Blue Heron
Guru
I have a soft teak floor in the fwd cabin berth at the "V" in the farthest tip. Any suggestions on how to reinforce it without tearing the deck up? Can I put an Epoxy or shalac on it to harden it up? Thoughts please.
Soft teak floor
- Thread starter Blue Heron
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Soft teak floor? Is it the finish or does the floor it self feel soft as you stand or push on it (rotten sub-floor)?
Blue Heron
Guru
Larry, it's the floor. Feels soft when standing on it.
Blue Heron
Guru
Floor isn't wet. It's just soft. I can see where the teak is discolored from being wet from before I purchased the boat. No moisture getting to it now.
bshillam
Guru
- Joined
- May 18, 2013
- Messages
- 801
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Our Heaven
- Vessel Make
- 1997 4800 Navigator
Putting a top coat of anything isn't going to do much. you could look at the underside and reinforce it from the bottom up. Maybe some ply and epoxy with pressure being applied from the bottom up. A top coat of epoxy with enough time will flex and start to crack. Just my two pennies.
Tony B
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2011
- Messages
- 1,251
- Location
- Cruising/Live-Aboard USA
- Vessel Name
- Serenity
- Vessel Make
- Mainship 36 Dual Cabin -1986
The plywood is probably rotted from the bottom up from previous water penetration.
here is one possible fix with a 50/50 chance of working.
Items needed are a drill, an epoxy injector needle, epoxy and some kind of dye for the epoxy whether it be powdered or alcohol based but not oil or water based. The idea is to drill holes in several areas at random and fill the holes by injecting the dyed epoxy into the holes. The dye should match the color of the area you will be injecting it into.
It's not a good idea to thin epoxy with alcohol. but the alcohol will help it flow a little easier. Also keep the area heated before you start this project. Warm area and warm epoxy will flow better. Don't get the epoxy too warm or it will set before you are ready for it. just make sure it is not cold. Room temp is fine for the epoxy temp.
Good luck with this project and remember this is only a temporary fix. Temporary being anywhere from a few months to several years. Just use good judgement with drilling the holes. You will soon find out if the whole thing is about to disintegrate. Sometimes the outer veneer is all that is holding this together.
here is one possible fix with a 50/50 chance of working.
Items needed are a drill, an epoxy injector needle, epoxy and some kind of dye for the epoxy whether it be powdered or alcohol based but not oil or water based. The idea is to drill holes in several areas at random and fill the holes by injecting the dyed epoxy into the holes. The dye should match the color of the area you will be injecting it into.
It's not a good idea to thin epoxy with alcohol. but the alcohol will help it flow a little easier. Also keep the area heated before you start this project. Warm area and warm epoxy will flow better. Don't get the epoxy too warm or it will set before you are ready for it. just make sure it is not cold. Room temp is fine for the epoxy temp.
Good luck with this project and remember this is only a temporary fix. Temporary being anywhere from a few months to several years. Just use good judgement with drilling the holes. You will soon find out if the whole thing is about to disintegrate. Sometimes the outer veneer is all that is holding this together.
Last edited:
kulas44
Guru
That is exactly the kind of "repairs" that to me devalue a good boat. Do it right, take pictures, make it better than as built and the boats value will not be affected. Pull up the teak, cut out the rot "all of it" replace with new marine fir plywood and completely seal everything with CPES. There is no way to know the extent of the degradation until you gain complete access to it, and it will be more than you think. Epoxy injection is for ametures, it never works as good as you think it does and the cancer keeps spreading. Eventually the area will just fall thru. I do agree that it is a good "quik fix" and will slow the deterioration of the area for awhile. I also know that the quik fix usually ends up not getting permanently fixed. CPES is probably about the best epoxy for doing this as its very thin and will really soak in, even in saturated areas. It really smells so dont use it if you cant leave for a few days.
