Flooring choices for engine room ?

Caladan said:

Any idea what the below flooring style is called in the USA ? I see the words "round stud" banded about but seems like every link to the stuff in sheet form is either UK or Chinese source. Wondering if it called something else here ?





http://www.ufitflooring.com/flooring/rs10006-ashgrey-plain-rubber-flooring.jpg





No problem to find it in 12" squares at Home Depot or the Vetus sheets already mentioned (the Vetus stuff being better with more traction....but very expensive) but to find "round stud" pattern in thin sheets seems to be difficult here...unless it's called something else.

Click to expand...

I've got rubber matting throughout my engine room.

Below link is what it's called here in Australia

http://www.clarkrubber.com.au/studded-matting-1.html


Sent from my iPhone using Trawler Forum

Use to own a tool truck and had Coin Grip PVC flooring down. It was a light gray. Had literally hundreds of guys a day walking over it with greasy shoes. No one ever slipped, all I did weekly was mopped it up with a mild degreaser then sprayed it lightly with some mop and glow. Looked great. Now I won't say that I was on my knees when in the truck but one could easily put on knee pads for that.
Another thought, closed cell foam flooring - Costco has sold some from time to time. Usually see it on concrete floors for standing on. Closed cell doesn't absorb fluids, easy clean up, can be cut with just about anything, and is cost effective.

Take a look at neoprene sheet rubber. Available in varying thicknesses in rolls. I lined the floor and cabinet tops of an aluminum race hauler with the 1/8" sheet and it was great to kneel on and tools stayed put. It is very resistant to petrochemicals and provides great vibration and sound dampening. I have seen it available as a coin embossed form also. Not cheap but excellent in application and very durable if out of direct sunlight.

Ed.- Hendo's link shows the coin form of the material I refer to. I also had the sheet form on the floor of an aluminum shrimp boat that vibrated like crazy while on a run (old chrysler V-8 gas burner). The neoprene stopped most all of the high frequency stuff and was a great grippy surface...but downright hot in full sunlight under a bare foot but in an engine room would not have that issue.

Hendo78 said:

I've got rubber matting throughout my engine room.

Below link is what it's called here in Australia

Rubber Matting - Rubber Flooring | Clark Rubber

Click to expand...

Interesting that you guys call "diamond plate" pattern a "checker" pattern down under. Was hoping your metric dimensions might come closer to my need of 26" (or 52") width but no cigar there either

markpierce said:

That's something like what I've got. But if one needs to crawl, I'd go for something much softer.

Click to expand...

This IS soft but I don't know what it's called.

That appears to be neoprene "coin" flooring. Im familiar with the material as flooring over aluminum in race car haulers. It has some "anti-fatigue" qualities...at least compared to aluminum U-channel runners or diamond plate and is fuel/solvent resistant, good grip underfoot.

ed- I am referring to the photo Mark P. posted

I used some thin green "felt" carpeting in the engine room of my Burger on top of the steel (white painted) diamond plate. It was fantastic and lasted years.

Elevations - Color Leaf Green Texture 6 ft. x Your Choice Length Carpet-7PD5N620072HO - The Home Depot

And before you start making comments about growing grass in the engine room, note that green epoxy floor paint is what we always painted the train repair depots in. I don't have any project photos handy, but the below gets the point across.

http://3.imimg.com/data3/KN/IO/MY-3504223/epoxy-industrial-floor-500x500.jpg

Codger2 said:

This IS soft but I don't know what it's called.

Click to expand...

Dang Walt- it looks like you been keeping the Groco properly polished. And the fancy hose clamp rubber ends too (I have those. They're cool AND functional)!


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Caladan said:

Interesting that you guys call "diamond plate" pattern a "checker" pattern down under. Was hoping your metric dimensions might come closer to my need of 26" (or 52") width but no cigar there either

Click to expand...

If the stuff comes in 48" width rolls, just cut 26"x48" and lay them sideways. The coin flooring is a non-directional pattern. Its an engine room floor, not a wall mural.
P.S. Diamond plate in a crawl around ER is evil.

Magic has a teak slatted engine room floor. Quite comfy and easy to lift out sections to reach the bilge. Best of all, any stains from spilled fluids just seem to disappear.

Howard