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Non wood interior sole alternative

19K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  overbored 
#1 ·
My 3/4" plywood sole with Teak veneer top needs TLC. Instead of sanding, and varnishing 6-7 coats which would take most of the winter to complete, i am interested in potential non wood alternatives. Something that would brighten the interior and is durable and requires less maintenance and that I can do myself. Any suggestions are welcome
 
#3 ·
I would NOT put carpet in my boat EVER. To sand and apply 6-7 coats varnish on 50 square feet of plywood flooring that requires proper drying and light sanding between coats would definitely take a long time hence me looking in alternatives.
 
#5 ·
Petar,

The real problem is that plywood is actually an incredibly good material for boat building. It is relatively light, and very stiff for its thickness. Unless you are willing to take a pretty significant weight penalty your options are pretty much plywood, carbon fiber foam sheets, and webbed metal grating.

Most engineered woods don't have the stiffness you would need, and things like starboard are both significantly heavier and not stiff enough.
 
#10 ·
Petar, I used the fake deck boards in mine, and am happy with it. It is 'heavy' but the weight is down low, also it doesn't look as rich as teak and holly, but it isn't going to rot either!. I don't have any problems with it being 'flexible' to walk on at 3/4" thick X 5' long. I got it at H-D, but it ain't cheap. .02
 
#13 ·
Flooring on boats is made with the assumption that it will only be walked on on sunny weekends and a three week summer vacation, max.
Linoleum is made to be walked on 24-7,year round ,especially the industrial grade,and is far better made. From more than 2 ft away, it can be hard to tell apart from wood.
So why would you use inferior material with a higher price tag?
 
#14 ·
Because products for interior use are designed to work in a fairly narrow temperature range and are not designed to withstand the motor oil, diesel and solvents you spill when working on your engine. Most manufacturers will tell you that installation in a damp or unheated environment voids the warranty.

When you look at products designed for interior use you find that they won't hold up in a boat that sees temps from -10 to 120F. The problem is expansion and contraction with temperature, the flexibility of the fiberglass sole and its movement with temperature.

I got some samples of a couple of types of flooring and applied them to 24x24 squares of 3/4" plywood and hardboard and left them on my patio for over a year to see how they reacted to temperature/moisture changes.

NuTeak interior flooring still looks like new, even on the hardboard sample that warped badly after a year. Diesel and PB Blaster wiped off it with no staining. Most importantly it looks really good. I'm a woodworker so I'm very particular about the look. Too many products look like plastic. I'm going to try an install this spring. We'll see.

Here's their interior products.
 
#15 ·
I noticed that Catalina is using some type of synthetic flooring in their new boats. It looks great and provides excellent grip. It's a little soft, not hard.

It looks like it would be an excellent replacement for real wood floors that have a limited life to them and require frequent maintenance (if you use the boat).
 
#16 ·
It's Lonseal, SvHyLyte mentioned it above. Very good stuff from what I've read. The only downside is it comes in sheets; wonderful for builders but can be a little challenging with all the curves and cuts in a boat for a retrofit.

One of the things I liked about NuTeak is it comes in strips which is a bit easier to handle on the install.
 
#17 ·
Linoleum I put down 28 years ago is in better shape than wood or other materials I put down a few years ago.It's had lots of diesel ,etc spilled on it. In my 3 boats over 40 years, that has always been the case.
Claims it wont hold up as well as "yachtie " stuff, are a scam
 
#18 ·
"Linoleum" is the wrong term being used. Sheet vinyl, specifically fiberglass backed sheet (ie "FLexitec, Tarkett Fiberfloor, Armstrong cushionstep) id the product to look at. It can be installed with two sided tape if you like and is a simple DIY cut in. Hatches can be trimmed for access.

Real lino will be pricey and start to smell real musty real quick I am afraid

(yes I am in the flooring business...LOL)
 
#19 ·
Real-world experience with Lonseal?

Just ordered some samples of Lonseal Teak & Holly for possible use on my cabin sole. Can anyone here speak from experience as to its durability in an application such as this?

I live in the northeast (LI), so the boat (Pearson 30) does experience some temp extremes. Existing cabin sole is fine, just looking to dress her up a bit.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Re: Real-world experience with Lonseal?

Just ordered some samples of Lonseal Teak & Holly for possible use on my cabin sole. Can anyone here speak from experience as to its durability in an application such as this?

I live in the northeast (LI), so the boat (Pearson 30) does experience some temp extremes. Existing cabin sole is fine, just looking to dress her up a bit.
I have some 1 foot sq samples glued to the sole for a test of wear and slip resistance when wet. seems to hold up very good. the dull finish gets the dirtiest but looks the most real. the matte finish is the slipperiest, but not that much difference. so far the gloss finish is the best for slip when wet, who knew, but it does show the scratches the most . I am thinking of using the matte finish. if I use the gloss it will require me to put gloss on all the other teak so it will look as good as the new flooring.
biggest problem I have is how to finish the edges as it is a fiberglass sole and is rolled up into the sides with a large radius. I think all the dirt will catch around the edge of the Lonseal and may start to peel up.
I have samples of all the brands of this material and it looks like it is all made by the same manufacturer all samples look identical. I would guess it is made by Lonseal as they are the only one that is a flooring manufaturer
 
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