Carpet advice required please Guys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brum]

I have decided to replace the worn/ faded carpets on my newly aquired n/b.

 

When I started taking the old one up I found there had been no underlay used, it was laid directly onto the wooden floor.

As this was a professional fit out, i was wondering if this was for a specific reason or just an oversight or cost cutting reasons.

 

I have purchased some new special thermal underlay ready to re-carpet.But should I lay a layer of heavy duty polythene down

first, I was told to use news paper but would that not retain moisture/ damp.

 

Please can anyone advise or share their experiences..................

 

Many Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all.

[Laurie Booth]

What type of carpet was on the floor that you took up? Foam/waffle/hession etc.

[pearley]

Ours is laid on very heavy duty underlay. When the carpet was replaced A year ago there was no sign Of damp on the flooring after 5 years.

[Mike Jordan]

If there is any chance of moisture in the bilges the use of a plastic sheet can cause condensation on the bottom of the sheeting wetting the timber floor. I caused myself this problem in the past when I used Flotex carpet inside a boat.

This might even be the reason that the underlay was omitted?

The current practice of fully welding the rear bulkhead to stop water from the engine room running under the accommodation also prevents any small leakage from pipework or condensation running back to be pumped out, many (but not all)boats have a small amount of water under the floor wetting the ballast and causing problems.

[bigste]

Many years back I had Flotex tiles in my caravan an it was the best stuff ever. Even oil stains came off easy. It's often used in car showrooms of the prestige makes. It looks and feels like a very dense velvet.

[Mike Jordan]

Ive seen Flotex used on the roof of an old timber top to make it waterproof, and Ive used it several times on the rear decks of a cruiser stern boats. Its very hard wearing but not so good inside a boat.

[brum]

Hi

 

Thanks for the replies.

The carpet I am removing has no markings etc, but its a bit like thin felt.

 

I am replacing it with a hard wearing hessen backed industrial carpet.

[David Schweizer]

A bit but, having seen the muddy state some peoples carpets get into, we decided not to have carpets as such. Instead we layed a high quality vynil, and have thick rugs in the saloon area and industrial carpet mats in the galley. The advantages are that the vynil can be cleaned easily, and the rugs can be removed for brushing/cleaning, or if any work needs to be done.

Edited January 3, 2014 by David Schweizer

[Laurie Booth]

Hi

 

Thanks for the replies.

The carpet I am removing has no markings etc, but its a bit like thin felt.

 

I am replacing it with a hard wearing hessen backed industrial carpet.

The carpet you took up was probably "Tapicord" used for one off's like a red carpet for film stars to walk into Oscars, BAFTA's etc.

With your new carpet get a good quality underlay.

[kevinl]

A bit but, having seen the muddy state some peoples carpets get into, we decided not to have carpets as such. Instead we layed a high quality vynil, and have thick rugs in the saloon area and industrial carpet mats in the galley. The advantages are that the vynil can be cleaned easily, and the rugs can be removed for brushing/cleaning, or if any work needs to be done.

I'm with David on this, hard floor and rugs works best for me if you go down the carpet route then something with the carpet equivalent of Scotchguard would help.

K

[Keeping Up]

Ive seen Flotex used on the roof of an old timber top to make it waterproof, and Ive used it several times on the rear decks of a cruiser stern boats. Its very hard wearing but not so good inside a boat.

I don't know why you say it's not so good inside a boat. Ours is now over 21 years old and has had plenty of hard use including a regular helping of mud from the dogs. It has one or two places where it is a bit thinner now so I guess it'll maybe need replacing when it's 25 years old. Flotex doesn't need, or even like, any underlay.

[Lady Muck]

I've got parquet flooring and very cheap rugs which are taken to the launderette regularly. The dog (and his mates) are in and out of our boat when we're on the mooring (I've seen drier swamps - it's that muddy here!), so needs must.

 

Mum n dad have flotex at home and I agree, it's great.

[Laurie Booth]

I'm with David on this, hard floor and rugs works best for me if you go down the carpet route then something with the carpet equivalent of Scotchguard would help.

K

You can always spray Scotchguard onto the carpet.

[peterboat]

I put down good quality underlay and carpet and very pretty and warm it is too my old boat had a wood plank floor which was cold even with good rugs

 

Peter

[sueb]

We used carpet tiles with a felt underlay

[Bobbybass]

I don't know why you say it's not so good inside a boat. Ours is now over 21 years old and has had plenty of hard use including a regular helping of mud from the dogs. It has one or two places where it is a bit thinner now so I guess it'll maybe need replacing when it's 25 years old. Flotex doesn't need, or even like, any underlay.

