Securing how to replace boat carpet takes willingness and patience. When you can let go of your old carpet, it becomes a lot easier than you think. Many boat owners prefer to do it themselves when replacing boat floor and carpet, and contrary to what others’ think, it is quite simple to do:
- Assess the surface and your vinyl material
- Make necessary adjustments
- Check your adhesives
- Apply vinyl and glue
- Check consistent adhesion after application
- Complete a clean replacement
You can change your boat carpet regularly, like once a month to start. The more you do it, the better you will be.
Table of Contents
Here’s How Boat Carpet Replacement Goes Easy!
Know that a harsh marine environment poses damage to your favorite boat’s carpeting regimen. These are primary things that can potentially affect how to replace it. It can wear down, detach, or deteriorate from exposure to sunlight and saltwater residue. Thus, it is necessary to understand the essential points that lead you to replace your boat carpet every few months, even with regular cleaning.
- Boat carpets are a favorite spot for molds, bacteria, and mildew if left uncleaned after every boating trip. It’s worth walking on your boat after every trip knowing everything is cleaned and a vinyl floor is on.
- Indeed, considering it an option to replace boat carpets with non-skid materials is a good idea for boat maintenance. Ensure you are using non-skid vinyl materials and do it regularly as you go on boating trips.
- Replace boat carpets with vinyl to provide a better and durable flooring and a beautiful style for your boat. There are many advantages you can find in this tutorial of using vinyl flooring, like cost-efficiency. You can get several customs for your boat, such as colors, thicknesses, and features to suit your preferences.
A Few Essentials You Need to Know About Before Getting into the Quick Tour
1. Crisp and tidy
Vinyl, unlike carpet, requires little upkeep. It is simple to clean because of its non-absorbent properties. Just a scrub of cleaner and water is all you have to do to keep it looking brand new.
As a boat owner, you will be concerned if your guests consume colored beverages and stain the floors. The main culprit for boat carpet replacement!
Stains require a unique carpet cleaner, which may or may not be completely removed. Replacing the boat carpet with vinyl will give you a carefree boat ride because maintenance and cleaning necessitate less effort.
2. It doesn’t fade
Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause your boat’s carpet to fade over time and even shorten its life. Meanwhile, any marine-grade vinyl flooring won’t fade. They are made of UV protectant materials and greatly stabilized for various environments, especially extreme marine ones.
When you replace marine carpet with vinyl, it will save you money, effort, and time for more practical applications. Changing your boat carpet with marine-grade vinyl helps extend your boat’s flooring life for a long period. Use vinyl for your boat flooring so you will not worry about any fading issues.
3. Repels moisture
When you operate your boat in high-moisture environments, it makes them susceptible to mold, bacteria, and mildew. Also, mold and bacteria grow in confined spaces where it traps water, like your boat carpet. This is where a non-skid vinyl suits better than its counterparts.
Fortunately, when you replace boat carpet with non-skid vinyl, it will resist moisture. The best part is that it prevents the formation of fungus and bacteria and deter them from further building up.
4. Excellent warranty
Vinyl manufacturers ensure that they match every pain point of their customers. They are indeed aware that a recarpet boat can have damage to your deck after prolonged moisture retention. As a result, they provide more extended warranties when you plan to replace them with a vinyl material.
Particularly when you glue down the vinyl so heavily and securely that it forms a waterproof seal, giving it better durability. Better you take note of the following steps to make every boat carpet change as effectively as your desire.
Easy Steps on How to Replace Boat Carpet
Step 1. Assess the surface and your vinyl material
- The first thing you do is assess the surface of the vessel and the cover in need of changing.
- Ensure no foreign objects or debris are left on the surface.
- Use a blower or broom to remove leaves and ensure the surface is thoroughly clean.
- Unwrap the roll and use extreme caution. While you’re about to replace your boat carpet with vinyl, sharp-edged objects can harm it while unwrapping.
- Remove the packaging with caution to avoid abrasions to your vinyl.
- Unroll your vinyl to the spot where you are replacing the boat floor and carpet.
Step 2. Make necessary adjustments
- Ensure there is sufficient vinyl roll for all the required surfaces you want to change.
- Check all sides of the vinyl to adjust the overhang requirements to balance with the surface. Remove all crimps or wrinkles when they appear on the vinyl.
- Put a few weighted objects on one end of the vinyl once adjusted to the ideal position. The weighted objects over the boat carpet replacement spot need to be within 24 inches of the boat’s edge. Loosely roll the vinyl to the weighted objects from opposite ends of the boat to straighten it.
Step 3. Check your adhesives
- When replacing the boat floor and carpet, ensure you have the correct adhesive or glue. Ensure you have RPVFG type for your wood surfaces. This boat adhesive for vinyl covers about 80/SF a gallon or about 8′ x 10′. It quickly dries after application as affected by the temperature when you are replacing a boat carpet with vinyl.
- Avoid installing over 15-feet of a roll of vinyl to replace the marine carpet. This will allow a smooth application while the adhesion is still wet.
- Apply the glue in a spiraling pattern to cover a wide area.
Step 4. Apply vinyl and glue on the surface
- Evenly roll the glue to the surface, where you are replacing the boat floor and carpet.
- Use an average-sized paint roller to blend the glue and completely cover the surface.
- The adhesion’s coverage and consistency need to be an adequately thick coat. You must leave no trace of adhesive dry spots or spills.
- Carefully roll up the vinyl over the freshly applied glue or sealant. Assemble it straight and wrinkle-free. If there are f wrinkles as you replace the marine carpet, gently raise the roll of vinyl from the adhesive. Straighten the vinyl to detach it.
Step 5. Check consistent adhesion of your vinyl to the surface
- Completely roll up the vinyl until it covers the adhesive to replace the boat floor and carpet as you desire.
- Sweep over the assembled surface with any clean rubber-edged squeegee or a hard-bristled broom. It will secure an even adhesion and consistent bond.
- Ensure no air pockets appear in any spots where you want to change your marine carpet.
- Revert to the starting section and remove the weighted objects from the vinyl. Rollback the vinyl to reveal the unadhered surface.
- Continue with the application method in replacing your marine carpet with vinyl.
Step 6. Complete a clean replacement of your boat carpet
- Eliminate all voids in replacing the floor and carpet of your boat.
- Ensure the new adhesive applications slightly overlap each other. It is safe that way as long as the vinyl you used does not dry.
- Try to split the initial bond and the bonded vinyl to test the complete adhesion, coverage span, and strong bond.
- Complete by repeating the same steps above.
- Watch this video by Reel Life Fisherman for a more detailed tutorial on replacing boat carpet with vinyl. Check other video tutorials on YouTube as well.
Conclusion
Vinyl floors are one of the best options on how to replace boat carpet. It can bring about a beautiful style to your boat while keeping them for longer use. We are happy to know that this guide benefits you with its many features.
You can get more styles, colors, thicknesses, and other features beyond what you’d expect. The best part of replacing your boat carpet is the non-skid feature that is safe for slips. It fits all boats and even fishing boats without having stain problems and being free from yucky mold!
Easily replace boat carpet with non-skid vinyl in a day’s time to keep your boat stylish and clean.
“I am James Harvey – founder of Boating Basics Online. It is established with the drive to help out first-time boaters, which are those desiring to explore their way through the water. So if you are new to boating, start from here with me. “