Floor Covering

[Sanddancer]

Hello

i'm going to take the carpet up in the boat as it's not practical with a dog at first i thought about Laminate but am now swung over to a GOOD vinyl flooring has anybody done that to their floor yet?

[cotswoldsman]

My boat came with carpets, not sure why as it is the most impractical thing for a boat. My second year I ripped it up and had a real Oak floor laid life is so easy now just a quick sweep every couple of days and polish once a year.

[paulcatchpole]

Hello

i'm going to take the carpet up in the boat as it's not practical with a dog at first i thought about Laminate but am now swung over to a GOOD vinyl flooring has anybody done that to their floor yet?

 

Something like Amtico or Karndean, you mean?

 

I'm sure there's someone on the forum with one or the other, and I've met a couple based on the Shroppie who've got an Amtico floor which looks fabulous and very practical. My folks have a Karndean kitchen floor at the house and I'm amazed its weathered my mutnut's paws so well. Probably ten years old now.

 

I'd note that the subfloor needs to be perfectly smooth or any imperfections will show up on the surface. In a house it's not unknown to use a latex levelling compound before laying it.

 

Personally, I'd go for an engineered floor of some sort, though probably not oak (for me) as I've seen what happens when it gets wet.

 

I've gone for bamboo in the new boat, which is stable in humidity and cheap.

 

PC

[RLWP]

Our Marley tiles are lasting well

 

Richard

[Ally]

Oak going black when wet is generally the mix of oak and metal (except brass or stainless steel)and water. Just oak and water shouldn't turn it black...though obviously it doesn't want to be swimming.

[Ex- Member]

I've gone for bamboo in the new boat, which is stable in humidity and cheap.

 

I can highly recommend bamboo flooring, we used the 0.9 metre x 100mm wide x 15mm thick T&G very hard wearing nine times harder than Oak aparrently, and very easy to lay. Comes in 3 shades usually light med dark, we went for the lighter it's been down 3 or 4 years now and that's whilst we've been continuing the fit out so it's had it's fair share of abuse, just give it a good clean though and it looks almost new. This flooring does get slightly darker over time though so bear that in mind.

 

If you use it though make sure you leave a good gap at the edges for expansion, I left a 10mm gap filled with expanding neoprene foam, this keeps all the joints tight in the summer and stops the floor raising in the winter. There's underlay for it also much the same as for laminate.

 

If you get it wet though and let water soak into the joints and it will have a detrimental effect and discolour, saying that we do have bamboo in the bathroom and Galley and it hasn't been a problem, but I do ensure the floor is dry after using the shower.

 

Shop around usually costs between 20 to 25 quid a pack at 0.9 of a metre. Look out for offers also this is often discounted and remarkably we got ours from Sainsburys homebase at under 20 quid a pack, was a few years ago though.

 

 

 

 

Bathroom

 

 

Edited June 21, 2011 by Julynian

[J R]

Something like Amtico or Karndean, you mean?

 

I'm sure there's someone on the forum with one or the other, and I've met a couple based on the Shroppie who've got an Amtico floor which looks fabulous and very practical. My folks have a Karndean kitchen floor at the house and I'm amazed its weathered my mutnut's paws so well. Probably ten years old now.

 

I'd note that the subfloor needs to be perfectly smooth or any imperfections will show up on the surface. In a house it's not unknown to use a latex levelling compound before laying it.

 

Personally, I'd go for an engineered floor of some sort, though probably not oak (for me) as I've seen what happens when it gets wet.

 

I've gone for bamboo in the new boat, which is stable in humidity and cheap.

 

PC

 

Agree entirely that carpet is totally impractical for a narrowbboat with all the stuff that can be tracked in even if you take your shoes off. Tiles sound a nice option, but not all the way through. Our solution was to use Amtico (light oak) which I have used over the years in various other applications, which turns out to be maintenence free, hard wearing and easy to keep clean by sweeping or wiping it over. Its immune to water, oil, diesel, antifreeze and battery acid, oh, and beer and red wine. Perfect answer for the mucky boater. Cost obviously is an issue, but have found it to be a good longterm investment. Like the idea of the bamboo; looks great.

[mrsmelly]

Hello

i'm going to take the carpet up in the boat as it's not practical with a dog at first i thought about Laminate but am now swung over to a GOOD vinyl flooring has anybody done that to their floor yet?

