Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

[miamiboater]

Hello All!
I'm brand new to the iboat forums - let me introduce myself. This username is used by me and my friend, my friend is Ben and i'm Chris. We're seniors in high school that love the outdoors, boating, cars, and working on things. Both of our dads were avid boaters and we have become hooked on it too. We recently bought a boat as our own project - a 1987 Glasstream Regatta 211. Its powered by a Chevy 350 inboard/outboard. It needs a few things done.. but it's a nice starting point for us. But on to the question for this thread, It has carpeted floors, underneath of which is wood.. we want to replace them with a fiberglass/gelcoat in white.

A) How hard is it?
B) What's the price range looking like?
C) What type of specific materials are needed?
D) Can anyone refer us to a writeup with pictures, etc?

Hard work and time don't scare us away, and we're pretty proficient with tools..

Thanks to all of you in advance for your help with this and future problems, looking forward to being able to help you guys out when we can!

Chris

 

[StevenT]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

Any soft spots, anywhere on the deck? Have you considered drilling core samples from the stringers and transom? We need to know the condition of the wood below deck.

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

Any soft spots, anywhere on the deck? Have you considered drilling core samples from the stringers and transom? We need to know the condition of the wood below deck.

We have. The wood below deck is solid.. no issues with transom or stringers.

 

[snowbrd84]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

I wanted to go the same route with my boat as I HATE carpet on the floor. What I soon found out was that it is very difficult to get a professional finish without the experience in fiberglass... Also, fiberglass and mat is damned expensive. What I ended up doing was going the Nautolex Marine Vinyl flooring and putting that in on the deck with carpet on the gunwales. It came out looking like it was done at the factory... Gives you a nice solid waterproof textured deck and it goes on with regular contact cement. Super easy to install.

I would still prefer to have had a gelcoat with awlgrip, but that would have been a lot more time, and summer is here now...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

Unless you have removed the deck and drilled core samples into the existing stringers, motor mounts and transom there is No Way you can be certain that they are Good to Go! Have you done that? To replace the deck, and ONLY the deck, on a 21' boat with wood, resin, glass and gelcoat in my "Guess-Ti-Mation" would run you in the vicinity of $6-7 hundred dollars. Just do an advanced search here on the forum for deck replacement and you'll find lots of examples of what you'll be doing. The first link in my signature has drawings and info on how to do it.

3-4 sheets 5/8" - 3/4" Ext grade Plywood
25 yds 1.5oz CSM
6-7 gals Polyester Resin
5Qts Cabosil
3-4 Gals White Gelcoat

If you use Epoxy add 30%

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

I wanted to go the same route with my boat as I HATE carpet on the floor. What I soon found out was that it is very difficult to get a professional finish without the experience in fiberglass... Also, fiberglass and mat is damned expensive. What I ended up doing was going the Nautolex Marine Vinyl flooring and putting that in on the deck with carpet on the gunwales. It came out looking like it was done at the factory... Gives you a nice solid waterproof textured deck and it goes on with regular contact cement. Super easy to install.

I would still prefer to have had a gelcoat with awlgrip, but that would have been a lot more time, and summer is here now...

Thanks for the idea! I'll be sure and check out the Nautolex.. sounds like a good alternative!

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

Unless you have removed the deck and drilled core samples into the existing stringers, motor mounts and transom there is No Way you can be certain that they are Good to Go! Have you done that? To replace the deck, and ONLY the deck, on a 21' boat with wood, resin, glass and gelcoat in my "Guess-Ti-Mation" would run you in the vicinity of $6-7 hundred dollars. Just do an advanced search here on the forum for deck replacement and you'll find lots of examples of what you'll be doing. The first link in my signature has drawings and info on how to do it.

3-4 sheets 5/8" - 3/4" Ext grade Plywood
25 yds 1.5oz CSM
6-7 gals Polyester Resin
5Qts Cabosil
3-4 Gals White Gelcoat

If you use Epoxy add 30%

We've checked the transom and stringers but haven't checked the motor mounts - will be sure to do so, however. Thanks for your response, that's about the price range we had figured it would run us. I guess it's time for us to decide what we'll do doing, I'll be sure to check out your links. Thanks to everyone for the quick responses!

Chris

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

When you say you "Checked" them. Does that mean you Drilled Cored Samples and found light colored dry shavings?

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

When you say you "Checked" them. Does that mean you Drilled Cored Samples and found light colored dry shavings?

When we checked the core samples, the shavings looked good, we aren't experts so we could be wrong but our dads said that the samples were good- but yes they were light colored and dry.

Chris

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

That is good to hear. As long as you did drill and core sample them with those results then you should be good to go. I'd say carry on with measuring and installing the new deck. Make sure to sand and fill any and all voids in the plywood with thickened resin and precoat the plywood with resin prior to laying the first layer of glass. The bottom of the deck should get one layer of CSM and the top 2. The Link has all that info.

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

That is good to hear. As long as you did drill and core sample them with those results then you should be good to go. I'd say carry on with measuring and installing the new deck. Make sure to sand and fill any and all voids in the plywood with thickened resin and precoat the plywood with resin prior to laying the first layer of glass. The bottom of the deck should get one layer of CSM and the top 2. The Link has all that info.

Question though! On this site, http://www.fiberglasssite.com/servlet/the-134/Gel-Coat,-White-/Detail , it says that one gallon of gel-coat covers 100sq feet, and you suggested 3-4 gallons. Why the difference?

Chris

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

One gallon of gel coat covers 80sq feet at 20 mils (the recommened thickness), this does not include any waste, and there will be a good amount of it. This would be 2 coats applied with a roller, the amount could vary a bit depending on the exact texture you want for the non-skid surface.

Carpet is nice on a family boat not used for fishing all the time, and while some forms of fishing don't create a huge problem for carpet, others make a huge stinky mess of it. I don't have carpet in any of my boats.

The vinyl flooring works OK, but isn't all that durable, it will get cuts and can rip when heavy objects fall or are drug across the surface.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

You'll probably have more waste. You're more likely to get the gel in places you don't intend. You will need extra to setup the gun correctly & practice. You do not want to run out 1/2way thru the 'final' pass. You'll have more orange peel, that will require additional mil thickness to prevent burning thru the gel. You're more likely to burn thru the gel often & require more touch ups in general.

^^^Comparing a novice 1st timer to an expert who's done it a bunch. Not really you, per se, just someone who hasn't ever done gelcoat.....

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

As the guys eluded too, I was allowing for waste and two or three coats so you could build to 3 to 4 mils and sand down to 2 mils and have a nice smooth floor. If you don't mind some orange peel texture then you might get by with 2 gallons, if you roll it instead of spray it and if you don't sand it. If you don't open it you can always return it if you buy it locally.

 

[miamiboater]

Re: Replacing Wood Floors with a Fiberglass/Gelcoat?

Got it! That made perfect sense, thanks to all of you for all your insight and help. I know who to ask if I have any additional questions! We'll be sure to keep you guys updated on how it's going and what we're doing. Thank you all again!

Chris