Head lining problem

[seaboy]

My head lining, which is a white vinyl covering over a thin layer of foam is starting part from the roof and seams a joining another section.

Any tips of how to repair/replace this or of any Websites to visit for any help.

Craft:- Fletcher Dorado

Seaboy

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[Avocet]

You can buy (I think) foam backed vinyl from trim shops. I've used Martrim in the past in Middlewich (Cheshire) - can't remember the number. Failing that, you can buy the foam separate. It's called "scrim" foam I seem to remember and is cheesecloth-backed on one side and plain on the other- about 1/4" thick. Use a spray contact adhesive and apply it sparingly AND evenly. If you get high concentrations of it in patches, it will start to melt the foam and you'll have hollows in the headlining. Similarly if you use a brush-on contact adhesive it goes on far too thick (in places) and melts the foam.

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[alanporter]

I wonder if your boat is a Westerly and you are suffering from the notorious "Westerly droop" ? If you have a cored deck head, as opposed to solid fibreglass, you could do the same as me. I acquired some mahogony laths, one inch wide by quarter inch thick, and screwed them up into the deckhead. I used three in each of the fore cabin and aft cabins, aligned in a fore and aft direction. They hold the "droop" up very well and actually look quite nice. You have to be careful that the screws only penetrate the inner layer of fibreglass into the core, and it is a good idea to put a "blob" of sealant on the screws. This a many times easier than tearing out the head lining and gluing in new. If your deckhead is solid glass, you don't have much option other than to replace the lining. Good luck with it.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Porter

 

[MG31Man]

Try Hawke House Marine in Fareham Hampshire - They stock the lining and adhesive - they are also very helpful with advice etc. I don't have their tel number but directory enqs should help

<hr width=100% size=1>Les Prior

 

[Evadne]

I think you'll find most sailmakers or upholsterers will be able to get the stuff for you, the one (in Fareham) we used went out of business a few years ago, sadly. If the vinyl is parting company from the foam then it's reached it's use-by date. If it is just the corners peeling get a can of glue and stick it back up.
You can either go for the Tudor look with laths, as described, or replace. Some things the seller of cloth and glue might not tell you: the glue is impact adhesive, and you'll find that the most expensive diy stuff (e.g. evo-stick, not B&Q own brand) specified for heavy duty tiling is comparable in quality and lower in price to the professional stuff, in my limited experience. The spray-on version is useful for odd corners but you need lots of it, applied thickly, so I'd only get the paint-on stuff. Sticking liner to the deck head is a real hassle, if possible make 6mm plywood panels, stick the vinyl to the ply then fix them to the deckhead.
Good luck, and don't get hooked on the fumes!

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[Talbot]

I had this problem a couple of years ago on my cat. I investigated this thoroughly for replacement. Your options are:

1. Replace the foam lined vinyl with a similar product from the upholsters. disadvantage is thatthe foam is now fire retardent quality thus will go brittle much earlier.

2. Seperate the deckhead into squares and mount plywood panels covered with foam/vinyl or other. These will still go brittle with age but are likely to last a lot longer, and have the advantage that they can be taken down easily for running new wiring etc. The disadvantages are that they reduce headroom somewhat.

3. Replace the foam/vinyl with a felt backed carpet. This is likely to last decades, but you will need to use a strong adhesive. - I used this method as I did not have enough headroom to be able to use the plywood square method. I carefully removed the old vinyl and used that as a template for a rough cut on the carpet. removed the windows for better access, then used a friendly carpet fitter to fit the carpet. I used adhesive from the car industry - designed to hold up car headlinings in hot climates (a lot of the cheaper adhesives are fine until you get a really hot day then the glue melts) I separated the headlining into four sections in the saloon to make it more managable (but cut it out first as a single piece, and this will ensure that you get the carpet running the same way through out the saloon) I covered the joins with a piece of mahogany trimming fron B&Q - I reckon it looks good, cost a lot less than getting someone in, and will last considerably longer. Top tip - make sure you get rid of all the old adhesive. I used a brass wire cupped wheel on an angle grinder running at slowish speed. High speed /steel wire will eat into the fibreglass. wear good protective garments, goggles, face mask, and clear the boat out first as there will be crud everywhere.

