Vinyl Plank Flooring

[Comodave]

My plan to do the hatches where all 4 sides are trimmed with the J channel is to glue the 4th side of channel down with thickened epoxy.

 

[sbman]

I am planning to put vinyl plank flooring in my boat as well. It had carpet previously, which I've removed, so the floor is currently plywood. I was thinking of using thickened epoxy to harden the edges of the hatches so that I have a solid edge to work with, and the j-channel to finish it looks like a good option.

The particular product I'm planning to use is are flexible planks that use a 'gripstrip' installation which I've done in several locations previously, it's 100% waterproof and extremely easy to install. It's inexpensive enough that if I don't like it or it doesn't work well, I can just put something different in.

Are there any other ideas besides the j-channel to finish out edges or stair treads?

 

[Comodave]

I am planning to use the J channel to finish the edge. This is all contingent on us buying the boat, so far we have had 2 deals fall through. The problem is where the J channel needs to curve. I will make a male and female templates out of plywood the same thickness of the flooring. The problem is getting a smooth curve in the J channel. I plan to make relief cuts in the base of the J channel. Either a V cut or just a straight cut depending on whether it is an outward curve or an inward curve.. Then press the J channel in between the male and female templates to form the curve. We will have about 4 curves of consequence to deal with. Pretty much the rest will be straight lines for the J channel. I will have a lot planks that will need to be bent around curved surfaces on the sides of the base cabinets. These are areas that currently have carpet on them. Most of the J channel will be screwed down but in a few places it will have to be glued down with thickened epoxy. On those strips I will drill holes in the base of the J channel to give the epoxy more area to hold.

 

[Lou_tribal]

I am planning to use the J channel to finish the edge. This is all contingent on us buying the boat, so far we have had 2 deals fall through. The problem is where the J channel needs to curve. I will make a male and female templates out of plywood the same thickness of the flooring. The problem is getting a smooth curve in the J channel. I plan to make relief cuts in the base of the J channel. Either a V cut or just a straight cut depending on whether it is an outward curve or an inward curve.. Then press the J channel in between the male and female templates to form the curve. We will have about 4 curves of consequence to deal with. Pretty much the rest will be straight lines for the J channel. I will have a lot planks that will need to be bent around curved surfaces on the sides of the base cabinets. These are areas that currently have carpet on them. Most of the J channel will be screwed down but in a few places it will have to be glued down with thickened epoxy. On those strips I will drill holes in the base of the J channel to give the epoxy more area to hold.

You may try to get a J channel corner 3D printed. Quite some companies offer the service online and you can provide your own 3D model that can be printed in many different materials.

L

 

[GoneDiving]

You may try to get a J channel corner 3D printed. Quite some companies offer the service online and you can provide your own 3D model that can be printed in many different materials.

L

Or, if the cuts along the curves become unsightly, have one face under the planks not above, with the vertical face proving the protection.

 

[Comodave]

You may try to get a J channel corner 3D printed. Quite some companies offer the service online and you can provide your own 3D model that can be printed in many different materials.

L

Since it will be walked on I would prefer aluminum not plastic. But I know virtually nothing about 3D printing.

 

[Lou_tribal]

Since it will be walked on I would prefer aluminum not plastic. But I know virtually nothing about 3D printing.

Example: https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/#metals

Scroll down the page they show you metal options.

L

 

[Comodave]

Example: https://www.sculpteo.com/en/materials/#metals

Scroll down the page they show you metal options.

L

I’ll bet that isn’t expensive…

 

[Lou_tribal]

No clue about this particular one but saw some price example from another and it was pretty cheap comparing to have the same piece made by a metal worker.

L

 

[STB]

The particular product I'm planning to use is are flexible planks that use a 'gripstrip' installation which I've done in several locations previously, it's 100% waterproof and extremely easy to install. It's inexpensive enough that if I don't like it or it doesn't work well, I can just put something different in.

I tried a product that I'd used very successfully in a 4 season room. It was a thin, flexible vinyl product that had two layers. The pieces attached by a press-fit grip strip adhesive.

