How To Lay Fiberglass On Boat Floor
If the stringers and bulkheads are rotten get them replaced with fiberglass ones.
How to lay fiberglass on boat floor. The flooring creates a dead air space just above the hull s bottom that can add bouyancy to a boat made from materials with no inherent bouyancy such as fiberglass steel or aluminum. Often you can spruce it up quickly with just a new layer of gelcoat. Applying fiberglass over plywood can be a tricky process whether you are covering a small piece or an entire deck. Check out our new fiberglass guide here.
The benefits of fiberglass for boat flooring. One of the best things about fiberglass is that it s easy to take care of. The second project is replacing the floor of my bass boat. The text book way of replacing the floor is to remove the consoles seat boxes and remove all.
The old floor was only fiber glassed on the top which allowed moisture to penetrate it from the bottom causing it to rot. Sand and grit and dirt in the bottom of your boat can over time badly scratch and discolor the floor of your boat. The supporting framing and floor can add stiffness and support to a hull. Fiberglass is strong and waterproof two features that the plywood does not share.
Let s discuss some of them. The most common material used for boat flooring is bc plywood and it is also used for fiberglass boats in particular. Boat flooring imparts many benefits to a boat s hull. Start removing the old damaged material using an electric saw to cut it.
Step 1 remove the damaged flooring. This won t repair major dents and chips or add much strength to the floor. I plan on painting that surface and applying a non slip material so i am thinking the paint should protect it from uv rays. There are several reasons why fiberglass flooring generally costs more than wood flooring.