Like it says in the title I am a college student who doesnt make much money.  What I was wondering is, is there any thing I can do to treat my own plywood for decking?  I dont want to buy marine plywood because of the cost.  Some guy told me I could seal it myself and then I only have to buy exterior grade plywood.  Or if I covored the ply with deck stan,spar polyurathane, and a good carpet that it would be fine?

Thanks

Larry

Marine plywood's advantage is that there are no voids between the plys. It will rot just like any other wood when not  properly sealed.  Any exterior grade plywood should be suitable for your deck. Just be sure that you seal both sides and the edges with a product intended for exterior use.

marine grade is so expansive!!! i am decking my trihull this weekend. i live next to a guy that owns a tree service and is very respectable as far as wood goes! he informed me that by using Locus wood does not rot! i havnt done any research on that theory but i am prepared to stand by his word!!! if anything i will re deck it next year!!!!  i would amagine that you will have to get ahold of sombody like that to get locus plywood but i dont know home depot might have some!!! good luck and let us know how goes

just get treated from the hardware store itll hold up at a least a few years maybe longer if u keep it covered

As long as you paint every surface, and especially the edges, you shouldn't have a prob.  Just use a good exterior primer and paint.  Otherwise, just keep it covered, and don't let water pool up.  

I agree, Just get some regular ply and paint it. From my experiance plywood lasts a lot longer than people think especially when you paint it. Maybe get a little better grade like an a-b ply instead of just regular old cdx. I decked and old jon for my buddy many years ago and we just glued carpet right to it and it is still holding up great. It is also is stored outside exposed to the elements. I believe that sun will damage ply quicker than water. A good oil baed paint or a wood water sealer will also work great.

I think it was LBH who took regular plywood and coated it with Fiberglass Resin. WHich is a pretty good idea if you search it you can probably find his build.

You can use fiberglass resin and thin it with acetone so it will soak into the wood.  Thin it just enough so it soaks in and keep putting it on as long as the wood will take it.  You can also buy a product called CPES from the Rot Doctor, but it is expensive and treated plywood would be cheaper.  The CPES is great for treating wood that is starting to rot, it will stop the rot and strengthen the wood.  I would go with treated plywood or the thinned fiberglass resin.  Don't breathe acetone or get it on your skin, wear heavy rubber gloves and work outside in a breeeze.  It will take over a week for the resin to cure and not be sticky, but I used it on an old fishing boat and the deck is still in good shape.  Work the resin into the edges real good, because that is where water will get into your wood the worst.  

I coated the plywood in my deck with 3 thick coats of polyurethane.  I used regular 5/8" ply.  It's been excellent, and the finish gives you a smooth surface for gluing your carpet.  Just remember that if you cut or drill this wood after it is sealed, you need to seal the area again.  If you drill, use 3M 5200 or some other adhesive caulk.  The reason rot comes is because we drill a hole and the water gets into the fibers.  I'd use bolts for the pedestal base and drill the holes BEFORE I sealed the wood.  

One piece of advice.

Get all of your pieces cut to fit. Fit them. Make sure they fit the way you want and then seal them. If you are drilling holes or making openings for equipment or access do that before sealing. Seal the holes and openings too.

Good luck.

The first time I decked my boat I used regular exterior grade plywood.  I applied outdoor carpet and nothing else, no sealant, paint, etc.  I left it uncovered throughout most of the midwestern year.  I only covered it when the lakes were iced over (probably 4-8 weeks per year).  It lasted for seven years.  If you can afford any of the above suggestions by all means I would follow their advice.  I'm just saying that plywood is much more durable than you might think.

One of the articles on the site suggests polyester resin

Good question. I am about to deck the front of my boat as well. Keep us posted on what you decide and how much it cost (I am short on cash too)