Cool pontoon boat product: Liquid Rubber sealant

Liquid Rubber to seal corrosive pressure-treated lumber

We decided to use pressure-treated lumber between aluminum cross members on the pontoon boat deck...something to screw marine plywood to and this gives bolted support every foot on the 21-foot craft.

But treated lumber, with its copper preservative, is corrosive to almost everything, so the challenge was how to seal it away from the aluminum. Solution: Liquid Rubber, a great product from a Canadian firm: http://liquidrubber.ca/

Liquid Rubber is nontoxic, i.e. water cleanup and virtually no smell, so it's great to work with. Yet, it's definitely rubber, goes on thick and provides a very effective water seal.


Another plus is that it can be applied in cool temperatures: 5 degrees Celsius (about 42 F), which was great since we've been building the boat in the winter. Most paint-on products need 10 degrees C, which we're still not getting regularly.

We're also using stainless steel bolts with anti-seize compound and ACQ treated deck screws. Who knew things like aluminum and treated lumber were so difficult to get along with. Seems like everything you try to attach in a marine environment wants to corrode on you!

Anyway, I highly recommend this Liquid Rubber product (about $50 for four liters), much nicer to work with than other rubber sealing options I've used over the years...stinky, messy and definitely not water clean-up. Try it.