My Flooring Idea - I Love It!

[Lomcevak]

Here is another thing I've done to make my boat a little more comfortable.

The benefits are many: among which is, I think, likely the cheapest -per square foot- flooring option one can find.

There are two thicknesses you can get from various sources. I used the thinner stuff with the grey side for the floor, and the thicker stuff for the rear berth. One noticeable benefit is that you don't get the "crackling" sound when you go into the rear berth, when you have this stuff laid down.

When I went looking for flooring in my hobby room (to protect the wood floor from me dropping glues on it) I checked out pricing for different types of flooring. This is by far the cheapest option I have yet found. I've found this in both Wal-Mart and hardware stores. I'm sure other types of home stores would also carry it.

1) Cheap
2) Easy to cut
3) Readily available
4) Cheap
5) Warm
6) Sound Dampening
7) Easily replaceable sections
Easy to wash
9) Soft and comfortable on the feet or body (when lying on it).
10) Can be removed in the off-season to prevent mould.
11) Somewhat protects your socked feet from any water in the floor of the cabin as it percolates down between the joints
12) Quick, easy drying when removed
13) Cheap!
14) Helps distribute the force from body weight
15) Colourful! Kids will love it!
16) Interlocking, so you won't trip on the edges like you would with carpet.
17) Did I mention it is cheap?

[Russ]

Clever.

We use this stuff in our exercise room floor.

[NiceAft]

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

[innervations]

Meeeoooowwww!

[Lomcevak]

Hahaha. Is that carpeting, or something else?

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

[yukonbob]

We put the black interlocking foam in the back berth a few years back. The entire underside moulded / mildew'd and looked like it had been raining in the back berth as that stuff does not breath at all. Condensation also formed on the outer edges where the hull carpet meets the liner and promptly turned black and green. After that I installed plastic interlocking slated tiles and put a similar foam overtop. This allows it to breath. This of course all depends on your climate.

[Lomcevak]

We put the black interlocking foam in the back berth a few years back. The entire underside moulded / mildew'd and looked like it had been raining in the back berth as that stuff does not breath at all. Condensation also formed on the outer edges where the hull carpet meets the liner and promptly turned black and green. After that I installed plastic interlocking slated tiles and put a similar foam overtop. This allows it to breath. This of course all depends on your climate.

Yes, this stuff moulds like many things in a boat, particularly because it can trap the water underneath like you say, and it will not breath. The solution is to lift them all up and take them inside the house whenever you're not using your boat. Or at least lift them up and lean them in such a way that it can air out underneath. Or, if you're going to be out on the water for a week, lift them up and dry underneath.

Are you talking about something like this: http://www.greatmats.com/tiles/interloc ... -tiles.php ?
And when you say similar foam, do you mean similar to what I'm using?

I would think hard plastic floor tiles would really scour the nice smooth gelcoat, no?

[NiceAft]

Hahaha. Is that carpeting, or something else?

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

Remnant carpet that I had bound.

Ray

[Highlander]

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

Cat lovers everywhere just love u Ray

How many neighborhood cats u have to huntdown for this Mod !

Just saying

J
PS Knew a guy once who was always scratching his Butt , told him there was a cure for that ! , Really he asked !! , Yep tell yer wife too stop putting canned cat food in ur sandwiches for lunch ?

[yukonbob]

We put the black interlocking foam in the back berth a few years back. The entire underside moulded / mildew'd and looked like it had been raining in the back berth as that stuff does not breath at all. Condensation also formed on the outer edges where the hull carpet meets the liner and promptly turned black and green. After that I installed plastic interlocking slated tiles and put a similar foam overtop. This allows it to breath. This of course all depends on your climate.

Yes, this stuff moulds like many things in a boat, particularly because it can trap the water underneath like you say, and it will not breath. The solution is to lift them all up and take them inside the house whenever you're not using your boat. Or at least lift them up and lean them in such a way that it can air out underneath. Or, if you're going to be out on the water for a week, lift them up and dry underneath.

Are you talking about something like this: http://www.greatmats.com/tiles/interloc ... -tiles.php ?
And when you say similar foam, do you mean similar to what I'm using?

