I am redoing the bulkheads in the head. Rotted out at the bottom of the main wall. Any opinions on what to cover the plywood in would be appreciated. I am not a big fan of what was on it. It was a rubberized type of wall paper. Also the nimrods that attached the toilet to the floor used galvanized lag bolts to secure it and they were within months of breaking loose. What should have been used so I can do it correctly?
Head bulkhead covering
- Thread starter frankiedogs
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Restoring toilet room
When you have rebuilt/restored the plywood of the bulkhead, treat it liberally with epoxy. You might lay up some 'glass, using epoxy, along the lower edges. Roll it out super-carefully to avoid all air bubbles.
Avoid all stick-on wall coverings; none of them will keep out water and all will allow the accumulation of stinking muck and mold behind them. That rubbery stuff is probably why your bulkhead rotted. Consider epoxy paint such as Easypoxy or Brightside for the finish coats. Heed whatever they caution you about as to the primer coats and surface prep. This finish will be easy cleaned, maintained and, when needed, redone in future.
As we all know urine is the bane of all maintenance in the yacht toilet room. I maintain a policy of 'real men sit down under way'. To enforce this I have another policy-- 'You miss; you clean the whole compartment. Now.'
Likewise, the shelf on which the head itself will sit should be stiff and strong and have close-fitting holes for the mounting bolts. Don't consider less than 3/4" plywood (this is the only piece of 3/4" in my whole boat). This shelf should be treated in epoxy, top and bottom and especially all edges or endgrain. It's not unreasonable to provide wide backing plates on the underside. You'd be surprised how inadequately this structure is made at some really 'respectable' boatbuilders'.
The toilet bolts should always be stainless; but take care that the connection always includes a rubber or nylon washer to take up the compression, lest you crack the porcelain. A nylon cone nut (as for toilet seats) may help; but it's likely to just get in the way too. Use the biggest-diameter cap screws you can with the widest and thickest fender washers you can. Don't bed down the toilet. A marine toilet, whilst easy to fix, is also very easy to remove and replace-- and the best way to rebuild one is on the workbench or cockpit seat.
I would avoid the use of lag screws. You could bed them in epoxy; but they'd go bad in the anaerobic application; and then how would you replace them? Make some way to get under this shelf with a wrench and mount it properly.
When you do, if at all possible, incorporate these two features--
a. Install the bolts with the heads down and the threads up. Cut them to length so that a locknut and the necessary washers have enough threads; but don't make them longer than they have to be. If you are worried about cut feet on the ends, add nylon capnuts-- but do not neglect the locknuts first.
b. Do not, for any reason, use slotted- or Philips-head screws. I don't know why these are ever considered for this application-- they are impossible to get a screwdriver onto and it's impossible to add the needed tension. Use hex-head cap screws, with the heads on the bottom, so as to facilitate using a plain hex wrench on the locknuts on top and a ratcheting wrench or socket wrench on bottom.
Trust me-- this is experience talking.
When you have rebuilt/restored the plywood of the bulkhead, treat it liberally with epoxy. You might lay up some 'glass, using epoxy, along the lower edges. Roll it out super-carefully to avoid all air bubbles.
Avoid all stick-on wall coverings; none of them will keep out water and all will allow the accumulation of stinking muck and mold behind them. That rubbery stuff is probably why your bulkhead rotted. Consider epoxy paint such as Easypoxy or Brightside for the finish coats. Heed whatever they caution you about as to the primer coats and surface prep. This finish will be easy cleaned, maintained and, when needed, redone in future.
As we all know urine is the bane of all maintenance in the yacht toilet room. I maintain a policy of 'real men sit down under way'. To enforce this I have another policy-- 'You miss; you clean the whole compartment. Now.'
Likewise, the shelf on which the head itself will sit should be stiff and strong and have close-fitting holes for the mounting bolts. Don't consider less than 3/4" plywood (this is the only piece of 3/4" in my whole boat). This shelf should be treated in epoxy, top and bottom and especially all edges or endgrain. It's not unreasonable to provide wide backing plates on the underside. You'd be surprised how inadequately this structure is made at some really 'respectable' boatbuilders'.
The toilet bolts should always be stainless; but take care that the connection always includes a rubber or nylon washer to take up the compression, lest you crack the porcelain. A nylon cone nut (as for toilet seats) may help; but it's likely to just get in the way too. Use the biggest-diameter cap screws you can with the widest and thickest fender washers you can. Don't bed down the toilet. A marine toilet, whilst easy to fix, is also very easy to remove and replace-- and the best way to rebuild one is on the workbench or cockpit seat.
I would avoid the use of lag screws. You could bed them in epoxy; but they'd go bad in the anaerobic application; and then how would you replace them? Make some way to get under this shelf with a wrench and mount it properly.
When you do, if at all possible, incorporate these two features--
a. Install the bolts with the heads down and the threads up. Cut them to length so that a locknut and the necessary washers have enough threads; but don't make them longer than they have to be. If you are worried about cut feet on the ends, add nylon capnuts-- but do not neglect the locknuts first.
b. Do not, for any reason, use slotted- or Philips-head screws. I don't know why these are ever considered for this application-- they are impossible to get a screwdriver onto and it's impossible to add the needed tension. Use hex-head cap screws, with the heads on the bottom, so as to facilitate using a plain hex wrench on the locknuts on top and a ratcheting wrench or socket wrench on bottom.
