Which non-slip deck to replace Treadmaster..?

Rivers & creeks

Rivers & creeks

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The Kipper's decks are covered in 36 year old Treadmaster. We've jet washed it, scrubbed it, acid treated it, shouted at it, hit it and soaked it. Within an hour of whichever treatment it goes back to looking like ancient, mottled, part faded Treadmaster. Beginning to peel at the edges and worn down in others.

We can't afford the fake teak deck stuff - there are acres of Treadmaster to replace. But I do have a bit of time this summer - two and a half weeks, and it would make a project, not a nice one - to start replacing it. I could begin with the main and aft deck and leave the side and fore decks to next year.

How to remove it and what to replace it with?

I've head that belt sanding works and I can see why, we used one to great effect on the cap rails. I'd like to replace it with something that a hammer and chisel merchant like myself can fit, nothing fancy or with lines that have to match up, just big sheets that you cut to size and stick on.

Recommendations please! It's five weeks until I start so I need to get everything ordered...
 
If its been stuck down properly in the first place with Walkers two pack it definitely is a ba....d to get off. I've done several removals over the years and found the best two tools in my armoury were a grinderette and my 9" Bosh grinder, both fitted with flexi discs. Once you get the balance right, between holding the machine and pressure applied you can be surprisingly accurate with the removal right to the edges. Be prepared for plenty of mess though...

As for replacement, I'm guessing you've got the old diamond pattern Treadmaster, how about going for the smooth pattern. Totally different look and feel, especially to your bare feet and knees... ha ha...
 
No recommendations for an alternative, but as someone who's removed some areas of Treadmaster, I would not recommend you taking it off unless it's absolutely necessary; we reckon I spent nearly 60 hard hours removing less than 1m2 of the stuff. we tried a both belt & radial sanders, but the belts/discs quickly choked and removed very little of the treadmaster. Actually, it was the glue that they'd used to fix it that proved to be the begger to remove, anything 'mechanical' just half-melted it and clogged-up whatever you were using, the remaining glue then just cooled/re-hardened leaving an even bigger mess.

Our eventual solution was to cut through the treadmaster and into the glue beneath using a Stanley knife and then lift/peel away these strips using an old wood-chisel, but you needed to make the strips very narrow - 3-4mm maximum width and no more than 70-80mm long - it was a very slow process. In the end we only removed the worst panels along the side-deck, the remaineder we simply trimmed/re-glued the loose edges and then painted over the treadmaster with Interdeck paint; it covered well and hasn't worn/lifted off after more than twelve month's hard use.

PS: We used Interdeck paint because that's what we were using for the areas where we'd removed the Treadmaster. Some friends with similar Treadmaster problems: Old/stained/too dark a colour for hot weather, simply painted over theirs with a couple of coats of light-grey industrial floor paint; that was about six years ago and apart from one single-coat repaint two years ago, that's stayed looking good too and a lot cheaper than the Interdeck paint.
 
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rich said:
Why not paint it,I did it on one of my boats with deck paint,it looked good & lasted years.
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+1 I painted over my existing treadmaster and deck using two coats of non slip flooring paint, excellent results, paint was purchased on E-Bay £22-00 for 5 litres I have about 3.5 litres remaining which will last quite a few seasons. note, I added beads into the paint which was used to cover the areas of the deck which had no treadmaster.
 
Over this winter I removed about 2sqM of Treadmaster.
Used a gas blowlamp, I found that less is more & quicker, trying to heat a large section was a no no, it cooled too quickly, so, scored 4" wide strips with a Stanley knife, I masked around the area with a plasters trowel, but any steel plate will do, the trowel was handy as the handle didn't get hot & could be easily & quickly be moved.

Also wore a fume mask, as it's not a pleasant smell.

I found that in freezing temperatures, by keeping it moving & as it starts to bubble, that's the time to strip it off. I had the use a Bosch battery multifunction tool, it came off like butter.


If I was to do it again, I would have someone on fire duty, as I did have an issue not watching where I rested the blowlamp (now repaired)

Apoligies for the ramble but if you pm me I have some photos.

Also have nearly finished fitting fake teak only got the lazarette lid to do.
 
Good grief - some of you guys are well 'ard!

I'm really beginning to think painting may be better - the deck area on a CW 34 is similar to an aircraft carrier - and it ALL has Treadmaster on.
 
Its certainly not for the faint hearted.... :)

I know its a different kettle of fish because you guys are working on your own boats so tool availability etc brings with it its own restraints, but when I've been doing this job I've been up against a price, so speed is of the essence. To give an example of what's possible, 60' Pilot boat fully decked in TM - 3 days for removal, 40' Colvic Victor inc cockpit - 2 days, Westerly Seahawk cockpit inc sole - 5 hours. It is a mother of a job though.... painting is sounding better by the minute :D
 
...beginning to think painting may be better...

Unless it's really knackered (our side-decks were crumbling/falling apart/pieces missing) just paint it; even if it only looks tidy for s few more years, someone may have developed a super-tool/solvent that'll shift it by then. Removing Treadmaster is without doubt the worst boat maintenance/repair job I've ever done, even when compared to fixing blocked toilets and climbing the mast at sea to repair rigging damage!

As an aside: If you have any plans to head to warmer climes, then go for a light coloured paint; another problem we and others in the Med found, was that dark-grey treadmaster or deck-paint burns your bare feet in hot weather.
 
BobnLesley said:
...beginning to think painting may be better...

Unless it's really knackered (our side-decks were crumbling/falling apart/pieces missing) just paint it; even if it only looks tidy for s few more years, someone may have developed a super-tool/solvent that'll shift it by then. Removing Treadmaster is without doubt the worst boat maintenance/repair job I've ever done, even when compared to fixing blocked toilets and climbing the mast at sea to repair rigging damage!

As an aside: If you have any plans to head to warmer climes, then go for a light coloured paint; another problem we and others in the Med found, was that dark-grey treadmaster or deck-paint burns your bare feet in hot weather.
Click to expand...

Agree with that. Our Treadmaster was stuck down with contact adhesive and removing that took several weekends. I imagine that stuck down with epoxy it would have been even worse, although in that case maybe the edges would not have been curling up, which is why we were removing it.

As you say, the colour should be white or as light as possible. We laid TBS non slip in our cockpit and I was persuaded to buy grey instead of white. It is impossible to stand on it in bare feet when Greek sun has been on it.
 
Hi Lazy Kipper

Iam in the process of painting my Treadmaster, done it twice
in the past 10 years of ownership, using B&Q floor paint
worked well.

Iam in the same boat yard as you so if you want to pop up
to see, I will be there sunday.
 
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