Carpet in the Saloon?

[Bald_Dad]

A couple of months into ownership, SWMBO and I have our first dilemma!

She wants carpet in the saloon. I'm not so sure. We can each see the other point of view - she acknowledges that it might just get wet dirty and smelly, and I can see that it might make the tub a little more homely when at anchor or mooring.

Any advice, experience?

 

[fluffc]

Go for it!

Make sure you get a type which is 'waterproof', eg gel backed or industrial 'Spun Nylon' type.

This latter type is as found in offices etc, and can take a lot of abuse.

The great things about carpets on boats is that you can take them right out and wash them down with a hosepipe.

The carpet on my boat I laid loose, and never had any problems with it sliding about. It was an el cheapo carpet, and it's lasted three years before it had to go.

The area at the bottom of the gangway between galley and chart table has bare wooden boards (no carpet), which is the area that gets most wet.

 

[MoodySabre]

A turtle mat at the bottom of the companionway would take most of the wet and dirt. Personally I have a teak and holly floor which looks great and has a warm look. Don't spoil them too much - who knows where it may end?

 

[cgull]

Nice bit of Shag Pile!!

 

[cliff]

Ask round some of the carpet shops locally - they often have swatches of carpets. These can be thrown down on the floor and removed if they need cleaning.
--------------------

"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[johnalison]

My boat came with carpet as original fitting, secured by press-studs. As well as being comfortable, it seems to soak up dust which is then easy to clean. It doesn't seem to get salty, though we shampoo it occasionally.

Finish it off nicely though or it looks tatty.

 

[Poignard]

You could take Hilaire Belloc's advice and always do as you're told unless you have a good reason not to

 

[snowleopard]

100% polypropylene. The back looks like white felt. We've had it in place for 6 years now and all it needs is a pressure wash every year or two. And it was cheap as chips. A turtle mat inside the door stops it getting too wet, though of course being a multi we don't do wet /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[tcm]

I'm surprised more don't do this. But don't treat it like carpet at home imho - make a template from sellotaped-togethr newspaper, hack round it with stanleyknife, get the carpet shop to make it into a mat (with the edging stitch) and be ready to replace it. It might last two seasons, then use it as the template for replacement.

The carpet goes a bit manky with damp etc but can be dried on sunny days so careful selection of carpet type is not really desperately important - it will be quite small and should be seen as disposable. If you're like me, choose cheap stuff tostart, then replace it later with higher quality and regret the extra weight....

Larger carpet pieces, and carpet with foam backing tends not to slip and slide. So if saloon not large and or carpet slippery underneath, just a few bits of the non-slip stuff can be sellotaped to underside of carpet - which means you still have "one piece" of carpet to reach bilges and yet carpet won't move. You should bne able to avoid widesopread use of double-sided tape or other fixings to hold the carpet in place, but one or two bits of double-sided at the leading edges will avoid tripping over.

 

[demonboy]

It depends if you have nice floorboards to show off. A good compromise is a rug or two. Stick a bit of that non-slip rubbery stuff underneath and you're laughing. We're in Turkey so could pick up cheapo kilims from Koctas (B&Q) for a few squids. They look great!

 

[Danny Jo]

I prefer varnished boards.

Can be cleaned in a jiffy with a damp rag.

Can be lifted easily to inspect the bilges, check deep sea seal, and access the engine cooling sea cock.

Not a disaster if you are moored stern to wind in heavy rain.

My boards are teak and holly veneered ply, which look smarter than carpet.

The down side is the varnishing. I stripped them back to the wood this winter and have put on 5 coats of two part polyurethane varnish. I guess I could have got a carpet for the cost of the varnish, but then I expect the surface to last longer than a carpet.

 

[jeanne]

We have had carpet in the saloon for years. You have to change it every now and then, but an offcut usually is big enough, so it is cheap enough to do.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO AVOID FOAM BACKED CARPET.
It sticks to the sole better than a proprietory adhesive to a blanket.

 

[suse]

Rugs with non slip backing - can be rolled up, or laid out. When I was rather nastily sick on one, it was just as well it was scrubbable. There - I've owned up to it at last!

S x

 

[tcm]

lovely.

 

[suse]

as ever

S x

 

[Cliveshep]

Cheapest fitted carpet throughout but rolls of carpet protector so when it's wet out & kids are in & out can keep it clean(ish)
Got a nice hoover for cleaning, SWMBO's job, shampooing is mine and which gets done bi-annually. With 3 cabins to carpet cheap suited pocket but works fine anyway, no mould etc and bilges stay pretty clear with auto-pump dealing with odd rain in cockpit etc.

 

[SQUIRRELS]

Fit a carpet and have an off-cut made into a rug for the bottom of the companion way. Buy a small re-chargable hoover and keep it on board. Much nicer for our climate and keeps floor boards in better condition.

 

[Marmalade]

This reminds me of the only time I referred to the boat as a yacht! I went to the local carpetrite or some such to buy a piece of carpet. The cheap stuff I wanted for the boat was 4m wide on the roll so as I needed 2m x 4m I asked the bloke to cut me a 2m length. He immediately began to treat me like a complete loser and even symapthised smugly that I had to buy cheap carpet with some triteism. Something in me snapped and I remarked casually - "well - it's only for the cabin on our yacht - I'm sure it will do nicely" I felt like a tosser but it did shut him up.