Trust me-- this is experience talking.
Thank you. I really like the idea of the painted/sealed walls. As far as the toilet, the ledge it sits on is part of the liner for the cabin. I took out the old lag bolts and refilled the holes with epoxy to seal them. The base of this toilet is, I think, aluminum, so compression shouldn't be an issue. This is one of the nicer electric flush models. Works great till the batteries go down LOL.
Remounting toilet
Frankie, your plan for the toilet sounds great. Don't neglect to put additive in the epoxy-- milled fibers would be the very best but really anything like silica powder would be fine. Avoid Microlight or microballoons-- neither is dense enough. A consistency like peanut butter too recently taken from the 'fridge will be ideal.
If you're committed to using lag screws, put little mold-release agent on each one and set them in the curing epoxy mix. Allow space for the toilet flange, etc. When it's all cured, carefully back them out (use direct contact with a soldering gun if necessary) and daub them with 4200 before installing for good. You might use a bead of RTV silicone (the structural stuff) around the toilet flange, just to keep out water. Avoid the clear bathtub stuff-- it will peel out from any scrubbing with mild cleaners, just as it does at home. Water under the flange will smell and foster mold as though you meant for it to.
You might consider setting machine screws into the epoxy instead; these will grip surprisingly well and will be easily removable (if only with solder-gun heat) in future. It's a little more refined that the coarse threads of lag screws and will correspond to the epoxy filler better.
* * *
Frankie, your plan for the toilet sounds great. Don't neglect to put additive in the epoxy-- milled fibers would be the very best but really anything like silica powder would be fine. Avoid Microlight or microballoons-- neither is dense enough. A consistency like peanut butter too recently taken from the 'fridge will be ideal.
If you're committed to using lag screws, put little mold-release agent on each one and set them in the curing epoxy mix. Allow space for the toilet flange, etc. When it's all cured, carefully back them out (use direct contact with a soldering gun if necessary) and daub them with 4200 before installing for good. You might use a bead of RTV silicone (the structural stuff) around the toilet flange, just to keep out water. Avoid the clear bathtub stuff-- it will peel out from any scrubbing with mild cleaners, just as it does at home. Water under the flange will smell and foster mold as though you meant for it to.
You might consider setting machine screws into the epoxy instead; these will grip surprisingly well and will be easily removable (if only with solder-gun heat) in future. It's a little more refined that the coarse threads of lag screws and will correspond to the epoxy filler better.
* * *
An update on what I have done so far......
All of the old bulkheads for the head were removed and used as templates for new marine grade plywood. A tip for anyone about to do this job, the inboard bulkhead will have to be cut in half to get it out of the cabin. The toilet was pulled and the holes were filled with epoxy. The new bulkheads were made at a cabinet shop that I have a symbiotic relationship with, he gets free labor and I get to use really good tools. He suggested, and we followed through on, finishing the plywood with an acrylic cabinet grade paint. I sealed the edges of the plywood with epoxy. Depending on the durability of the paint, I might varnish over the top of the paint. I reset the new panels in their place and started to trim everything out with the old, but refinished trim. I will post pictures next weekend on our blog after I go back down to do some more work. The link for the blog is on my profile. So far it is a MAJOR improvement on what was there before.
All of the old bulkheads for the head were removed and used as templates for new marine grade plywood. A tip for anyone about to do this job, the inboard bulkhead will have to be cut in half to get it out of the cabin. The toilet was pulled and the holes were filled with epoxy. The new bulkheads were made at a cabinet shop that I have a symbiotic relationship with, he gets free labor and I get to use really good tools. He suggested, and we followed through on, finishing the plywood with an acrylic cabinet grade paint. I sealed the edges of the plywood with epoxy. Depending on the durability of the paint, I might varnish over the top of the paint. I reset the new panels in their place and started to trim everything out with the old, but refinished trim. I will post pictures next weekend on our blog after I go back down to do some more work. The link for the blog is on my profile. So far it is a MAJOR improvement on what was there before.
I think the original material was melamine.
I would consider a teak plywood and finish the head side with formica material. Be sure to seal all the edges with epoxy.
I would consider a teak plywood and finish the head side with formica material. Be sure to seal all the edges with epoxy.
Frankie- I am about to embark on a similar job and would love to see your pictures. But I am unable to find the link to your blog. It does not appear on your profile when I click on it.... Thanks. Ed H
Good info, thanks! I notice some rotting in the bulkhead as well, near the settee, so it looks like I have some work to do.
http://michelleandfrankschasinthewind.blogspot.com/
Here is a link for you. I thought it was on my profile, oops. Now it is lol.
Here is a link for you. I thought it was on my profile, oops. Now it is lol.
The head is completed. You can read the breakdown of the job, with pictures on our blog. the link is just above in my prior post. Merry Christmas everyone.
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