 

Hi

 

We have a large dog and all boat is carpeted except the kitchen bit. Carpets are warm and if good quality easy to clean and a vac every day keeps the hair at bay ( nearly ). We find it is the most sensible floor covering for a dog. If said dog brings mud in we let it dry and it vacs clean off and the only bit the dog has a problem with is the vinyl bit as she does on laminate floors they are too slippy for a dog she skids around on the vinyl but you could put rugs down like some do ( carpet ) they stop doggie slipping.

[Giggetty]

Hi

 

We have a large dog and all boat is carpeted except the kitchen bit. Carpets are warm and if good quality easy to clean and a vac every day keeps the hair at bay ( nearly ). We find it is the most sensible floor covering for a dog. If said dog brings mud in we let it dry and it vacs clean off and the only bit the dog has a problem with is the vinyl bit as she does on laminate floors they are too slippy for a dog she skids around on the vinyl but you could put rugs down like some do ( carpet ) they stop doggie slipping.

I wonder if you could lay wood laminate (?Aqualoc) over existing vinyl? It would save a lot of bother ripping it up and then putting down proper underlay.

[homer2911]

Hi

 

We have a large dog and all boat is carpeted except the kitchen bit. Carpets are warm and if good quality easy to clean and a vac every day keeps the hair at bay ( nearly ). We find it is the most sensible floor covering for a dog. If said dog brings mud in we let it dry and it vacs clean off and the only bit the dog has a problem with is the vinyl bit as she does on laminate floors they are too slippy for a dog she skids around on the vinyl but you could put rugs down like some do ( carpet ) they stop doggie slipping.

 

I agree - I just cannot understand why every new boat featured in the mags has hard shiny flooring, just ideal for going *rse over tip when rushing through the boat from stern to bow on a wet day in an emergency!

 

Decent, spongeable carpet tiles are our preferred covering - can't be scratched by dogs, neither they nor you will slip on them, and when they get a bit grubby,you can swop 'em around to get the cleanest ones in the traffic area and grubbiest ones under the furniture.

[blackrose]

Agree entirely that carpet is totally impractical for a narrowbboat with all the stuff that can be tracked in even if you take your shoes off.

 

Nothing gets tracked in if you take your shoes of surely? It doesn't on my boat anyway.

 

However, I'd rather have a wood floor if it wasn't for the issue of being cold in winter. I tried a piece of wood floor over my subfloor before I laid the carpet tiles and it was cold underfoot, though I inderstand it wouldn't be if you don't take your shoes off in the boat. I'm wondering if Karndean or Amtico floors are warmer underfoot?

[Ianey]

I'm about to have mine done in Karndean (KP92) Medium Oak.... I was quoted £998 by my boat builder but after 2 ebay purchases I've got more than enough for £137 with a cost of £175 to have it professional laid.... Great saving for a quality covering

 

Ianey

[pophops]

I agree - I just cannot understand why every new boat featured in the mags has hard shiny flooring, just ideal for going *rse over tip when rushing through the boat from stern to bow on a wet day in an emergency!

 

Decent, spongeable carpet tiles are our preferred covering - can't be scratched by dogs, neither they nor you will slip on them, and when they get a bit grubby,you can swop 'em around to get the cleanest ones in the traffic area and grubbiest ones under the furniture.

Couldn't agree more. I spent £75 on good quality surplus carpet tiles from EBay and spent a few hours laying them. They're warm and comfortable and easy to keep clean. After 2 years they look as good as new.

[Arthur Brown]

Probably there is discussion to be had based on the intended use of the boat. Sitting at a desk working in beautiful surroundings is nice and probably productive especially aas you can out in long days when needed. However sitting there with cold feet is not going to be nice or productive. With mud climbing children or animals easy cleaning may be a higher priority.

[pearley]

As has been said, if you go for any form of vynyl the underfloor needs to have no imperfections and it is normal to lay a screed or leveling compound first. However, this is laid in a fairly liquid form, so it can self level. Most boats are trimmed bow high so the screed will run down the boat, they also have a tendency to rock from side to side. That's why the people who laid the vynyl in our bathroom on top of the existing cold tiles used a latex or silicone type of material, just spreading it over the joints. After about a year you can clearly see where the joints were by the marks on the vynyl.

 

Of course, you can always get the boat put on dry land so it's level and stable.

 

As for carpet, we have it everywhere else and wouldn't have anything else. We always take our shoes off but the worst culprit for mess is the stove. I foolishly told my wife that we could carpet the whole boat for £300 or so, so could get it done every couple of years.

 

Regards

Pete