Astrodome stadium seat mounting platform material

[farmmachine]

Am mounting pairs of stadium seats (two sets) onto a material that needs to be thick enough for stability and won't be damaged by water from hosing down or blowing rain, and can be skidded from place to place.

Considering use of 1" thick AZEK (a 4'x8' sheet is $275 and same plywood size is about $60). Each platform will be about 50" wide and 26" deep. The sets of seats will be on three steel brackets designed to mount old Astrodome stadium seats on a floor, and those brackets will be attached to the platform. I want to us my Carvex to round the corners and sculpt around the steel feet for safety and aesthetic reasons.

Would welcome suggestions on durable/waterproof materials to use for the mounting platform and recommendations on cutting and shaping materials like AZEK.

Regards, farmmachine

 

[tbellemare]

Have you considered 3/4" HDPE? You should be able to get a 4' x 8' sheet for about $75.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

Could also try some 3/4" PVC sheet. It's used in dippy-dunk tanks with nitric & sulfuric, so water won't bother it much.  [big grin]

 

[Bohdan]

Formply as used for concrete formwork is usually the same glue as marine ply but without the high price.

 

[mike_aa]

I haven't looked into it, but HDPE might be a candidate.  In addition to being a plastic and impervious to water, it is also somewhat slippery which could be a good attribute if you are sliding them around.

Mike A.

 

[peter halle]

Azek would work.  You could probably search locally for a another cellular PVC sheet product and save some money.  Regarding cutting and rounding - the pvc products are easily worked with routers and saws but with static they are a mess to clean up unless you are using a CT and anti-static hose.  For cutting, depending on the product, you may need to reduce your speed if using a jigsaw to prevent melting and post blade re-gluing.

Sorry for the tome.

Peter

 

[Cheese]

In adding to the [member=1674]Peter Halle[/member] tome,
be aware that PVC is a very abrasive material and any routing should be done with carbide bits because HSS will become dull very fast.
Not a big deal, just something to know so when you pull that router bit out the next time and it burns cedar, you'll know why. 

 

[Tyler Ernsberger]

I use a lot of azek and its a great product.  If you sand the edges where you make your cuts up to 400g and wipe with acetone, it will give you a factory edge and seal the edge.  Its definitely a messy product and is hard on sharpened edges.  I have to sharpen my hand plane a lot when Im working with azek and other pvc products.