Installation of Bungs

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 6:59 pm

We are preparing to mount our new toe rail. We will be using bungs to cover the screws, which raise the question, how exactly do you install a bung?

As I understand it a bung in a wooden deck or toe rail should have a good mechanical connection (tight fit) and have just enough adhesive to assist in maintaining the mechanical connection rather than having the adhesive be the primary means of holding the bung. Is this correct?

Post by **Tim** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:40 pm

Pre-bought bungs often have a slight taper to the sides that helps ensure a tight fit, even in slighly oversized or elongated holes. If you make your own bungs with a plug cutter, the bungs will also have a slight taper on one end to ease installation and then provide a tight fit.

The bungs should be pretty tight in the hole, but some slop is inevitable depending on the accuracy of the counterbore. You don't need a ton of glue to hold them in place. I usually put some of the chosen adhesive in a plastic cup or pot and dip the bottom of the bung into the adhesive before installation, which provides an adequate amount. Any excess will just end up on top of the rail in the end.

Robert The Gray · Post by **Robert The Gray** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 5:27 pm

After gluing i use my sharpest chisel to trim the excess. I make sure before I start that i am cutting from the right direction. the grain in the bung can slant. when you try to cut it flush some material below the surface can chip out. I cut off just a little bit of the bung at first to see which way the grain goes, then direct the cutting force of the chisel so that I cut "up hill". This allows me to control the amount of material removed. I find at times the chisel will bring things flatter and more fine than sand paper. if you use store bought bungs the density can vary from your base stock and therefore they sand at different rates.

Post by **Tim** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 5:59 pm

A low angle block plane also works well to remove the excess bung.

Peter Jenny · Post by **Peter Jenny** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:38 pm

Having replaced about a bazillion bungs in the course of redoing my teak decks, I have found that the best way to remove the excess bung material is innitially with one of those flexible Japenese dazookie (sp?) saws cut a bit proud followed by sanding smoth with 100 grit in a block sander. The chizel is the standard method, but once in a wile the grain of the individual bung cause it to split off bellow the surface. This is a real pain because then you have to go back, drill out the bung, re-glue it, and then -re-trim it.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 5:15 pm

Thanks guys. We did have some issues with the sun expanding the bungs, but once we got that figured out (keep the bungs in the shade) all went well. Any suggestions on the type of adhesive to use. We were going to use epoxy, but I'm not sure if it is overkill or not.

Post by **Tim** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:16 pm

Try resorcinol. It will stay open in the pot much longer than epoxy.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 12:17 am

Thanks Tim, I passed your suggestion on to Pat.