Refinish Salon Floor

[JackConnick]

I have a 1991 GBC 36.


The salon floor finish on the parquet is pretty scared and failing. Needs to be refinished.



The owners manual calls for sanding with 160 grit and then using a 2 part finish that probably isn't available. It sounds like it might of been an epoxy.


I'd rather use urethane or some sort of easier to apply finish (?). I had good luck with it on my sailboat.


My question is can I use a stripper like Orange on it to help remove the finish, or does this all need to be sanded off? I'm a little worried about how much sanding the parquet can take...


Just wondering what others have done/used?


I've done some searches on the GB forum here and didn't see much.


TIA,
Jack

 

[mvweebles]

160 grit (150 is more common) is not that aggressive. Should not be too deep. Personally I would sand it off, but you could try a chemical remover. Sometimes those raise the grain so you end up sanding anyway.

Here's a recent thread on what top coat to use. I favor a 2-part water based system. Seems to be industry standard in non-marine settings.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/refinishing-my-teak-floor-70438.html

Peter

 

[Cigatoo]

I have a 1991 GBC 36.


The salon floor finish on the parquet is pretty scared and failing. Needs to be refinished.



The owners manual calls for sanding with 160 grit and then using a 2 part finish that probably isn't available. It sounds like it might of been an epoxy.


I'd rather use urethane or some sort of easier to apply finish (?). I had good luck with it on my sailboat.


My question is can I use a stripper like Orange on it to help remove the finish, or does this all need to be sanded off? I'm a little worried about how much sanding the parquet can take...


Just wondering what others have done/used?


I've done some searches on the GB forum here and didn't see much.


TIA,
Jack

I used a belt sander. Made a couple of small gouges but all in all pretty good for a layman.
Watch this video. Not sure if he was dealing with epoxy or not but he used a stripper.
https://youtu.be/zfchwHoJ3pU?si=QCeFXbWpYAleVmGU

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. JC. Welcome aboard. One of the issues I would have with a chemical stripper is any small open seams in the parquet may retain stripper and cause problems with any finish coats. One advantage of sanding is any sawdust caught in the cracks will simply act as filler when applying finish coats.

 

[Larry M]

Jack: Here’s a parallel thread that may help. Good luck with your project.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/refinishing-my-teak-floor-70438.html#post1206800

 

[Datenight]

I have a 1991 GBC 36.
My question is can I use a stripper like Orange on it to help remove the finish, or does this all need to be sanded off? I'm a little worried about how much sanding the parquet can take...

Jack,

I would start with 60 grit paper on an orbital sander that hopefully has dust collection. Work up to 100 or 120 grit. You will have to make a pass with each grit but it will go faster and use less paper than starting with 160. You will be at it a long time with 160 or 150 grit paper esp. if there is a coat or two of epoxy as a base coat. Would suggest 60, 80, 100, 120 for grit progression.

The stripper will work but needs to be scraped off. A lot of work if you are not used to it. However I always do corners that way. Get a 1" Red Devil scraper and a file to keep it sharp. It is amazing how well they work.

The parquet is a solid wood product so you can sand away without worry.

Rob

 

[Steve1.0]

" The stripper will work but needs to be scraped off. A lot of work if you are not used to it. However I always do corners that way. Get a 1" Red Devil scraper and a file to keep it sharp. It is amazing how well they work. "


I did basicly the same thing on my Morgan's salon floor, but used a heat gun in the corners to soften and scrape off the finish.
Works "pissa"
Went back with Epiphanes gloss. It looked beautiful. It appears GB used a semi-gloss.

 

[Delfin]

FWIW, Epifanes rubbed effect varnish is as hard as any two part product I've used. I put it on all flooring in Delfin not carpeted and it still looks great 18 years later with zero areas showing any wear. It flows and flattens beautifully, hiding brusm marks if thinned 10%.

 

[koliver]

Jack
Your boat was originally finished in 1991, so the chances of that finish being chemically reactive with any new finish are slim to non-existent. All you need to achieve is uniformity in colour and some tooth in the areas you plan to finish. If that is the entire floor, and its colour is uniform, a light sanding with 120 grit will suffice. If you are going for full removal of the old finish, start with a more aggressive grit, anything up to 30 grit, followed by 80, followed by 120, finished off with 180, or some combination that gets rid of aggressive sanding marks to your satisfaction. To put on a new finish that will last as long you will need 4 coats of something designed for floors. Any spar varnish will do, but most stores selling floor finishes will have varnishes that are hard enough. I have done my boat floors and my home, where 1970s oak flooring abounds, so I got to be on a first name basis with the local Rental outlet where I got the 12x18 sander and all grits of paper, as well as advice that worked.

Check out the Graham Douglas thread for my comments on water based Varathane before you buy your varnish.

 

[JackConnick]

Thanks appreciate the insight. The floor finish is scored, the whole surface needs to be removed.


I guess we'll find out how hard it will be.


