Carpet glue

TonyMe

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Jan 21, 2012
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35
Hello,
I am getting ready to install my carpet. I am installing it on plywood that has been sealed and on aluminum. 1st question is do I need to sand the plywood before I apply the adhesive? The reason I ask is I was looking at some outdoor adhesive and I saw on the can that it should not be applied on to treated, urathaned and so on. So I was thinking that I should sand the surface where I am putting the carpet.


2nd question is can I use the same adhesive when installing the carpet on aluminum?

3rd question is I put a casting platform on the front and I put a hatch in the floor. How much of a gap is needed around the hatch to allow for the carpet?



Thanks, Tony
 

jbcurt00

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Re: Carpet glue

Might need to give us the thickness of the carpet, else no idea how much gap is required on your hatch lid... Instead of rolling the carpet into the hatch cutout, you might run the carpet too the cutout & trim the edge in aluminum angle 'L'...

What adhesive did you buy and what carpet?
 

Woodonglass

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Dec 29, 2009
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Re: Carpet glue

What kind of carpet? What kind of Adhesive? Carpet thickness will determine Hatch Lid Size.
 

Watermann

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13,753
Re: Carpet glue

I would suggest you try "dry" fitting the carpet first without glue to be certain your hatch will fit in the opening then adjust as needed. Like the others have said, more details on what your using.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Carpet glue

I have much better results with an adhesive bonding to a roughened surface than a slick shiny one, I sand all of my sealed wood and use a wire cup brush in an angle grinder to give my aluminum a brushed finish. Roughening surface gives the adhesive something to grip.

I've come to prefer contact cement over the indoor/outdoor carpet adhesives, the bond is immediate and the water resistance is much greater.

Indoor/outdoor is easier to work with for beginners and ok for horizontal surfaces, but vertical surfaces can be a pain. Indoor/outdoor also requires a curing time of several days for the bond to strengthen as opposed to the immediate bonding of contact cement.

The majority of carpet type adhesives require a minimum 65*F working temp that must be maintained during installation and through the curing process, you may want to keep this in mind and read all of the directions on the can.
 

River_Lizard

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Jan 17, 2012
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Re: Carpet glue

Dap makes an exterior grade contact cement. You want to rough cut your carpet within an 1" of the final pattern. Set something heavy on 1/2 of the deck to hold that section of the carpet in place as you flip back the other half to apply the cement. I would double coat the carpet backing at least, depending on the deck surface I might do it also. As the it tacks up, start from the center and slowly work towards the outside. Make sure you set the carpet the full length before laying the next few inches down. Once you have the half laid flat on the deck surface, use a hand roller to work any bubbles towards the outside edge. Work in a fan from the center of the half towards the outside. Use a small putty knife to press the carpet along the edge for trimming. Repeat with the other half of the carpet the same way. Remember contact cement is not something that you can pull up and move to make adjustments as you're doing it, so take care as you're slowly lowering the carpet to the surface to make sure you don't have twists in the carpet, bubbles, etc... I run my hand from top to bottom has I'm lowering the carpet to keep it even as possible as it lays.
 

JDA1975

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Re: Carpet glue

I use Weldwood landau top/trim Spray Grade contact cement to install carpets, like jig said its an instant permanent bond, and is easy to apply with a spray gun, using a 60 gallon compressor I rarely run short of pressure, but using a smaller compressor you will want to work smaller areas to build pressure so it will spray evenly...you can order it in 1 gallon or 5 gallon from here

Dap All Purpose Adhesive-Spray Grade
 

River_Lizard

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Re: Carpet glue

You can also apply the original weldwood contact with a roller and brush. Just throw the roller head away after you're finished.
 