I would think hard plastic floor tiles would really scour the nice smooth gelcoat, no?

It's not feasible for us to remove the foam every week as we slip 120 miles from home and I'm not dragging them back every week. Real similar tiles but more air spaces. I then threw a couple of closed foam (1/2") camping matts down for grip for the dogs and storage items. I suppose you could use the same interlocking blocks overtop. The plastic tiles I have don't scratch the FG and there is zero condensation under the matts now. I'm planning on doing the same wand putting carpet over the tiles in the rest of the boat. Carpet only cause we have a 1 year old and the tiles are hard on our feet so they can't feel nice for him.

[Lomcevak]

We put the black interlocking foam in the back berth a few years back. The entire underside moulded / mildew'd and looked like it had been raining in the back berth as that stuff does not breath at all. Condensation also formed on the outer edges where the hull carpet meets the liner and promptly turned black and green. After that I installed plastic interlocking slated tiles and put a similar foam overtop. This allows it to breath. This of course all depends on your climate.

Yes, this stuff moulds like many things in a boat, particularly because it can trap the water underneath like you say, and it will not breath. The solution is to lift them all up and take them inside the house whenever you're not using your boat. Or at least lift them up and lean them in such a way that it can air out underneath. Or, if you're going to be out on the water for a week, lift them up and dry underneath.

Are you talking about something like this: http://www.greatmats.com/tiles/interloc ... -tiles.php ?
And when you say similar foam, do you mean similar to what I'm using?

I would think hard plastic floor tiles would really scour the nice smooth gelcoat, no?



It's not feasible for us to remove the foam every week as we slip 120 miles from home and I'm not dragging them back every week. Real similar tiles but more air spaces. I then threw a couple of closed foam (1/2") camping matts down for grip for the dogs and storage items. I suppose you could use the same interlocking blocks overtop. The plastic tiles I have don't scratch the FG and there is zero condensation under the matts now. I'm planning on doing the same wand putting carpet over the tiles in the rest of the boat. Carpet only cause we have a 1 year old and the tiles are hard on our feet so they can't feel nice for him.

You don't have to take them home. Just lift them off the floor and stand them up. Could you give us a link to the tiles you are using? I do like your idea, but mine is a good work around for someone who doesn't want to put out the money for both at once.

The other problem is that, even with my method, it reduces the head clearance. Ceiling's already low enough as it is.

[Russ]

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

Ray, I really like the animal pattern. Did you have the edges stitched? Looks custom.

That and my blue mood lighting would be purrrrrrfect.

[yukonbob]

You don't have to take them home. Just lift them off the floor and stand them up. Could you give us a link to the tiles you are using? I do like your idea, but mine is a good work around for someone who doesn't want to put out the money for both at once.

The other problem is that, even with my method, it reduces the head clearance. Ceiling's already low enough as it is.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/10-pa ... R75-rphPFI these are the tiles I used throughout the boat. Six to a pack. I hear ya on the head cleanse. We had 3/4 t&g hardwood for a few years until it swelled and started rubbing the liner in front of the galley. I also can't tip the back foam up as thats where the cooler, fishing rods, and a big bin of stuff stay. We do move all the cushions and open all the clovers to allow better air flow. If I don't do that condensation accumulates in the 'bilge' and keeps it humid. the air flow through the bilge allows the moisture to dissipate and we have fewer mild issues. I keep meaning to buy and install one of those solar fans. Maybe this year maybe next

[NiceAft]

Again, clever use, but some of us want a little more action in our lives, Grrrr

Ray

Ray, I really like the animal pattern. Did you have the edges stitched? Looks custom.

That and my blue mood lighting would be purrrrrrfect.

Yeeeesss

A little Disco music and you and I could create a grooving raft up somewhere

I had the remnants cut to the shape of templates I made, and then they were bounded.

Ray

[Mac26Mpaul]

We used the foam tiles too although I used the ones with holes in them with the idea being that a) they breath a bit better and b) sand and stuff falls through out of the way to be cleaned up later. We had them in the boat for about a year, didn't have any mould issues. I ended up taking them out and putting the carpet back in.



Still have em in the cockpit though where they work well