January 2019
Wildthing originally had teak and holly cabin soles (flooring). The soles were all original and some had been damaged by water so we decided to update them all. There are many options when looking at flooring products these days. The new composite and waterproof vinyls are very popular now.
We chose a synthetic vinyl product that looks like teak. I come in strips which are four feet long, 5 inches wide and about 1/8 thick.
The material is easy to clean yet it has a texture so it is not slippery when wet. We thought we added enough wood on the interior so the synthetic flooring saved us from doing additional maintenance.
The complete sole of the boat was rebuilt using 3/4 marine plywood. This is very dense with no
voids. The pilothouse and aft cabin had been previously rebuilt a few years ago.
The main sections for the galley and the main salon were cut and secured to the existing beams and support structure of the floor. In the main salon seven floor hatches were built to allow access to water tanks, thru hulls and the mast step.
The floor hatches and openings were all trimmed out in strips of teak. This provides a nice accent
and also protects the edges of the hatches.
The strip were cut to 3/8 wide by 7/8 high. These were all given three coats of Epiphanes gloss varnish to provide a hard and durable surface.
The teak strips were then attached to the four sides of each hatch with glue and secured with stainless finishing nails.
Before the flooring was glued on the recessed latch was cut in using a router and a template.
The flooring was then cut to length and glued down with normal vinyl flooring adhesive.
The seams of the vinyl flooring on the hatches was matched to line up with the rest of the floor. This little detail made it look great.
Once the flooring was attached the latch was traced onto the flooring and cut out. The latch was then attached with brass screws. The recessed brass latches are a striking detail in the flooring system.
I have been on so many boats that have lose or squeaky hatches as you walk around the boat. To prevent our hatches from squeaking we added little felt cushion under each corner which prevented them from making any noise. You can also use these on cabinets and drawers to quiet them down. You can find these at most hardware stores.
Wildthing originally had teak and holly cabin soles (flooring). The soles were all original and some had been damaged by water so we decided to update them all. There are many options when looking at flooring products these days. The new composite and waterproof vinyls are very popular now.
The floor hatches and openings were all trimmed out in strips of teak. This provides a nice accent
Looking great. You guys are doing a tremendous job.
ReplyDeleteWhat else is there to do during a quarantine? Can't wait to see how she turns out.
Thanks Brew! Great to hear from you. Yes, plenty of time to work on the boat. We headed back to South Dakota for the Summer on the lake. We will be back in the fall to continue working on Wildthing. We have a lot of painting and varnishing to do before we re-install the aft cabin headliner and trim. The pilot house headliner will also go back in then. Thanks for checking in. Stay tuned for more fun.
ReplyDelete