Reflooring boat

[hawgeye]

I am reflooring my boat this winter and looking for suggestions. I tried searching previous posts, but came up empty. I have an 18' alaskan and I want to replace the floor the lightest way possible. I want to keep it cheap, but light is more important than cost. I was planning on using 5/8" marine grade and finishing it with a brush on truck liner. Anybody else done this? Anybody have any lighter options? thanks and any advice is appreciated,

Dave

[sparcebag]

Go to Boats & motors,Look at thread (aluminum 5X10 sheet)

[Mike Wallace]

I actually found some old aluminum bleacher bench seats that were being thrown away (not even recycled - silly school). Light and durable, but probably not very easy to find.

[sparcebag]

Mike ya got any extras??Email me either way add. in my profile THANKS I'm doing a boat over winter.

[ifishsd]

I put a floor in my 16 foot lund rebel this summer. I used 1/2 inch AC plywood and coated it with fiberglass resin. AC plywood is way cheaper then marine grade and they both have the same glue used in them. Marine grade plywood just doesn't have any voids in the layers.

I put cabela's vinyl flooring on top.

Here is the info I got from this site: http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1121414&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

[Mike Wallace]

email sent, Mr. Sparcebag

[Steve Bakken]

Brian's right. Marine grade is overkill. We've been installing and repairing boat floors for over 20 years and we've always used BC grade. If it's installed and treated properly, it will last the life of the boat.

[Farley]

Steve, what's the difference besides price in BC vs. Marine and what do you mean by treated properly, what do you use? I'm going to be working on a 21ft Crestliner this winter, If price doesnt matter would you still go with BC over Marine?

[hawgeye]

Is this BC plywood not treated at all? ie what you would use for floors in a house.

Steve, what do you treat the plywood with?

thanks for the help,

Dave

[ifishsd]

Marine plywood isn't treated either. BC plywood is what is used in home construction. Marine plywood just has better wood in the layers of the plywood. I believe Steve uses a epoxy resin of some kind to treat the wood. I used fiberglass resin for my floor. I just brushed it on with a paint brush. You can get it at Wal-mart.

[Steve Bakken]

Yep, Brian pretty much covered it. The only true "treated" plywood that I'm aware of is green treat, and the pros and cons of that have been covered several times. The key is to make sure that you have adequate drainage under the wood and closed cell foam. This keeps the bottom dry. After it's screwed/rivited in place then the top is treated with a 2 part resin (like the fiberglass resin) so that any water in the carpet is shed off and isolated from the wood itself. In answer to your question, about choosing reg vs marine, yah, if cost didn't matter, I'd maybe go with marine, since it is a little bit more solid, but, it would probably be better in the floor of your home too, but that doesn't neccesarily mean that you need it. Know what I mean?

[BoxMN]

I have used (Contact Us Please) **edit - ha! Thatis the brand name, not a address* - try this Dat Deco but change the a to an o** Deco vinyl on a duck boat (combo fishing boat, Alumacraft Classic 16) and a pontoon, and can't say enough good things about it. Lightweight, same price as carpet. We used some treated pywood and some marine, and if I was doing again I would use marine again. Costs more but just feel smoother and more solid. The vinyl will definitely shed water to the drains, and the plywood will virtually never get wet. We made sure plenty of drains for drainage and airflow to dry it if it ever got wet under there.

I am no pro, but have used regualr plywood with less than spectacualr results. But we didn't finish it or treat it properly either. Easier to just use marine

Good luck,

[sparcebag]

Box I.m having a hard decision on the deco vs carpet,Fill me in OK! also I've used carpet and to shed water the carpet glue seems to work fine without resin.I did buy a boat in 1996 with resin applied over BC ply carpeted my feet went through it in 2005 so I'm shaky on using it long term! But I use what I think is best in its place.

[BoxMN]

Hey sparcebag,

I posted this below info on another rehabbing HSOforum for pontoons, but don't want to post a link to outside and risk being naughty , so I will just paste what I put in there.

