Installing a wood floor in the cabin of my catalina 30

[Trixster]

Hello All,
I am seeking to install a wood floor my cabin of my Catalina. Any recommendations? on types of flooring?

 

[dlochner]

Welcome to SBO.

What kind floor in there now?

 

[dLj]

Hello All,
I am seeking to install a wood floor my cabin of my Catalina. Any recommendations? on types of flooring?

Lot's of personal preference there... Got ideas of what you like?

dj

 

[JBP-PA]

Teak & Holly is very traditional. It's no longer made from teak and holly. You can get it as solid wood, plywood, or vinyl laminate at the respective prices of "your first born child", "an arm and a leg", or "That much for plastic?".

 

[jssailem]

SO true @JBP-PA ...

Then there is the issue of sliding. What is your tolerance for a water soaked slippery surface in the boat?

Many options.
Is this a DIY project? A marine plywood base and a vinyl tile surface in your choice of designs is feasable.

Then there are those owners like the look of square rigged sailboat planks. You might find old recycled barn wood could fit the bill. Sanded and varnished of course.

 

[Trixster]

Welcome to SBO.

What kind floor in there now?

Right now there is an in/door outdoor carpet, which works very well but I want less items to hold moisture.

 

[Trixster]

Teak & Holly is very traditional. It's no longer made from teak and holly. You can get it as solid wood, plywood, or vinyl laminate at the respective prices of "your first born child", "an arm and a leg", or "That much for plastic?".

Thank you for the response, I am not too handy, however, I am getting there. I am seeking something, on the easier side to install, looks good and easier on the wallet. Note I don't want a cheap job or cheap look. Any ideas would be helpful. Thank you

 

[Trixster]

SO true @JBP-PA ...

Then there is the issue of sliding. What is your tolerance for a water soaked slippery surface in the boat?

Many options.
Is this a DIY project? A marine plywood base and a vinyl tile surface in your choice of designs is feasable.

Then there are those owners like the look of square rigged sailboat planks. You might find old recycled barn wood could fit the bill. Sanded and varnished of course.

Yes, this is a DIY project. I like your idea.

 

[Trixster]

Lot's of personal preference there... Got ideas of what you like?

dj

DYI install, most efficient use of dollars with a rich look

 

[dlochner]

A big decision factor will be what's under the carpet. My guess is a fiberglass pan. That pan is both functional and essential as it is part of the structure of the boat.

Beneath that carpet should be access to the bilge. Regardless of your choice, that access should be preserved.

Again, assuming there is a fiberglass pan under the carpet, your choices get easier, a thin layer of a plywood veneer with a "teak and holly" outer veneer, realizing it may not be real teak and holly but something close. M L Condon in White Plains is a good source, be prepared for significant sticker shock. The price per 4x8 sheet with the inlay will be well north of $150.

Another alternative will be a faux teak and holly sole. These are essentially vinyl sheet goods. Here's a bunch at Defender.

Search Results | Defender

Defender Marine offers boat supplies, inflatable boats and outboard motors from top manufacturers. All your boat supplies and boating needs, including marine electronics, sailing hardware, plumbing, ventilation, epoxies, boat paints. Knowledgeable staff and fast shipping.

defender.com

 

[Trixster]

A big decision factor will be what's under the carpet. My guess is a fiberglass pan. That pan is both functional and essential as it is part of the structure of the boat.

Beneath that carpet should be access to the bilge. Regardless of your choice, that access should be preserved.

Again, assuming there is a fiberglass pan under the carpet, your choices get easier, a thin layer of a plywood veneer with a "teak and holly" outer veneer, realizing it may not be real teak and holly but something close. M L Condon in White Plains is a good source, be prepared for significant sticker shock. The price per 4x8 sheet with the inlay will be well north of $150.

Another alternative will be a faux teak and holly sole. These are essentially vinyl sheet goods. Here's a bunch at Defender.

Search Results | Defender

Defender Marine offers boat supplies, inflatable boats and outboard motors from top manufacturers. All your boat supplies and boating needs, including marine electronics, sailing hardware, plumbing, ventilation, epoxies, boat paints. Knowledgeable staff and fast shipping.

defender.com

Thank you for the feedback

 

[DaveJ]

Here is something totally different, my friend had the same boat, fibreglass floor.
They had a friend who was a bit of an artist, she painted a ‘holly and teak floor’. It looked amazing! Sorry, no pics, boat is long gone. It really did look like a wood floor.

 

[dLj]

DYI install, most efficient use of dollars with a rich look

You state your DIY skills are "in development". As @dlochner says, an important piece of information is what's underneath the carpet. Access panels need to be maintained and that can be a difficult part of making the floor look "rich".

So when you can look at what's underneath then i think more suggestions can be given. You've gotten a lot of very good ones already.

dj

 

[Hayden Watson]

Here is one way.

 

[JBP-PA]

DYI install, most efficient use of dollars with a rich look

You can get furniture grade plywood such as Birch or Maple veneer at big box hardware stores for not too much. Some stain and finish and they can look very nice. If you seal top, bottom, and edges well it will last a long time. I use satin polyurethane on my floors and they are not terribly slippery.

 

[dLj]

You can get furniture grade plywood such as Birch or Maple veneer at big box hardware stores for not too much. Some stain and finish and they can look very nice. If you seal top, bottom, and edges well it will last a long time. I use satin polyurethane on my floors and they are not terribly slippery.

