Help with upholstry

I have a Bayliner 17.5 foot and have the floor almost out the front area ground down and am leaving the rear area alone. The front area I put my foot through. Only rot was in the bildge area in front. If only it had not gotten under the front consoles! oh well. <br /><br />Now that I am gonna be building it back up How do I get the side upholstry back in? Most boats I see have no visible fastners. The SS screws I took out seemed to be in between vinyl stilts where the vinyl changed colors? I want to mount with out slits in the vinyl as I want a solid color. There is a 2-3" lip from the top of the boat down. This is part of the top and about 1/4" thick.<br /><br />Thanks for any help.

Re: Help with upholstry

A common way the side pannels are covered is by rolling the material over and stapeling it on the back. If the pannel is fairly large, you'll often see glue sprayed (3M #8090 aerosal is common) on it so it doesn't sag and flop around.<br /><br />Glue and staples on the back side gives a good tight pannel covering and is fast to do.<br /><br />ONce you get yours apart, it'll jump out at ya how your's was done. But in upolstery- a flat pannel is the easiest to cover.<br /><br /><br />The pannel it self usually fits in a track, guide, slot, etc. at the top. The bottom is often screwed to a little piece of angle stock Aluminum every so far. A angle stock bracket can be screwed to the floor behind the side pannel. Then a screw often goes through the pannel to catch it on the backside. <br /><br />Look closely along the bottom of the side pannel, you might see little holes where the screws went through its covering a inch or so up from the floor.

Re: Help with upholstry

Hmmm there are no tracks to speak of in the boat. I wanted more about the sides and fron behind the seats or seat tops. The lip is 2-3" wide around the top perimiter of the boat the backs of the seat cushions were screw into this and nothing else. The lip has a 2.5" deep are behind so you could put a nut on a bolt but the panels do not have nuts in them. they were screwed in between the colors they folded the fabric so there was a small slit. However the head of the screws could and did rub the fabric this was not seen as the cleft was about 1" deep. Kinda hard to find the screws.<br /><br />BTW the boat is gonna be named Momma's Money<br />I will try to attach some pics today. really. <br /><br /> This is the upper area above the starboard side.<br /> <br /> This is the back of the cleat in front. The third hole is where the Screw was that held the back of the seat to rail.<br /><br />hope the pics help

Re: Help with upholstry

Realgun, My Searay uses 1/4-20 Stainless Steel machine screws to hold the side panels in place. These are invisible since they are installed through the plywood backer of the side panel using a tee nut to hold it in place. This is done before the vinyl is attached to the backer board. The part of the screw that extends past the tee nut is placed in a hole in the fiberglass on the boat's side and a SS washer, lockwasher and nut secure the side panel to the boat.

Re: Help with upholstry

Thanks Chris1956, so I make the panels out of plywood. The ones I took out are. Then instead of trying to put screws through the vinyl slits which I dont want, I place screws and hold them on with a T nut. Never seen 1. But I understand the concept thank you.

Re: Help with upholstry

for upholstery go to upholsterymagazine.com or hpholstery.net . the t nuts are the way that most pannels are put on if you can git to the backside to put the nuts on . if no axcess to back side a screw with a snap fastner and a cap button to cover it . papasage

Re: Help with upholstry

Papasage I have access to the rear of all the panels. I know about buttons and the snap fasteners, thats what they use in cars. I was thinking thos but to put the holes and snaps where I need them might have been tough. I have seen the T-nuts (google sure helps) I will be using those for sure.

Re: Help with upholstry

t nuts are avaible aty most any hardwar store 1/4 is normaley used . you can just bolt the 1/4 stovebolt thrug the plywood with a not and washer if the hole is large enough to acomidate the nut . use a fender washer on the back side then a nut . if you have any probablems post back and i will check in and see if you do .i have ben in the upholstery buisness for 40 years and there isent much i havent don in the upholstery buisness . i will be on upholstery.net ane upholstery magazine.com . papasage

Re: Help with upholstry

http://www.upholsterynet.com/modules.php?name=Forums <br /><br />go to this site for upholstery questions . <br /><br /> papasage

Re: Help with upholstry

What I was going to do is make the panels out of Plywood. Drill a hole in the panel near the top about 2 inces down as most of the area I have to work is 4 inches high. Once the hole is made then I would put it to the boat and mark it. I would then place the T-nut in the hole on the front side away from the boat side. Once the panel was covered I would bolt and washer from the rear to the t-nut. This should work I think.

Re: Help with upholstry

put your plywood pannels in place clamp or git some one to hold them drill holes thrugh the plywood and the boat at the same time that way they are sure to match . you probabley already have holes in the boat . i woule try to match up with those holes . put the t nuts on the inside and put bolts thrugh frunt to back after covering push the bolts trugh the holes and put fender washers and then a tap . that way you wilnot have a bolt sticking in your padded side and the lenght of the bolt want matter .if you put the t nut on the outside and a pice of trash git in the t nut it will spin under preasure . papasage