It failed very quicky in the boat and was all removed in less than a year. It couldn't take the heat when I'd leave the boat for a few weeks in the summer without AC -- and that was moderate Socal, not where I am now in Florida. The adhesive failed, the edges curled, and the seams came apart.

At the time the product was sold as TrafficMaster Allure at Home Depot -- but the name Allure now seems to be used on a totally different click-lock product that seems related to what was, for a time, known as Allure Ultra.

I, personally, wouldn't again trust the pressure sensitive adhesive flooring where the only adhesive is a strip where pieces interface. It but me once, bad.

All replaced in less than a year.

 

[Comodave]

We have some samples. One has PSA backing, the whole back is covered with the adhesive. It isn’t high on my list so far since it is very thin, but it is also very light in comparison to some of the others. The ones with some sort of foam backing are thicker, so they may cover uneven substrate better but they are also much heavier. The heavier ones are a bit of a drawback since it will be in a planing hull.

 

[CaptTom]

Capt. Tom How did you get the last plank into the J channel on the hatches ?

Yes, this was a problem. I fastened three sides with carpet tacks and liquid nails adhesive, then slid in the flooring. The last piece I just squirted the liquid nails in there under it and put some weigh on it for a couple of days. I used a long piece of 2x6 or something, piled up with heavy stuff, to keep it pressed evenly down the whole time.

This is at least the third time the sole has been replaced. The PO used square adhesive vinyl, and both the adhesive and the tile failed. I tried the adhesive backed planks and had the same result. I'm hoping the third time (and click-together) is the charm. Time will tell.

FYI, I only did the J-channel around the hatches, not the edges. The flooring is supposed to be cut shy of the walls (bulkheads, in this case) to leave room for expansion. Traditionally, you cover the gap with quarter-round, or base molding. And the edging doesn't give you much room; mine is maybe a quarter-inch wide. Not much room for error or expansion/contraction.

 

[Comodave]

I found a company called flexiblemillwork.com that makes quarter round that is flexible. They say it can be stained or painted. I am going to order a piece and do some tests on it to see how it looks.

 

[Bill V]

I have used both Nuteak Sythetic Teak Deck | Nuteak Synthetic Marine Teak Decking
and EZ boat Sole https://www.plasteak.com/plasteak-r...le-teak-and-holly-interior-flooring-whole-box. I installed EZ Boat Sole in my cabin 5 years ago and it looks as good today as when installed. Couple years ago I installed Nuteak and it has held up well.

 

[Byekurman]

This really looks nice. Did you have to remove the flooring being replaced to maintain the same floor thickness?

 

[Simi 60]

I was given a roll of cushioned flooring vinyl bought several years back by somone but was not used and we planned on using it on our dirt house but as yet have not.

It has a very realistic spotted gum plank pattern to it.
Same planking as used in our hull

Not saying this is the same brand but does look similar

https://www.carpetone.com.au/product/australian-spotted-gum-matt-2-strip/

 

[tomah]

I used an Allure floating floor in a 4 season room at home and it worked great, so I tried it on the boat. Even in SoCal's modest climate when I wasn't around and the boat didn't have the AC on, it occasionally got too hot for it. The contact cement built into the interface melted and let go and the plank curled.

I tried traffic master self-stick squares. A gap kept forming between them and they broke/chipped at hatches.

I tried a thicker vinyl plank floor, I forget which one, with interlocking edges. It worked like a charm.

These were in 3 different parts if the boat. I replaced thenAllure with Foss self-stick carpet squares, which were great. The self-stickntikesnwere just a quick fix until I could out in teak-and-holly, but I never got there before selling the boat vinyl plank installation edmonton. The new owners replaced utnwith some type of engineered wood.

I think the interlocking thick plank passed the test of time, but don't know that.

Last fall I found a leak in our big living room slide out. In the process of repairing part of the flooring in it I pulled the carpet. From there I pulled the carpet from everything except the bedroom upstairs and replaced it with the click-to-fit vinyl plank flooring with the attached pad. It turned out okay. To cover the seam where the slide-out meet the main floor, I used corner trim and 1/2" quarter round. Anyway, here's some pics of the final project.