

I wish you had stated the thickness. You started writing 4' x 8 '
Then euros and 18 MM. That is .7087 inches. 5/8 is .625in.and 3/4 is .750 in Metric plywood perhaps?
Confusing.

[donald branscom]

Sounds like you need to have a revolution over there. We had one over here because of the greedy king!!

Seriously though on the Marine ply question I would go with the less expensive ply, it is certified and stamped Marine grade right? So why pay for a brand name.

When Bush says "My country" he really means his country.

[Lion]

Gold Rock

It's not real hard;

6mm = 1/4 in.
18mm = 3/4 in.

Lion

[epoxyboy]

You need to eyeball the stuff - there is some real BullShit1088 out there (and it is no longer a valid BS by the way).
It is really easy and lucrative to put that stamp on any old bit of wood.
In NZ I wold expect to pay about nz$60 for a sheet of useable 6mm 1088, and about $90 for something really really good. That $60 will also buy some real crap - I wound up taking one lot back. Look out for the Joubert brand, it is French and pretty damn good. If we can get it "down under" you must be able to get it there. Their "exterior" grade is miles better than half the "BS1088" that I have come across.

Pete

[Pericles]

Rational Root,

You haven't mentioned where you are, but your prices are Euros, so these suppliers may not work for you.

http://www.marineply.com/prices.htm

http://www.robbins.co.uk/ have special prices on 8mm Elite of 320 per 8 X 4. Never buy fir marine ply, it checks and ruins any paint system.

Pericles

[slusher_ben]

The price and quality of "boat grade wood" varies greatly and can be hard to find. Out of desperation one day I posted an ad in my local paper. It was a want ad simply saying that I was looking for any boat wood for sale. A few days later a very nice older lady called me and informed me that her husband had passed away several years ago and had stored in the barn a pile of wood. I went to look at it. 30 sheets of mostly 3/8 with some nice 1/2 as well top notch meranti ply. Plus some hardwood and softwood stock. Price? - FREE, she just wanted it out of the way. I felt to bad to just walk away with it so I insisted she take some money. It was a long shot but you might place an ad - someone may have decided not to build or regretfully departed on their final voyage.

[Bruce Hooke]

I am not familiar with "Branded Robbins Elite Marine Ply" but unless that implies some particular species, you have not said anything about what species of wood the marine plywood you got prices on is made from. This may explain some of the price difference. There is a huge difference between Douglas Fir marine plywood and hardwood marine plywood made from woods like Okoume and Meranti. BS1088 should mean that it is not fir plywood, but it would be good to check and good to find out just what species of wood the plywood is made from.