There's a finish they use on basketball courts that is quite good, holds up well, is not slippery. You can get in satin finish. I just can't recall what it's called.

dj

 

[Scott T-Bird]

DYI install, most efficient use of dollars with a rich look

The most classic and best look is a teak & holly wood floor. I replaced mine on my Starwind 27 a few years ago, just before selling the boat. You can try all kinds of alternative methods, but in the end each one will look like a compromise. I bought a 4' x 8' plywood sheet from a wood products wholesaler in Bethlehem PA. They don't deliver ... I had to drive out and get the sheet. The sales department said they wouldn't cut it, but when I went to the warehouse to pick it up, they made 2 basic cuts that didn't affect my install and helped fit it in the car. I came with my own circular saw in case I had to cut it in the parking lot.

It wasn't cheap ... it was a little over $200 for the sheet, if I remember correctly. I don't toss around my nickels like they are manhole covers (to bastardize one of Mike Ditka's famous sayings about George Halas - you could look it up) so in my opinion, this is not very much money that you need to spend to make your cabin sole look the best it can look. If you have a nice boat (which you do), treat her right!

I had the old floor to use as a template and it would be easiest if you have an old floor to use for a template. This is not difficult woodwork if you can use a jig saw. Mine was simple to do in just one piece. The floor in my Catalina 320 is a more intricate shape and the teak and holly flooring was installed in pieces, so that looks just fine, too, if you have to piece it together in sections.

The flooring in my Catalina is laid over a floor pan that is recessed to accept the wood flooring. I don't know what you have under your carpet so the first step is to remove the carpet and see what is underneath. It will probably determine the thickness of material that you will need to buy. Here's a picture of my install. In the picture, I laid down the cutouts for the bilge openings to fill the openings. As you can see on the side edges, the kerfs from the cuts left too much gap, so I eventually made new bilge covers from the left-over material to make better fitting bilge covers. I had enough material left over from the 4' x 8' to make separate bilge covers and other panels that I wanted to make.

I'm pretty sure I got my material from Eastern Engineered Wood Products in Bethlehem, PA. That's not too far for you to drive out and get, I assume. Since they typically deal in huge shipments, they don't cater to people who want individual sheets, but at the time I bought mine, they said they get enough of these requests that if you are willing to drive out, they can provide it. I assume that you have enough woodwork in your Catalina, that it would look out of place if you did some other substitute product.

 

[jssailem]

furniture grade plywood

That is a good product. Only challenge is the glue used to laminate the ply is sometimes water soluble. Not an issue in a house with a roof over head on dry land. In a marine environment, on the floor of a boat . A bit more risky. Not a boat sinking issue, but should you get an onboard flood you may be replacing some or all of the sole (boat floor). A product like Hydrotek, is typically made with more ply's per inch. Specifically they say that the plywood is "Virtually free of any core voids, high quality core veneers, and Phenolic resin reduces the chance for the panel to delaminate."

What types of criteria should you consider about a boat floor?

Must Haves ( by What Is the Best Material for a Cabin Sole Replacement | Boat Flooring )​

As you think about what you want for your boat, keep in mind there are several features your cabin sole must-have.​

• A solid and stable surface that allows for walking and standing.
• A higher level of durability. Since flooring installation in a boat is a cumbersome task, you preferably want a material that will last several decades.
• Anti-slip technology. This is one space that is going to be wet a lot! The last thing you want is for someone to slip and fall.

What you do is your choice. The size of your boat kitty you can expend, and how much time and effort you choose to invest.

This is just an image, not my boat.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

• A higher level of durability. Since flooring installation in a boat is a cumbersome task, you preferably want a material that will last several decades.

View attachment 221893

Sad to say but one more decade is probably good enough for most of us ...

But that is one nice looking floor! You'd want that one to last several decades!

 

[Trixster]

The most classic and best look is a teak & holly wood floor. I replaced mine on my Starwind 27 a few years ago, just before selling the boat. You can try all kinds of alternative methods, but in the end each one will look like a compromise. I bought a 4' x 8' plywood sheet from a wood products wholesaler in Bethlehem PA. They don't deliver ... I had to drive out and get the sheet. The sales department said they wouldn't cut it, but when I went to the warehouse to pick it up, they made 2 basic cuts that didn't affect my install and helped fit it in the car. I came with my own circular saw in case I had to cut it in the parking lot.

It wasn't cheap ... it was a little over $200 for the sheet, if I remember correctly. I don't toss around my nickels like they are manhole covers (to bastardize one of Mike Ditka's famous sayings about George Halas - you could look it up) so in my opinion, this is not very much money that you need to spend to make your cabin sole look the best it can look. If you have a nice boat (which you do), treat her right!

I had the old floor to use as a template and it would be easiest if you have an old floor to use for a template. This is not difficult woodwork if you can use a jig saw. Mine was simple to do in just one piece. The floor in my Catalina 320 is a more intricate shape and the teak and holly flooring was installed in pieces, so that looks just fine, too, if you have to piece it together in sections.

The flooring in my Catalina is laid over a floor pan that is recessed to accept the wood flooring. I don't know what you have under your carpet so the first step is to remove the carpet and see what is underneath. It will probably determine the thickness of material that you will need to buy. Here's a picture of my install. In the picture, I laid down the cutouts for the bilge openings to fill the openings. As you can see on the side edges, the kerfs from the cuts left too much gap, so I eventually made new bilge covers from the left-over material to make better fitting bilge covers. I had enough material left over from the 4' x 8' to make separate bilge covers and other panels that I wanted to make.
View attachment 221895

I'm pretty sure I got my material from Eastern Engineered Wood Products in Bethlehem, PA. That's not too far for you to drive out and get, I assume. Since they typically deal in huge shipments, they don't cater to people who want individual sheets, but at the time I bought mine, they said they get enough of these requests that if you are willing to drive out, they can provide it. I assume that you have enough woodwork in your Catalina, that it would look out of place if you did some other substitute product.

Wow your floor looks Rich!!!!. thank you for your imput