Floor boarding - treat or replace?

[Catali]

Following a smashed window and storms (when we were not on board) we have lifted the vinyl floor covering to find quite extensive damp boarding (marine ply) with patches of both white and black mold starting to appear. What is the best treatment for this please? Ty!

[Higgs]

4 minutes ago, Catali said:

Following a smashed window and storms (when we were not on board) we have lifted the vinyl floor covering to find quite extensive damp boarding (marine ply) with patches of both white and black mold starting to appear. What is the best treatment for this please? Ty!

 

Once dry, I'd clean and paint with a floor paint. The surface of those you have down have already had some of their surface sanded away. They aren't perfect, but I don't see why the situation has to be fixed with new boarding, providing the old stuff is still firm and not deteriorated.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Higgs

[haggis]

That to me says that there is or has been a lot of water under the floor boards . Do you have access to below the floor to check? If not, it might be worth making a hole near the stern to check. That doesn't look like recent dampness  unless it was exposed for a very long time. Sorry no suggestion about what do do with the wood 🙂 

 

 

[Higgs]

4 minutes ago, haggis said:

That to me says that there is or has been a lot of water under the floor boards . Do you have access to below the floor to check? If not, it might be worth making a hole near the stern to check. That doesn't look like recent dampness  unless it was exposed for a very long time. Sorry no suggestion about what do do with the wood 🙂 

 

 

 

Yep. hopefully, there isn't still some water wicking up from below the floor. But it doesn't seem to be glistening with moisture.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Higgs

[alan_fincher]

Being pedantic, it is pretty unlikely that floor is made of marine plywood.

 

True marine plywood is very very expensive - often 3 or 4 times the price of the plywoods used in narrow boats.

 

It is far more likely this is "exterior" or "WBP" , (weather and boil-proof) plywood.

You would need to give more information about the damage.  Is it growing fungus on the underneath?  Is it starting to delaminate?  It's hard to advise with no more information..

[Slim]

1 minute ago, alan_fincher said:

True marine plywood is very very expensive - often 3 or 4 times the price of the plywoods used in narrow boats

£128 per 8' x 4' sheet last week in local B&Q. Just browsing. 

[Tony Brooks]

5 minutes ago, Slim said:

£128 per 8' x 4' sheet last week in local B&Q. Just browsing. 

 

No way is that proper marine ply such as Robbins sell, far more likely the cheaper Far Eastern ply that is often passed off as marine ply. Anyway, I suspect WBP ply is perfectly adequate for floor boarding unless you intend to keep it wet and seeing the way quality OSB stands up to exterior use, that may do the job.

[alan_fincher]

8 minutes ago, Slim said:

£128 per 8' x 4' sheet last week in local B&Q. Just browsing. 

 

I've just looked at B&Q websire, and for 18mm thickness it is showing at £196.

 

B&Q 18mm Marine Ply

[BWM]

Not all marine plywood is equal, and there is a wide range of specifications. The type I used to clad my back cabin had .ore in common with balsa wood than most available. 

 I don't think that the plywood shown is too bad, and if you lift the carpet, you may find that it looks much the same. A quick rub down and some varnish or coating of your choice should suffice. The existing plywood is almost certainly of a better quality than that currently available anyway. 

[Higgs]

If you can jump on those old boards, without them giving or feeling spongy, hang on to your money and clean them up. 

 

 

[BEngo]

When dry  give them a coat or two of fungicide ( underneath as well if you can get at it)  -  Ronseal wood preserver  is a decent one, then a couple of coats of floor paint if you want them to look nicer.

 

N

[PCSB]

1 hour ago, BEngo said:

When dry  give them a coat or two of fungicide ( underneath as well if you can get at it)  -  Ronseal wood preserver  is a decent one, then a couple of coats of floor paint if you want them to look nicer.

 

N

This. If you don't treat the fungus/mold it will come back. I would also check it hasn't started to de-laminate, it doesn't look like it has but ...

[Catali]

Thank you all for the advice! I’m very grateful. Will def take a look under the boards …. With some trepidation…May not be marine ply ( my ignorance there) but look good quality and still substantially solid. Probably original to build which was 1991. Much more optimistic that they can be saved now. 🙂

[blackrose]

Just make sure you check under the floorboards at the back of the cabin to make sure there's no water still down there. If you don't have an inspection hatch then cut one somewhere inconspicuous.

 

How did the window get broken originally? Vandalism or storm damage?

[Catali]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

Just make sure you check under the floorboards at the back of the cabin to make sure there's no water still down there. If you don't have an inspection hatch then cut one somewhere inconspicuous.

 

How did the window get broken originally? Vandalism or storm damage?

We think a cruiser bow rail went through it. One had been reported being driven extremely erratically on that stretch of canal at the time it happened. (Boat was moored against tow path but the smashed window was canalside and completely taken out including bent frame.)