TonyMe

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Jan 21, 2012
Messages
35
Re: Carpet glue

The carpet I got from Boat Carpet Central and it is 20oz. berber/cut loop style. It has a rubber backing on it. I didn't purchase any glue yet. Still looking what to get. The boat is a 14' grumman deep-v. I put a casting platform on the front and putting some storage on the sides. My plan for the carpet on the main floor is to leave it wide enough to to go up the sides of the boat inside the storage area. That is why I was wondering on what to use on aluminum.


Thanks for the fast responses, Tony
 

River_Lizard

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Re: Carpet glue

Tony,

When you're dealing with multi-angles (going up the sides as you stated) I would recommend that you glue 1 surface at a time so you don't risk having a section touch/contact the glue before you're ready for it to. I made a quick drawing of how I'd glue it down. The Green is the glue and when it's ready to set, I'd work from A towards B slowly lowering the carpet and applying pressure to set the glue to the carpet as I went and also to push any bumps/bubbles out from under the carpet as I went. Once contact glue touches each other, it's set so slowly work it towards B in the drawing. Then apply glue to the side and to the section of carpet that will be on the side, let tack up and then do the same thing as you did on the deck from A to B working towards the outside edge...if that makes sense. The 5 gallon bucket in the drawing is to help hold the carpet in place while you're setting the first section, once the first section is down, you can remove the bucket so you have more working space.
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TonyMe

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Jan 21, 2012
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Re: Carpet glue

Makes sense to me. How low of temperature can you apply the contact cement? Which DAP cement do you use? I saw (the original contact cement) and (the gel contact cement). From reading the gel is supposed to be water proof and the original contact cement is water resistant.

Thanks, Tony
 

jigngrub

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Re: Carpet glue

Makes sense to me. How low of temperature can you apply the contact cement? Which DAP cement do you use? I saw (the original contact cement) and (the gel contact cement). From reading the gel is supposed to be water proof and the original contact cement is water resistant.

Thanks, Tony

The directions on the can will give you the minimum working temp for the product, but it's usually 65*F.

I use the Dap Weldwood contact cement and have been completely satisfied, I used it to glue the carpet on my side guide on bunks and it gets wet everytime I launch and I've had no problems with it.

The original and gel Weldwood contact cements are the same, the gel is just thicker for overhead applications.
 

djpeters

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Re: Carpet glue

I'm using DAP Weldwood All Weather Outdoor Carpet Adhesive (solvent based). Sticks to anything, I tested it on aluminum and on epoxy, it's permanent and can be installed down to 50-55 degrees and it's waterproof. Only place I could get it was Amazon.
 

River_Lizard

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Jan 17, 2012
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Re: Carpet glue

The solvent type is the best but definitely have good ventilation and no flames...it's highly flammable. I always used it for laying Formica counter tops and the carpet in 2 Jeeps.
 

Yacht Dr.

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Re: Carpet glue

Tony,

When you're dealing with multi-angles (going up the sides as you stated) I would recommend that you glue 1 surface at a time so you don't risk having a section touch/contact the glue before you're ready for it to. I made a quick drawing of how I'd glue it down. The Green is the glue and when it's ready to set, I'd work from A towards B slowly lowering the carpet and applying pressure to set the glue to the carpet as I went and also to push any bumps/bubbles out from under the carpet as I went. Once contact glue touches each other, it's set so slowly work it towards B in the drawing. Then apply glue to the side and to the section of carpet that will be on the side, let tack up and then do the same thing as you did on the deck from A to B working towards the outside edge...if that makes sense. The 5 gallon bucket in the drawing is to help hold the carpet in place while you're setting the first section, once the first section is down, you can remove the bucket so you have more working space.
attachment.php

Good post :) .

You might want to get something like this when your gluing ..

3M Organic Vapor Respirator Kit | Cooper Safety Supply

Some of the adhesives are nasty nasty stuff .. you dont want to breath it in.

YD.
 

TonyMe

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jan 21, 2012
Messages
35
Re: Carpet glue

Good point. I do have a good respirator just sometimes forget about it. Thanks for the reminder.



Tony
 
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