I go along with that.

 

Our Flotex was great...and easy to wipe mud from and clean...

[Mike Jordan]

I have no complaint about the tough long lasting qualities of Flotex, I've had it last about 16 years as a deck covering subjected to all sorts of abuse. The observation was that its totally waterproof qualities may not be what is needed inside a boat with moisture in the bilges under the cabin. The same goes for the proposition to put down plastic sheeting beneath carpet.

[brum]

Ok thanks for all the info on Flotex, but could i ask we get back on subject

Ie.

But should I lay a layer of heavy duty polythene down

first, I was told to use news paper but would that not retain moisture/ damp.

Or is it best with hessian backed carpet to lay it direct.

[Laurie Booth]

Ok thanks for all the info on Flotex, but could i ask we get back on subject

Ie.

But should I lay a layer of heavy duty polythene down

first, I was told to use news paper but would that not retain moisture/ damp.

Or is it best with hessian backed carpet to lay it direct.

I would just use good underlay with your hessian carpet on top.

I go along with that.

 

Our Flotex was great...and easy to wipe mud from and clean...

Very bad with cigarette burns

[blackrose]

I have purchased some new special thermal underlay ready to re-carpet.But should I lay a layer of heavy duty polythene down

first, I was told to use news paper but would that not retain moisture/ damp.

 

 

If the underlay is a plastic foam then there's absolutely no point putting down polythene sheet first. You already have a moisture barrier.

 

I have plastic foam underlay laid direct onto the ply floorboards and I have no problems with damp underneath the floor (or anywhere else).

We used carpet tiles with a felt underlay

 

I used carpet tiles on top of a 8mm thick plastic foam underlay. However, it was a mistake to use such a thick underlay with carpet tiles because where heavy furniture presses down on the tile it pushes the edges up. I've tacked down a few areas but it's not ideal. I'll live with it for a few more years but eventually I'm going to insulate the floor with 12mm thick celotex, put some thin ply over the top and then put some woodgrain vinyl planks or woodgrain patterned Flotex on top. Or could I put Flotex directly on the subfloor? Does Flotex actually need insulation underneath - does it get cold? Without insulation my floor is quite cold.

Edited January 3, 2014 by blackrose

[Richard T]

On the subject of Flotex it might be hard wearing but it retains the smell of urine!! So dont put it down in the loo or insist on sitting only. How do I know this? - it used to be fitted into care homes for the elderly and infirm - not so much these days.

We have carpet tiles which are commercial grade - I just collect the samples at work so that when one gets dirty it gets chucked out and a new one fitted. They are much warmer than vinyl or timber.

If you can find a source good value carpet can be from exhibition stands at the NEC or similar.

[blackrose]

On the subject of Flotex it might be hard wearing but it retains the smell of urine!! So dont put it down in the loo or insist on sitting only. How do I know this? - it used to be fitted into care homes for the elderly and infirm - not so much these days.

 

Surely it's only the people of these islands who would even think of putting a soft floor covering in a toilet area?

 

For similar reasons I always take my shoes off inside the boat just like the Scandies and the Asians do at home. They've got the right idea. Bringing dirt and dogshit from the towpath into your boat on your shoes is disgusting. Before people start saying it's not practical to remove one's shoes on boats, apparently it was traditional for the people who ran the old working Dutch barges to take their shoes off inside. I'm not sure if they still do that? Anyway, I've been doing it for more than 10 years of living aboard.

[Phil Ambrose]

 

Surely it's only the people of these islands who would even think of putting a soft floor covering in a toilet area?

 

For similar reasons I always take my shoes off inside the boat just like the Scandies and the Asians do at home. They've got the right idea. Bringing dirt and dogshit from the towpath into your boat on your shoes is disgusting. Before people start saying it's not practical to remove one's shoes on boats, apparently it was traditional for the people who ran the old working Dutch barges to take their shoes off inside. I'm not sure if they still do that? Anyway, I've been doing it for more than 10 years of living aboard.

We have lived aboard for 13 years and shoes come off at bottom of back steps, makes sense for all the reasons Blackrose has stated.

Phil

Edited January 5, 2014 by Phil Ambrose

[Laurie Booth]

 

Apparently it was traditional for the people who ran the old working Dutch barges to take their shoes off inside. I'm not sure if they still do that?

Clogs,