HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

Sorry, I don't have pics yet....sticky gluey fingers.lol
14' Bayliner bowrider

I'm installing new marine carpet in my boat.
I've started it already and I did the two biggest side pieces, and first 4ft of deck. its glued, but only rough cut with 1-2" on edges to be trimmed.

I got too hot & frustrated and quit (90?+) Direct sun.
I cant figure out how to meet the carpet neatly.
Where the sides meet the deck, and deck pieces meet seat base.
Im copying the factory carpet design.
Ive heard to overlap the two pieces and glue edges with contact cement...I've also seen a rubber style trim to confine the seams.
I like the trim, it has a 3M adehesive back, or ive seen with ends and somehow screwed down

What is the method for getting the edge right?
Thanks for help in advance

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

For a tight carpet butt seam do it like this:


1. Leave the top piece of carpet 1 1/2 -2" long and let it lap over the bottom piece.

2. Lay a 4' level over the lap and use a sharp utility knife to cut through both pieces of carpet at the same time.

3. Some people like the painters tape on the bottom piece but you don't have to use it, remove top and bottom cutoff pieces and add more adhesive if needed.

4. Roll seam with a carpet roller pushing the to butting pieces together.

This needs to be done while the carpet adhesive is still wet so the bottom cutoof piece removes easily.

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

A. whats the painters tape for?

B. is the straight edge to run the blade beside to get a clean even cut?

thanks a bunch jig, this really helps!

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

The tape helps to keep from gooping up the seam with excess adhesive during the initial cut, but as I said you can do it without it and it's not that big of a deal.

The straight edge is for running the blade straight for a nice clean cut and the most inportant part of the procedure, a new razor sharp utility knife blade is the second most important part.

I suggest you practice doing this with some scrap pieces before making the important cuts in your boat so you can see how it works.

Do you need help with your perimiter cuts where the carpet meets the hull?

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

Do you need help with your perimiter cuts where the carpet meets the hull?

What do you mean by this? Im sorry...

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

any idea of what you could use for trim to cover the seams neatly?
Ive seen rubber trim on boats, where could you buy it locally? HD... or lowes?
Anything you could "make" into trim?

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

bump

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

Lukelona said:

any idea of what you could use for trim to cover the seams neatly?
Ive seen rubber trim on boats, where could you buy it locally? HD... or lowes?
Anything you could "make" into trim?

Click to expand...

There's a thing about this... if your carpet is already glued down with ratty looking seams your only option would be to cover it up with something. That something will probably require fasteners to hold it down which means penetrations through glassed in decking that will probably permit water intrusion. This will more than likely cause your deck to rot and subject your below deck foam and structural members to saturate and rot too.

If you don't mind a little rot and waterlogging you can buy some 1"x1/16 or 1/8" aluminum flat stock and screw it down over the joints. Of course you could try to seal the fasteners penetrations with a marine sealant to prevent water intrusion, but this never turns out well (for me at least). Trying to work over top of nice new carpet with a sealant is like using a hammer to play with an atomic bomb.

I think taking your boat to a professional carpet installer to see if they can fix your problems might be your best bet.

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

Im not looking to have anyone else work on my boat, I am a DIY kinda guy.
Im aware any screws is a BAD idea! This is what I was already thinking.
But I know I have seen this trim with a strong adhesive back, like a round rubber trim...
I just can't remember where... Lol

I have only layed the first few pieces, but I was unsatisfied with the seam cuts.
They are OK, but I knew there hadda be a better, cleaner way to do it. As Jigngrub described before...

Im gonna get a free day and go to the marina n lay some more carpet using your technique...I'm sure it will come out great.

Re: HELP! I need advice laying new carpet, how to seam "neatly"....

P.S, I'm most concerned with the area where deck meets the side. it's about a 125?angle