I also have a page with our process on our duckboat, can see it here:

My duck boat rehab images

Here are some pontoon rehab pics with Deco.

Like I mentioned, for me, I will only use marine grade plywood in the future, though I may never have to do it again it is nice and smooth, and ready to go, with no messing with it. With vinyl over it it is ideal, IMHO. Though the idea of bedliner material is kinda nice.

The pontoon folks have some great advice as well on restoration. Do a web search for pontoon and deckboat forums to find them, then check the "restoration" forum.

Be sure to take pics as you go through the process, as it can help others and fun to look back later Good luck!

============================

Figured I would start a seperate thread for people to discuss whether carpet or vinyl is best for them.

I have had both on my boats and on my pontoon. Both have good points.

But after using vinyl on a couple boats and on my pontoon rehab, I will always only have vinyl from now on. Ideally, and it is an option on some quality boats nowadays, you can get vinyl with snap-in carpet sections. That would be my first choice, vinyl second, and for me I will never get carpet again. But that is just me

I used Dat Deco brand vinyl, that I ordered from Cabelas. There are other places, do online search, that have more colors.

Pros for vinyl:

-easy clean up; whether kids vomit or drink box juice, or dogs shedding, or fish guts and blood and slime, vinyl is easy to clean.

-vinyl helps shed water away from the plywood underneath. I would think would help with longevity of plywood floors.

-vinyl is easy to install, though in some installations, you may not be able to get vinyl wide or long enough to cover with seems.

-contrary to what some might think, vinyl is not slippery, at least not mine, and I use it in a duck boat as well, into the freezing water temps. I have not found it a problem.

-easy to spot fish hooks etc, so hopefully won't stub your toe on a hook like happens with some carpet

-vinyl looks nice.

-dries out real quick

-no mold and moss growing on it if you leave it outside uncovered. (i.e. my non-fancy "lake pontoon")

Cons of vinyl:-coolers do slide around more than on carpet.

-it doesn't come in wide enough lengths for some peoples toons.

-it can get hot on bare feet in hot sun, but not any more than my dark colored carpet in my 18' boat.

Anyway, I kow that is always a question, and hopefully people can share why they like the flooring they use. Either way, make sure you check out each option for your uses, as I know I am glad I did. It used to be that vinyl was thought of as the "cheap" way, but now I think it is just the opposite, with good quality vinyl as a pretty spendy option on newer boats and toons.

Happy rehabbing

[sparcebag]

Thanks Box; I have a swatch sent to me from same place you got yours.I like it but know of no one who has it,nor have I even seen it installed.Think I will use it as flooring and the snap in carpet sounds like a good idea as I do want some areas with carpet.Got a couple discount cards I have to use before Dec.So you helped me decide I'm gettin the tan just for heat on feet (light color)THANKS I'd yet be in limbo with out a suggestion! Did you purchase glue from same place you got Deco??

[Haug Hunter]

I've got a dumb question for you guys, what is the best way for removing the rivets when taking the old floor out? do you drill them out, cut the head or what?

[BoxMN]

Sparcebag, I just got exterior glue from Menards and it works fine. My toon has been out in the weather for about 3 years now and no problems. I do keep it tarped in winter, but outside, and summer it sits out in the rain and sun all summer long.

Haug, when we took floor out of boat, we drilled them out. We then screwed the new floor into place. Make sure you mark where all your bracing is, and be sure to tighten any rivots once the floor is up, i.e. the "real" rivots as this is a good time to check them. Easy to tighten if you have to, just need a rivot tool for aircompressor hammer, and a solid backing block - we used a stainless steel axel, as you can get it into small areas, and my neighbor already had it, so no cost

Just be careful about drillig too far. We had a screw shoot through, ugh... now we have nice little "wart" in the hull where we fixed it with a stainless bolt and washers