Cabin sole: Teak/Holly or Teak only

[AKA-None]

Could you use cypress?

[BAD ORCA]

Originally Posted by scherzoja

Bad Orca,

It's varnish, Interlux Schooner #96

First, Seafin Teak Oil (2 coats to soak in), then one more coat oil was wet-sanded in with 320 grit paper and buffed smooth. After about an hour, another coat wet sanded with 320 grit, then buffed with rag.

During the subsequent 4 hours, I periodically wiped each piece to remove any oil leaking out of cracks and small knots.

Oiled wood left to dry for about a week. This by itself was a nice finish, but I wanted a glossy finish, so I continued with varnishing.

Varnish:

Sanded with 360 grit and applied a 50/50 mix of varnish and Naphtha
Next day, light sanding with 220 and coat with 80/20 mix varnish/Naphtha
Next day, light sanding with 220 and 80/10 mix
Next day, light sanding with 220 and 80/10 mix
Next day, light sanding with 220 and 80/10 mix
Next day, thorough sanding with 220 to removed bumps and begin smoothing surface. Apply 100% varnish.

Two days later, thorough sanding with 320 and apply 100% varnish
Two days later, light sanding with 320 and apply 100% varnish
Two days later, accept results or repeat 320 grit/100% varnish.

I vacuumed, wiped with mineral spirits, and lightly tack-clothed between each sanded coat.

I tested with bristle brushes and foam brushes; I preferred foam brushes.
The varnishing is a lot of work. Great results, but too much work to the sole, which I'm going to be walking on and dropping things on.

Wow! It looks amazing from the pics. Now i see why.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Thank you, Jedi.

Maybe the glass ball kind of non-skid would work for you. In whatever width you want. It is a difficult decision. I'd be tempted to try a small area (one cabin?) and see how I liked the new stuff.

Ann

For floors that are finished clear, like varnish or polyurethane, I like the look of fine sand applied in shapes or even letters or logos.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

For floors that are finished clear, like varnish or polyurethane, I like the look of fine sand applied in shapes or even letters or logos.

Wow - a virtual karesansui [Zen] garden!

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Wow - a virtual karesansui [Zen] garden!

Unfortunately it doesn’t look like sand anymore when varnished

https://www.sailworldcruising.com/n/...treads/-158495

[scherzoja]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

Could you use cypress?

I thought about Cypress, but it's a bit on the soft side. These strips will stand a bit proud of the teak, so I want wood that is on the hard side.

[scherzoja]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Unfortunately it doesn’t look like sand anymore when varnished

https://www.sailworldcruising.com/n/...treads/-158495

Thanks Jedi, an interesting idea for the companionway steps that is less ugly than the sandpaper strips found on skateboard decks. I'll test this out on some scrap.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by scherzoja

Thanks Jedi, an interesting idea for the companionway steps that is less ugly than the sandpaper strips found on skateboard decks. I'll test this out on some scrap.

I've tried a few different schemes on companionway ladders, pros and cons to them all.
The guy in Port Townsand, Leo, who is rebuilding "Tally Ho" has an interesting approach.
Not to shabby, his scheme allows easy finish/refinish work on the ladder without a lot of drama.
Scroll to ~13:28 or so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnRHZP4JxUI

[nrx500]

https://www.maritimewoodproducts.com/
https://www.awlgrip.com/products/varnishes

I replaced the plywood teak and holly sole in my Marshall 22 with teak and maple 3/8 inch thick wood strips from Maritime Wood Products in Florida. You can call them, ask questions, and order what you need. They have epoxy to lay the floor too. I also used Awlwood epoxy from Awlgrip to prefinish my floor before I installed it.

I have a woodshop and considered milling my own strips, but the time to set up my machines and the need to precisely replicate the cuts simply wasn't worth the aggravation. So I ordered the teak and maple precut from Maritime. Having everything precut freed up the floor space in my shop to build the templates I needed to construct the floor panels.

I have used the best varnishes on my old floor and found they did not hold up to walking on with shoes and and the sand that always came aboard. The Awlwood finish was significantly harder and more resistant to scratching than the best varnish.

[markiobe]

Should we really be using teak, or any other non-sustainable wood, in this day and age???

[drdoyle]

Teak is soft for florring. Try IPE , its very hard and oils or varnishes to look like Mahogany. Available in toug in groove flooring pre finished..

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by markiobe

Should we really be using teak, or any other non-sustainable wood, in this day and age???

Most teak you can buy now is plantation grown, not old growth like what was used in boats 40+ years ago.

[SteveSadler]

My Jeanneau 49ds was a charter boat and the cabin sole trashed. I laminated 2 1/2" thick monkey pod with 1/2" silky oak in 12" wide blocks. Then I had it milled to 1/4" veneers. These I epoxied onto the old sole, and finished with polyurethane. There are lots of hardwoods that would look nice inside your yacht, it doesn't have to be teak. Being 1/4" thick allows you to safely refinish countless times.

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Exactly, maple and holly are not rot resistant. Maple is often used for flooring because of it’s hardness, holly for it’s whiter color.

About crushed walnut shells: as a Dashew Sundeer we have that, don’t like it and will not have it again with new flooring.

I use maple.

As far as the professor's claim of rotting, I'm not buying it. I've actually got several 12-foot pieces from a school project that were behind a shed for eight years in the weather. Yes they split, and yes they darkened, but running them through a planer showed no signs of rot.

[DShant]

Wow those are really nice cabinets Scherzoja!! Really a labor of love



Despite all the good recommendations here I would buy the teak and holly veneered plywood. It is relatively easy to put in and take out if you need to. You can put non skid on the surface when you finish it and it is cheap and quick to install. If it gets ruined somehow it is easy to refinish or change completely if it is really bad. You are of course walking on the finish not the wood so as long as you keep a good finish on it, it looks great



I have had a solid teak floor and it is not that hard. It gets dented with dropped things which happens often. I used this T & H plywood in a refit I did on my Spencer 53 and it was fine. Gives you all the look without the trouble.

Save your teak which must be about $30 a board foot by now and use it for decoration/furniture somewhere where it will be seen and will stand up better.