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[snowleopard]

if you have a sandwich deck and can therrefore put self-tappers into the inner skin, consider replacing the lining with plain vinyl, held in place with screws. plastic caps conceal the screw heads and it's surprisingly easy to get an even tension bu working along the centre line then out towards the sides. some people say the screw caps look naff but they don't bother me.

i started off by using foam-backed and hated the stuff, also it always fails in a few years as yours has done.

if you want to use foam-backed, be sure to use spray adhesive on the foam as it's impossible to brush glue onto foam evenly. hawke house do a booklet on how to apply foam backed if you're feeling brave.

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[richardandtracy]

There's a place in Sittingbourne, Kent called 'The Van Shop' (01795-472906) That does some great foam backed car seat fabric. I can highly recommend the place. Prices around £8-£8.50 per metre for fabric 58" wide. Good stuff, but rather more expensive than felt backed cord carpet (also excellent).

I had no problems with impact adhesive melting the foam on the stuff I used.

One word of warning about the 'Van Shop', the proprieter tends to like talking a bit. Expect to stay at least 30 minutes even if its only to pick up a single item. Not even children put him off his stride (tried that one..)!

Regards

Richard.


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[seaesta]

When my head lining started to give out I bought a hat. This keeps the sun and rain off and the bonce nicely warm in winter. Not sure about all this adhesive stuff unless you are a wiggy. I certianly wouldnt buy a headlining for my Cat as it would make it even worse tempered than it already is. As for screwing it on that would be really masochistic. Confused of Whitby

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[seaesta]

When my head lining started to give out I bought a hat. This keeps the sun and rain off and the bonce nicely warm in winter. Not sure about all this adhesive stuff unless you are a wiggy. I certianly wouldnt buy a headlining for my Cat as it would make it even worse tempered than it already is. As for screwing it on that would be really masochistic. Confused of Whitby

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[VicS]

I would also suggest Hawke House Marine. The phone number is 01329 668800. Their little headlining fixing guide is very useful.

If you cover plywood panels you can use water resistant PVA wood glue. If you stick directly to the fibre glass use an impact glue on the fibre glass and spray adhesive on the lining.

If you do use an impact adhesive then make sure you have good ventilation AND wear an "Organic vapours" mask (available from Hawke House) as the methylbenzene (toluene) vapour is a very very serious health risk.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[petery]

Can I underline the 'top tip' from Talbot. If you do not get rid of any old contact adhesive before you use new spray adhesive it will stick for about a day! I ignored warnings from the company that supplied the foam backd vinyl .. to my cost.

You can get 1.5mm thick birch plywood which, I found, provides an ideal backing to the vinyl - and it's easy to cut to shape and bond to the fibreglass

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[Jake]

PBO next month - Headlining special!

In next months (Jan issue, out in December) we have a step-by-step guide to fitting new headlinings, in which we follow a professional job through from start to finish. It's two cases of Westerly droop, but the techniques will apply to your motorboat equally well.

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[Abigail]

Re: Head lining & insulation/moisture

This is a cross post really given the otehr thread on moisture. We reinsulated as well as replaced (or are replacing!) the headlining on Roaring Girl over the summer and we are now living aboard. We used 9mm closed cell foam (would use 6mm next time) from Keeling Plastics, stuck on with Thikafx (nothing else worked nearly as well.) The the foam backed headlining (bought at Beaulieu from Toomer & hayter) stuck on to plywood boards and held up with lathes.

In the aft cabin, where we sleep, this is doing brilliantly at stopping condensation, when last year ithere was definitely a hint of waterfall from the cabin top, even though the old headlining was up but had no insulation behind it.



<hr width=100% size=1>Sarah&Pip