Joining two sheets of ply edge-on

[tforturton]

Here's one for all your chippies out there. What's the best way to join two sheets of play together, edge-on?
Glue, staples, H-section? A combination of all three? Trying to make up my camper floor. Once done, it will still lie flat, and won't be under any real stress, other than someone walking on it.

[Titus A Duxass]

How thick is the ply?

15mm plus can be joined with biscuits but you need the tools.

Or have someone rout a slot along the edge of each piece and then fit a floating tenon.

If there's room go for a metal plate on the back/underneath.
Edge join of boards is not as easy as you think.

For the floor you could lie a strip of ply in the recess in the floor and lie the edges of the boards over that piece of wood.
The boards would be supported by the inset strip and could be screwed/glued to it.

[tforturton]

Board is 10mm. The idea of a strip that sits in the recess of the floor is quote a good one. I've still got the original chipboard fillets in mine, and was hoping to keep them in place, but one strip won't go amiss.

[nicq]

Or use 2 thicknesses (5mm) and have the joints in different places then glue them all together

[mark]

the problem you will have is that it will creak if you do it in 2 pieces butted together, one piece is best or nicq's method. you could try a ' T ' joint strip but you would have to make the ply short and the gap between the 2 sheets is covered by the strip, but the strip is not touching both ply edges or it will creak. you can buy 10'x5' sheets

mark

Or use 2 thicknesses (5mm) and have the joints in different places then glue them all together

[randiandipandi]

A scarf joint would be strong but would be hard to get the visible join straight if it will be on show.

[Plasticman]

wood ! best of luck with the stuff
mm

[markhale10]

No need to join the timber. One sheet of ply will cover the floor in one piece. Problem solved

[clift_d]

10mm is a bit thin for a successful edge joint - it's possible to machine a tongue and groove joint or finger joint in that with a router and the right bit, but the edge of the 'tongues' to the joint itself can be susceptible to damage.

Strongest would be to laminate it up from thinner layers and to stagger the joints as nicq says- it'll help if you can put the joints in the top layer in protected/ hidden locations i.e. at the ends under furniture rather than in the middle of the floor. Or, try looking for oversize sheets - as mark says 10'x5' ply is available from some suppliers.

[tforturton]

The biggest sheet I could find had a maximum width of 1220mm, which leaves me with a gap of about 300mm to make up. I jigged it so that the joint is parallel with the front edge of the seat/bed, so it's not going to get stood on too much. I'm still toying with the idea of leaving the seat rails in place, and making the floor more of a jigsaw, so I can remove/replace the middle seat when I need to, but that's just making it even more complicated.

[Palomino]

There's no need to join the ply. If you bed it down properly on a sheet of 10mm insulation foam and screw it down evenly with self tapping screws you wont have any problem. Put the join under the cooker unit or the rock and roll and you wont even see it.

[clift_d]

Have you tried Travis Perkins - they're not the cheapest by a some way but they will deliver. They do 3050 x 1525 sheets of WBP plywood in 9mm:

http://www.travisperkins.co.uk/p/hardwo ... 12/3893617" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and in 12mm:

http://www.travisperkins.co.uk/p/hardwo ... 13/3893617" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If they don't have it in stock then they should be able to bring it from one of their other branches. They have three or four branches in Cardiff e.g.

Cardiff South
East Bay Close
Off Tyndall Street
Cardiff
CF10 4SF
029 2047 1471