Cabin Sole flooring - again.

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Wandering Star

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Ive been scratching my head whilst considering my options. There was no floor/sole covering in my Sadler 29 when I purchased her. I’ve created (with a little help) a 9mm plywood covering which fits the moulding very well but of course looks errr plywoody. I’d like to cover it so it looks smart and professional. My preference is for the traditional teak & holly stripe finish. I’m on a very tight budget and wondered if anyone would recommend the EVA foam panels as a solution? They seem quite cheap but I suspect, maybe wrongly, they look awful in the flesh?

An alternative but which might break the bank as well as testing my carpentry skills to the full, would be to splurge out on a 2500 x 1220 x 1mm sheet of cabin sole laminate for £210 from Robbins Timber? I’m wondering how difficult it would be to cover the ply with this 1mm laminate and whether the cost and effort is wotrthwhile? 1mm doesn’t seem very thick or durable?

Any thoughts or advice? Anyone gone down this route?

Thanks in advance.
 
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Google 'teak and holly vinyl flooring', lots of options. Go and visit your nearest domestic flooring supplier.

Simply use a vinyl flooring adhesive, attach to your plywood, which you say fits to recess(es) in your 'floor', trim vinyl to size.

Jonathan
 
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rogerthebodger said:
I covered the flooring in my boat with strip planking of iroko and jacaranda strip planking then sanded with a belt sander following with anti-slip varnish.

The iroko darkens to a same brown as teak

https://flic.kr/p/WopiUN

https://flic.kr/p/VGCjFL

https://flic.kr/p/VGCj4o

https://flic.kr/p/VGCijY

https://flic.kr/p/VKnZ1x
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Hi Roger,

That’s absolutely lovely but I’m looking for a simple solution, the skills required to produce what you’ve made are way beyond my capabilities!
 
The 1mm laminate will be the best solution for you.
Once varnished will be hard enough wearing to last for years.
Just need to glue the whole surface and then clamp or put weights on until dry.
 
Its just made up of strips of wood 45 mm with iroko and 5 mm wide white wood glued on to a plywood base then sanded smooth

try a small panel and you would be suppressed how easy it is

local wood yard could de the cutting for you but it's up to you
 
My Sadler 34 originally had whatever the builder provided, I assume plywood with holly and teak timber veneer. The previous owner replaced it with laminated holly and teak laminated ply, about 24 mm thick, laser cut to shape. It looked superb and still looks exactly as good 30 years later.

Note that if glueing laminate to ply it is necessary to glue similar laminate to the back side of every panel to prevent warp. One of my panels is not treated this way and has warped, which even a winter with my 60 metres of chain in a drum on it could not correct.
 
Wandering Star said:
Ive been scratching my head whilst considering my options. There was no floor/sole covering in my Sadler 29 when I purchased her. I’ve created (with a little help) a 9mm plywood covering which fits the moulding very well but of course looks errr plywoody. I’d like to cover it so it looks smart and professional. My preference is for the traditional teak & holly stripe finish. I’m on a very tight budget and wondered if anyone would recommend the EVA foam panels as a solution? They seem quite cheap but I suspect, maybe wrongly, they look awful in the flesh?

An alternative but which might break the bank as well as testing my carpentry skills to the full, would be to splurge out on a 2500 x 1220 x 1mm sheet of cabin sole laminate for £210 from Robbins Timber? I’m wondering how difficult it would be to cover the ply with this 1mm laminate and whether the cost and effort is wotrthwhile? 1mm doesn’t seem very thick or durable?

Any thoughts or advice? Anyone gone down this route?

Thanks in advance.
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My boat came with EVA flooring inside and out (on seats, very comfy) Outside (high traffic) it needs replacing after five years, inside it's still fine. It's quiet, non-slip, wipeable, doesn't hold moisture and looks fine. More purposeful than pretty, and certainly not classy but it's easy to get right, which gluing laminates really isn't. I've done the latter and it's a pig of a job to get spot on.
 
Wandering Star said:
Ive been scratching my head whilst considering my options. There was no floor/sole covering in my Sadler 29 when I purchased her. I’ve created (with a little help) a 9mm plywood covering which fits the moulding very well but of course looks errr plywoody. I’d like to cover it so it looks smart and professional. My preference is for the traditional teak & holly stripe finish. I’m on a very tight budget and wondered if anyone would recommend the EVA foam panels as a solution? They seem quite cheap but I suspect, maybe wrongly, they look awful in the flesh?

An alternative but which might break the bank as well as testing my carpentry skills to the full, would be to splurge out on a 2500 x 1220 x 1mm sheet of cabin sole laminate for £210 from Robbins Timber? I’m wondering how difficult it would be to cover the ply with this 1mm laminate and whether the cost and effort is wotrthwhile? 1mm doesn’t seem very thick or durable?

Any thoughts or advice? Anyone gone down this route?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I was in the situation as yourself.
I fitted Eva Foam and it looks great for a season. It's wonderful on the knees.

It does mark quite easily though.
 
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