Need a New Shower Grate

After 30 years our teak shower grate needs to be replaced. The grate now is about 15/16" thick and ~2' x 2'. Suggestions? Teak? Starboard? Thickness?

While replacing teak with teak is nice...

I have seen some pretty snazzy Starboard ones which were solid with nicely routed holes and edges.

It's a shower grate, not the center piece art of your saloon.

My sailboat used what was essentially a piece of starboard with holed drilled in it. Simple, cheap, effective.

My friends expensive sailboat has them and they look nice....so do teak grates but one is a heck of a lot easier.

psneeld said:

...It's a shower grate, not the center piece art of your saloon.

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Good point.

dhays said:

My sailboat used what was essentially a piece of starboard with holed drilled in it. Simple, cheap, effective.

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Do you remember how thick it was? Do you think 3/4" will be thick enough to span about 20"?

Has anyone tried the Starboard with the non skid? I'm concerned about keeping it clean?

King Plastic - Seafoam King Starboard Anti Skid Plastic Sheet #13770-42013

???

RTF: lol Restaurant floor matting wasn't quite what I had in mind.

For future reference... mostly off topic, tell me if you have heard this already... but you can make cleaning them easier in the future by only using liquid soap/body wash in the future.

Thank you... now back to your regularly scheduled argument.

Any kind of non skid is hard to keep clean.

My guess is with enough holes, non-skid might not be necessary.

Thread drift!

If you want to keep your shower stall sparkling clean with no effort try "Method Daily Shower Spray." We have been using this for 2-years and we are full time cruisers. Haven't had to scrub the shower ever. It's amazing stuff.

hmason said:

Thread drift!

If you want to keep your shower stall sparkling clean with no effort try "Method Daily Shower Spray." We have been using this for 2-years and we are full time cruisers. Haven't had to scrub the shower ever. It's amazing stuff.

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That's two drifts in the span of three threads. Nice work sir. Nice work.

The starboard on the sailboat was only about 1/2 inch thick but it was a smaller area than you have.

Your grate was close to an inch, but how much space under it? I would likely just try using thick Starboard and screw a couple strips of the Starboard or pieces of the old teak on the bottom of the Starboard with some SS screws. They wouldn't show and souls stiffen the Starboard.

Edit: Yes, using liquid body wash helps keep the shower clean as well as keep the shower drain and sump clear. I also use a little squirt of Raritan CP in the shower drain after a shower. It helps break down soap scum, he air, dead skin etc...

psneeld said:

Any kind of non skid is hard to keep clean.

My guess is with enough holes, non-skid might not be necessary.

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And regular Starboard has a bit of texture to it. The AS is more aggressive and likely harder on the feet... I use regular on my cockpit boarding steps with a 1/8x1/8 cut every 1" for drainage and additional traction. Easy to do on a table saw and more than enough traction for this application..looks nice too..

Tom.B said:

For future reference... mostly off topic, tell me if you have heard this already... but you can make cleaning them easier in the future by only using liquid soap/body wash in the future.

Thank you... now back to your regularly scheduled argument.

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hmason said:

Thread drift!

If you want to keep your shower stall sparkling clean with no effort try "Method Daily Shower Spray." We have been using this for 2-years and we are full time cruisers. Haven't had to scrub the shower ever. It's amazing stuff.

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Thanks. My question about cleaning was more about my dirty feet. I go barefoot and/or wear flip-flops most of the time and I'm more concerned about foot tracks on the white.

dhays said:

...Your grate was close to an inch, but how much space under it? I would likely just try using thick Starboard and screw a couple strips of the Starboard or pieces of the old teak on the bottom of the Starboard with some SS screws. They wouldn't show and souls stiffen the Starboard....

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Good idea. I was concerned about the Starboard not being stiff enough.

Heron said:

And regular Starboard has a bit of texture to it. The AS is more aggressive and likely harder on the feet... I use regular on my cockpit boarding steps with a 1/8x1/8 cut every 1" for drainage and additional traction. Easy to do on a table saw and more than enough traction for this application..looks nice too..

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Thanks. If I go with Starboard, I'll use the regular.

You could use a table saw and cut slots in the Starboard instead of holes . Draw out a pattern and cut

[STRIKE][/STRIKE]Larry, I also used the regular Starboard for our boarding ladder and for our swim platform, 3/4 and 1" respectively. They do have just enough grip and clean up easily. Too bad you weren't closer, I have a 4 x 4 piece of 1" in the basement. I changed the above to get away from teak maintenance, just not my thing.

Thanks Allan: How stiff is the 1"? The grate I have now is 15/16". The longest dimension is 24".

Larry M said:

Thanks Allan: How stiff is the 1"? The grate I have now is 15/16". The longest dimension is 24".

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The 1" is very stiff. I would be surprised if you would get any flex at all.

Greetings,
Mr. LM. "I'm more concerned about foot tracks on the white. " https://www.fisheriessupply.com/lewmar-treadmaster

Just make a new one in Teak. Buy a nice new 60+ tooth carbide blade, though; the multiple cross cuts will need to be clean and precise w/o chips.

Alternatives to actually expecting each half lap to fit perfectly include grooving or routing at 90deg from opposite faces. The intersecting grooves would cause a drain hole at each crossing. The wood that spans the whole width (or length) would be doing all the work of carrying your weight and cracking along the grain would best be controlled by 'breadboarding' across the end grain.

Larry M said:

Thanks Allan: How stiff is the 1"? The grate I have now is 15/16". The longest dimension is 24".

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If stiffness / sag is a concern instead of going thicker why not add a rubber bumper or two or three on the bottom(w SS screws) to cut the span? Drainage still not hampered.

Use Starboard and support to the pan/hull if needed. 1"T and put whatever hole or slot pattern is easiest for you. Clean with as nasty as stuff as you want. It will still be their when your great grand children get the boat and ask "what is that stuff?"

I wonder if a Florida boat salvage place would an exact replacement or one that could be easily modified to fit? Worth a shot maybe.

Tom.B said:

I wonder if a Florida boat salvage place would an exact replacement or one that could be easily modified to fit? Worth a shot maybe.

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That is an option but I guess the word is "easily" modified. We looked in Fort Pierce at Marine Connection Liquidators. I could buy teak grating for ~$100. We'll look at Sailors Exchange in St Augustine when we go through next month.

We have a good friend who has a wood working shop and I'll talk to him and see what his thoughts are.

Sailor's Exchange does have teak grating, I also would like to replace my missing shower grate and was looking. The problem I saw with the pre-made grating is creating the border. I'm sure it wouldn't be much of a problem if one had a basic woodworking shop. I don't think a Fein tool, as versatile as that is- quite cuts it.

Larry M said:

After 30 years our teak shower grate needs to be replaced. The grate now is about 15/16" thick and ~2' x 2'. Suggestions? Teak? Starboard? Thickness?

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In a completely unrelated thread a mention was made of www.buckwoodcraft.com and I saw Shower Grates.

So there ya go!

Marty.........................

MartySchwartz said:

In a completely unrelated thread a mention was made of www.buckwoodcraft.com and I saw Shower Grates.

So there ya go!

Marty.........................

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Thanks! Here's our grate! I sent an email asking for a quote.

Custom King Starboard Cockpit & Shower Grates

You have like this place.

MartySchwartz said:

In a completely unrelated thread a mention was made of www.buckwoodcraft.com and I saw Shower Grates.

So there ya go!

Marty.........................

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Perfect! I've had John at Buckwoodcraft make some custom parts for me. Great to deal with and excellent quality..