Fixing Headliner with Screws and Washers

[svHyLyte]

FWIW, when the foam backed headliner in our forward cabin began to fail, I effected a "temporary" fix (6 years ago) by ripping down some teak strips to 1" x 1/2" and cutting them to length to fit the overhead in the cabin, secured in place with countersunk #6 screws. (They can be seen in the following snap-shot.) Except for the time required to varnish them it was a quick'n dirty fix but it works well and looks reasonably decent.

[hellosailor]

Joe-
"What battens do I use/where do I get them? What type of screws do I use? Is there a way to hide the screw heads so that they're not visible in the battens? "
I'd take some 1/2" dowel stock or 1/2" square molding stock, and slice off small blocks that were as thick as the existing headliner, i.e. maybe 1/2" thick?
Then poke holes in the headliner and glue (epoxy or urethane glue, fast setting) the blocks to the underside of the deck, so the "bottom" side of each block was about level with the headliner. So you'll have a checkboard of small blocks, maybe every foot apart, poking through the headliner. Now you run think batten strips athwartship, about every foot apart, to hold up the headliner. Screw them into the small blocks that you've glued up, with any handy 3/4" wood screws. (Or you can run battens athwartship and then closer together fore-and-aft, as a traditional batten finish, with or without headliner over it--but that's a lot of wood to trim.)

The batten stock could be furring strips, molding strips, hardwood or solid PVC molding strips, or hardwood ripped down to size, whatever looks good to you.

If you do use screws--brass is best on a boat. Galvanized or stainless will work, but they may also cause a gray "stain" in the wood after some years. "Iron" screws just do that to most woods over time. If you don't like the look of the screws, you pre-drill the wood so you can reces the screws and drive bungs in over them. Lots and lots of bungs. (All of a sudden shiny brass screws sound like a bargain, eh?)

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

FWIW, when the foam backed headliner in our forward cabin began to fail, I effected a "temporary" fix (6 years ago) by ripping down some teak strips to 1" x 1/2" and cutting them to length to fit the overhead in the cabin, secured in place with countersunk #6 screws. (They can be seen in the following snap-shot.) Except for the time required to varnish them it was a quick'n dirty fix but it works well and looks reasonably decent.

Looks better then just "reasonably decent' to me..

[David_Old_Jersey]

If you can't hide it - make a feature of it.

and if you put lots of thought into a project beforehand it moves category from "bodge" to "innovative solution" . (until you sell and become the PO - and then it automatically changes category ).


To OP I would simply give it a go and see what the results are like.........

[shipofools]

When I refurbished boats for a living, this was one of my most popular projects. I took a different approach. I used sheets of formica. I traced the pattern beforehand onto the formica. Then I used packing tape on the places where I was going to cut to avoid splintering, and used a circular saw, with the blade turned around. I used a small hand saw to make the final cuts at the corners. For fastening I would use the existing battens, or make new ones. This is a larger project than just supporting your old headliner, but worth the effort.

Owners were always very happy with the results, and formica cleans real easy, is available in a variety of colors, and is easy to remove to inspect fittings above it.

Cheers,

[SabreKai]

As for put up battens on the overhead and installing the ceiling? I figure a half day to make up the battens and ceiling strips, and another half a day to a day to get them up and screwed down. I'm planning on putting the battens up using 5200 to the underside of the steel deck, and once cured I'll start putting up the ceiling one strip at a time, with a 1/4 inch spacer between each strip. I've tried epoxying wood directly to steel, actually ran an experiment with a strip of oak, 1.5x1.5 and a piece of mild steel strapping. Alternately put it in the freezer and the sunny window sill for a week at a time, over an entire summer. It never fell apart but I'm still a tad worried about differential expansion. Especially if the wood gets moister from the air. Ergo, the 5200 which according to all comments I've ever seen will stick forever and flex all over the place. I'll put a layer on the wood, and then block it in place til the goo cures.

I agree that putting battens on the outside of your head liner may well do the job and if done with a bit of skill will add a great visual aspect to the cabin. Its well worth the try. I plan on making my own ceiling strips, as I spoke to the local supplier yesterday and he could do them for the cost of material plus $60/hour shop time. That would be cutting to rough size and then planing one side. I figure that will cost me something around $200, so I'm going with premium grade cedar 2x4s, cut into 1/4 thick strip, then run through my thickness planer once. Then the edges will be rounded via my router. According to my calculations, A 2x4 will yield up 9 strips of what ever length the plank is. My first task will be the underside of the bridge deck which is about 90 inches across the beam and the ceiling needs to be 14 inches long. So, given 9 strips per 2x4, that covers 19 inches across the beam. Ergo, 5 blocks 14 inches long run thru the saw should give me more than enough to do that job.

Anyway that's the plan. Once they are done I'll oil the cedar. I hope to get this done by end of the month, time and weather permitting. (I have to do some of the mill work outside)


Sabre

[hellosailor]

Sabre, you might not even need the 5200. Those same great folks at 3M make a "VBT" double-sided tape used to install windows on skyscrapers. Ain't cheap--but zip-zip and slap on the glass (in your case the battens) and it might be a permanent solution that also allows for expansion, with no curing time needed. This is *not* the conventional black or white double-stick tape you buy at the hardware store.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

If you can't hide it - make a feature of it.

and if you put lots of thought into a project beforehand it moves category from "bodge" to "innovative solution" . (until you sell and become the PO - and then it automatically changes category ).


.........

To the "Bodge" catagory..to the new owner anyway....LOL...thats to funny Dave...and pretty much true...


I wear the badge of Bodge proudly...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Sabre, you might not even need the 5200. Those same great folks at 3M make a "VBT" double-sided tape used to install windows on skyscrapers...

I think you may be referring to 3M VHB “Very High Bond Acrylic Foam Tape”
They have several versions.
Here ➥ 3M VHB Tapes - Uline