Jack

 

[Larry M]

Jack: I stripped the pilot hose floor down to bare wood after 32 years. It was surprisingly fast and easy following Rob’s (Datenight) grit suggestions. It only took me a few minutes to learn to keep changing sandpaper instead of trying to get more mileage out of a disk.

I do have a shop vacuum adapter for my random orbital sander with 15’ of hose. I put that outside and it really helped to keep the dust down.

Another floor refinished gave me some good advice before I started. He said, “remember, it’s a floor”. :lol:

Good luck!

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
A late, great past TF member (Mr. FF) used to recommend the "varnish?" used in bowling alleys.

 

[Cigatoo]

Thanks appreciate the insight. The floor finish and scored, the whole surface needs to be removed.


“I guess we'll find out how hard it will be.”

If any of the panels are removable pull them and take them home.

From experience the Hardest part is getting started.

Good luck.

 

[JTN Grand Banks]

Cabin Sole

Greetings,

See the below YouTube link from Onne Vanderwal and Jamestown Distributers.

 

[Xlantic]

If you need to remove existing varnish you can do it with a heat-gum and a scraper. A lot easier and quicker than sanding and less messy than a stripper.

 

[BobMc]

I have a 1991 GBC 36.

The salon floor finish on the parquet is pretty scared and failing. Needs to be refinished.

The owners manual calls for sanding with 160 grit and then using a 2 part finish that probably isn't available. It sounds like it might of been an epoxy.

I'd rather use urethane or some sort of easier to apply finish (?). I had good luck with it on my sailboat.

My question is can I use a stripper like Orange on it to help remove the finish, or does this all need to be sanded off? I'm a little worried about how much sanding the parquet can take...

Just wondering what others have done/used?

I've done some searches on the GB forum here and didn't see much.

TIA,
Jack

Here's what I did on our DeFever 41 trawler which was recommended by a very knowledgeable subscriber on Trawlers and Trawlering List who rebuilt and restored Grand Banks fast trawlers.

Day---

1-Sand to bare wood with 60 and 150 grit paper then 2 coats of CPES and dry (don't sand too much, a few dings and dents will just have to stay if they're too deep)

2-Sand with 220, then CPES – 1 coat until tacky, then 1 coat Captains Varnish

3-Captains – 1 coat

4-Captains – 1 coat

5-Sand with 220 - Captains – 1 coat

6-Captains – 1 coat

7-pour Captains into still-open seams and brushed across seams in attempt to fill (will probably not be totally successfully)

May need more very light sanding and more Captains to obtain the appearance you want. If want satin finish, do not sand final coat.

 

[Snug Harbor]

It sounds like you want to DIY. We've hired residential hardwood floor refinishing companies to come in and do the parquet on GB's. Comes out beautifully, they work quickly, and costs much less than boat guys doing it. The floor is made up of solid pieces of teak so plenty of wood to judicially sand. Varnish is too soft, use a urethane like the builders do. Think of it as simply a hardwood floor.

 

[Datenight]

I just don't see the need for epoxy on a floor in that only needs refinishing. It is simply a floor and a solid wood one at that. Sand to clean wood or use the heat gun method. You will still have to sand after after that but much less.

Sand to 120 or 150, a coat of sealer then 3-4 coats of your choice of urethane. Sand between coats with 150. Use a vacuum to pick up dust not a blow gun. Finish will not fill open seams, use a colored filler if they bother you.

Rob

 

[Datenight]

It sounds like you want to DIY. We've hired residential hardwood floor refinishing companies to come in and do the parquet on GB's. Comes out beautifully, they work quickly, and costs much less than boat guys doing it. The floor is made up of solid pieces of teak so plenty of wood to judicially sand. Varnish is too soft, use a urethane like the builders do. Think of it as simply a hardwood floor.

What Snug said!

Rob

 

[Lou_tribal]

Ever refinished an hard wood floor in a house? What would be a difference with an hardwood floor in a boat? Except if a 2 part epoxy finish was used it would be exactly the same, sand, clean, refinish. Whatever the finish is, it will resume to a resin and a solvent.

L

 

[Datenight]

Ever refinished an hard wood floor in a house? What would be a difference with an hardwood floor in a boat? Except if a 2 part epoxy finish was used it would be exactly the same, sand, clean, refinish. Whatever the finish is, it will resume to a resin and a solvent.

L

+1

 

[ronobrien]

160 grit (150 is more common) is not that aggressive. Should not be too deep. Personally I would sand it off, but you could try a chemical remover. Sometimes those raise the grain so you end up sanding anyway.

Here's a recent thread on what top coat to use. I favor a 2-part water based system. Seems to be industry standard in non-marine settings.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/refinishing-my-teak-floor-70438.html

Peter

The chemical remover may raise the grain, which would necessitate sanding, but it may reduce the amount of sanding and the amount of sandpaper required.

 

[KatyLeigh]

Onne Van Der Wal Snow Goose Solution

Onne Van Der Wal has a wonderful Youtube series of his refit of his 32 Grand Banks, Snow Goose. He dealt with his salon floor by stripping and varnishing it. I thought his video was excellent.

Enjoy,



Jim Andersen
Katy Leigh