TIP: don't use plywood. wood and water are a bad combination.

 

TIP: don't use plywood.

Plywood isn’t a good adhesive.

 

The plywood that was used by alumaweld is still in good shape. Would like to cut costs and re use it.

 

I would use 3m rubber cement or 3m weather strip adhesive you can buy it by the gallon, roll it on with a mohair roller. Then do it just like laying new vinyl in a house. As you lay it come right behind with a rolling pin or something larger to roll out any air bubbles. Of course you will need to roll the floor boards and the back of the vinyl.

 

I've been using Roberts 6700 for the install of vinyl on boat floors. It allows you time to get the bubbles out before the initial tack. Some installers are using contact cement but one misalignment and you're in trouble. The best way is pull the flooring and then install the vinyl. After you initially get the vinyl on the wood flip each piece onto a flat hard floor and toss on some weights. Then wrap around the edges and glue them down along with SS stables. Let that be for 24 hours and you have a waterproof floor. If its new marine plywood I also seal the cut edges with either a coat of oil based paint or spar varnish.

 

Thanks that's helpful.

 

I put a coat of wood sealer on the bottom side too

 

nautolex marine vinyl flooring adhesive 88 is what I used.

 

I ordered some of this to do my floor, but FedEx kept cancelling and rescheduling my delivery. After 7-days of "Out for delivery" and no delivery, I researched an alternative and found some Old Henry's 663 Outdoor Carpet Adhesive at Ace. This product worked excellent, but does set up fairly fast, with about a week cure time. 3-months later it lays perfectly flat with zero imperfections.

The only advise is don't get any on the vinyl itself as the only way to get it off is with acetone and that will strip the color of your new vinyl flooring and invest in a Arrow PT50 Pneumatic Staple Gun for $40 from The Home Depot; sooo worth the money!

Oh and guess what showed up as I was carrying the flooring back to the boat to screw down...? Never trust FedEx in rural Clackamas County....

 

Any outdoor carpet adhesive will work

 

In My North River and my Alumaweld the vinyl flooring was just stapled around the underside of the panels and not adhered
It can be replaced without destroying the plywood
There is some adhesive used on the underside where the staples are

 

In My North River and my Alumaweld the vinyl flooring was just stapled around the underside of the panels and not adhered
It can be replaced without destroying the plywood
There is some adhesive used on the underside where the staples are

It tears easily if it's not glued down well

 

when I did the floors on my starcraft I used old timers formula (One part spar varnish, one part boiled linseed oil, 2 parts mineral spirits) on the wood, then used standard outdoor carpet adhesive from home depot. Its only been two years but the floors are in great shape with no bubbles or other imperfections.

 

For floors, you don’t need Marine Grade. Not like a transom or hull construction. A good ACX. Exterior, great one side. Not pressure treated. Use stainless staples and take a magnet and make sure they are stainless! First batch I got at Homedepot, someone had switched box contents. Too cheap to pay a buck more or so for staples.

 

Never use ACX grade plywood in 1/2 inch, which is the thickness what most builders use. It does not have the strength. Marine grade does but you pay the price for that. A MDO plywood is an OK substitute but best if you can get it applied to both sides. When I use it in needs to have the surface lightly toughened with 80 grit so the glue can grip better.

 

Flooring Adhesive for Boat Carpet & Vinyl

Specifically formulated to work with felt backed, marine grade vinyl flooring and rubber backed marine carpeting. Each gallon covers an 100 sq. ft. or an 8'6" x 12' section. If you try to use less glue than is recommended your glue will not bond to the vinyl or carpet and it will come up; create...

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