Carpet Replacement

[Yankee_Bassman]

I'm going to be reupholstering the seats in my 1995 Nitro F/S. The carpet is disgusting as well, with a lot of mold and mildew under the driver/passenger seats. Has anyone replaced their own carpet? How hard is removing the old stuff? What about taking it off the hatch covers? Any problems with getting the correct thickness, so the hatches still close tightly? (The carpet rolls over the edges, and also covers the undersides of the aluminum hatch covers.)

I would think laying it on the decks and sole would be fairly straightforward, but the hatches have got me nervous....any advice?

[Ben]

I did the carpet in my Stratos about two years ago (the last boat in the "Lets see your boat"). I changed the color from dark blue to the grey/blue that's in it now so I had to change everything, inside the storage compartments, rod lockers, under seats and all.

First let me give you a couple of words of advise. Make sure you figure the amount you need with all the cuts following the same grain. You can't turn pieces to make better use of the piece you want to cut. If you change the grain with a piece, it will look like it's a different color. Next, you will probably want to stay with the same weight carpet as what's in the boat now. If you have 16 oz, go back with 16 oz, unless you have plenty of clearance between the hatch lids. If you have 16 oz and go with the supper plush 20 or 22 oz it may bind the lids up and make them hard to open.

When ready to lay the carpet, don't bother with waterproof carpet glue, to much touble. Get some Original contact cement, works better than anything I've tried. Roll it on the piece of carpet and on the surface it goes on and let it flash. Put the two together, rub it down and it's there. No having to put weights and clamps on anything.

When you do the lids, measure how much it's going to take to fold down the lip and up inside. I think I had to allow 2 1/2" on each side for mine, a total of 5" added to each piece for the lids.

When I cut the carpet for the lids, I had the roll of carpet upside down and the lids properly oriented top down on it to insure proper place size. I had also cut some 1/4 plywood strips the width I need to add to each side. I had all the lids numbered and lettered so I knew which was which and wrote that number/letters on the carpet piece with an arrow pointing toward the front of the boat (that's how I placed all lids so they were always on the carpet facing the front of the boat. I then cut my pieces, using a utility knife and kept a good sharp blade in it with a sheet of plywood underneath to cut into.

When I got ready to glue the lids, I laid each lid on the piece of carpet for it, measured it to get it centerd and drew it off with a shapie. I then marked the notches for the corners and cut them. DON'T cut all the way to the lids corner or it will leave the bare metal corner exposed. Make one cut for the corner notch on all four corners. After you glue it too your lid and make the fold, then you can cut the overhanging piece off so theirs no worry about the corner not coming together and leaving the metal exposed.

As for cleaning the old glue off, a 7" side grinder with a large bowl shaped brush works good. Lacquer thinner or adhesive remover will take it off the small areas you want to make sure you get a good bond. Don't worry about getting every bit of it off on the large surfaces. Just make sure there is none of the old pile left.

In areas you are going to have problems getting the piece in without the glue sticking first, (this is contact glue so the two surfaces can't touch until in place) use wax paper to cover the surface you're wanting to work the capter into, just don't put pressure on the wax paper or it may stick. Once the piece of carpet is in position, slide the wax paper out and press the carpet down.

Dang, wrote a book!

Hope this helps

[justtrying]

mr ben jones,

that, sir, was a Very good explanation of re-carpeting a boat. ..it gave me some hints on some small projects that i've got going.

thanks for taking the time & sharing the info.

[Yankee_Bassman]

Thanks, Ben...after reading your post, that old carpet doesn't really look all that bad....well, yeah, it does....how the heck do you find out what weight carpet is in there now? Take it to a carpet store? This stuff has a thin vinyl backing on it.....it peeled down easily up under the console, where I had to peel it to expose the nuts holding the backrests in the bow to remove them for re-upholstering. (Fish 'n' Ski). I don't know how easy it will peel where it's been exposed to the sun for ten years.

[mountbkr]

If you have trouble getting it to release you can pour Acetone on it and it will disolve the glue, but be careful. This stuff is very flammable and the fumes will overcome you quickly. You can use 3-M spray adhesive to reinstall your carpet also. Just make sure you buy marine carpet, it has a rubber backing. Most come with 16-18 oz. original in them.

Tim

[Ben]

Don't pour acetone on the fiberglass, you may disolve more than you bargain for.

Usually after the carpet gets some age on it it pulls up with no problem. I may leave bunches of pile stuck the wire brush on the side grinder will get that. Forgot to mention, don't use the wire brucsh on the fiberglass either, it will make a mess out of it.

I bought 10 cans of the 3M Hi Strength 90, still got about 8 cans left. I used 1/2 can trying to do the boat carpet and the rest glueing door panels and stuff in cars. Make you a very good deal on the rest.

Just saw your lower post, I also did all the seats in mine myself.   Cost me a less than $100

[Yankee_Bassman]

Thanks, guys.....upholstery over the winter, carpet as soon as the snow melts enough to get near the boat....