Floor Replacement Tips?

[BrianE]

Okay, when re-working the Glassmaster the floor seemed solid but had a small area of rot which I cut out & replaced. 3 years later the whole floor has turned to mush so I've been ripping it out and getting ready for a replacement.

So far the worst work has been removing the carpet which I so securely glued-down. Another hour or so of scraping and I should have it all out.

The stringers in my boat are made of woven-roving wrapped around cardboard tubes. I plan to tab in more roving to the sides of them to beef things up a bit. My first concern is how do I secure the new plywood floor panels to the stringers since there is no wood to screw them into? I was thinking a two-step process of gluing the ply to the stringers with 3M 5200, holding the ply down with weights until it cured. Then go back once the glue has cured and do a lay-up of mat & cloth over the top, tab in the edges with roving all the way around.

Does this sound like an okay plan?

Any other general floor tips would be appreciated, I'll be hitting it hard this coming weekend but unfortunately won't be ready for the Lake Tapps outing on the 23rd.

[timw]

Hey Brian,
Why not glass your new deck to the stringers?

[FINS]

Your plan with the 5200 seems the best plan, short of replacing the stringers with wood. Even in wood, the screws only hold it tight until the adhesive cures. It will take some good even weight to hold it tight. Maybe an inflatable kiddie pool full of water! Wal-mart has those for 2.99 this time of year!

You have plenty of time until the Tapps event. It was moved to the 30th of May so as not to overlap with the Memorial Day weekend. (I just noticed the main Homepage calender still says the 23rd, but the one on this forum says the 30th)

[timw]

Hey Brian, never mind then, I just thought that a resin-cloth-resin joint would have been stronger than glue...carry on....
Tim

[BrianE]

Thanks!

Thanks guys, I was thinking the adhesive might be stronger but then again resin would be cheaper. I read somewhere that Bill Roberts used some PL Urethane adhesive on the floor of the Tyee he did, it doesn't look to bad $$. I'm thinking of using MDO plywood, polyester resin.

I guess May 30th gives me just about enough time and a goal to work towards though the floor might be just primered at that point!

I hope my neighbors don't mind a little evening grinder work...

[FINS]

I agree Tim. The edges and floor covering need to be covered with resin, cloth, and then wet out with some more resin on the top side. But to attach the floor to the stringers, some sort of adhesive should be used. The 3M5200 works great, as long as you don't plan on taking the floor back up any time soon. The floor will rot around the stringers before the 5200 lets go. When I did the floor in my Playmaster, I used 5200 to the stingers (mine were a aluminum channel with glass roving over) then a 6" glass tape around the entire perimeter with resin. After that was all set, I drilled 2" holes and foamed the space between the floor and hull with a two part, closed cell foam, then glassed over the entire floor. Glue carpet over that.

[timw]

I agree Tim. The edges and floor covering need to be covered with resin, cloth, and then wet out with some more resin on the top side. But to attach the floor to the stringers, some sort of adhesive should be used. The 3M5200 works great, as long as you don't plan on taking the floor back up any time soon. The floor will rot around the stringers before the 5200 lets go. When I did the floor in my Playmaster, I used 5200 to the stingers (mine were a aluminum channel with glass roving over) then a 6" glass tape around the entire perimeter with resin. After that was all set, I drilled 2" holes and foamed the space between the floor and hull with a two part, closed cell foam, then glassed over the entire floor. Glue carpet over that.

I understand all that..The question was, why not use resin-cloth-resin between the stringers, and the new deck, I have done 2 floors that way, and it seems to hold very well...Isnt foam fun.

[BrianE]

Hey Tim,

That is the usual method but since I can't use any mechanical fasteners to attach to the stringers I'm thinking that adhesive might give a more positive bond. Also, since I'll be using weights to hold the floor down until it's cured I won't be able to glass in the top of floor until it's well adhered. This way I won't have an additional step of messing with resin, a caulk gun w/ glue sounds easier, then fill voids, glass & tape around the perimeter.

I've hit a bit of a road-block with the rain, I can't do any cutting or grinding in the garage, too much dust so I'll have to hit it hard this weekend....

[timw]

Hey Tim,

That is the usual method but since I can't use any mechanical fasteners to attach to the stringers I'm thinking that adhesive might give a more positive bond. Also, since I'll be using weights to hold the floor down until it's cured I won't be able to glass in the top of floor until it's well adhered. This way I won't have an additional step of messing with resin, a caulk gun w/ glue sounds easier, then fill voids, glass & tape around the perimeter.

I've hit a bit of a road-block with the rain, I can't do any cutting or grinding in the garage, too much dust so I'll have to hit it hard this weekend....

..Hey Brian,..Sounds like you have it under control..Good luck with the grinding. Give me a new box of 24 grit and my grinder, an I am in heaven..
Tim

[Tim_Mattson]

Adhesive Fodder

Hey Brian + all,
I`ve had good luck both in $ and in results by mixing up my own adhesive and filling blank cartridge tubes bought for $.69 each at Fisheries.
Using Colloidial Silica Gap Filler by West System or Fiberlay ,I`ve mixed up my own slurry to stick almost anything together.Milled Glass fibers can also be mixed in,whether cut with scissors or bought in a tub at Fiberlay.
The Fast hardeners (or hot mixed Resin)will make it kick off quickly once in the tube( if over 70`) so this time of year it is pretty easy to do.
I like to roll up chopped strand glass after wetting it out and then lay it on top of stringers as the floor goes down.A layer of resin on the floor bottom and even a strip of chopped glass where each stringer will connect will give a good connection.
Yes ,you could save time by going and getting Liquid Nails or 5200 Adhesive but these either won`t come apart or won`t hold up.
For forcing down the floors ,I`d use 2x4`s crossways under the gunnels and then use blocks and shims to push it all down even.A few bolts with jam nuts can also be used in various places to give you a way to dial in the force evenly.
The new foams also give some sticking power so realize it will be helping if there isn`t dust and debris everywhere.
Attach floors to hull as you see fit,Glass perimeter as Fins said,Foam it up,then glass over the new floor wall to wall.
Goodluck,
TimM