cabin Flooring / sole whats the best surface? Opinions please.

[slowpoker]

Solid teak, mahogany or Brazilian hardwood prefinished floor plank strips that click together (use waterproof glue at these joints) from Bella Wood remnants on sale. 50 year guarantee. Very easy to fit each strip and easy to maneuver inside the boat. Allow some space at all the edges for expansion. Do not glue to existing sole, just screw down each finished section every couple of feet in a nice pattern with good quality brass or bronze flat head screws so you could remove floor some day.
It's no more slippery than teak and holy and no varnish required. Comes in light or dark natural wood. May show scratches if deep but...oh, is it gorgeous for little effort and sale prices!.
May use left over plank strips to match some trim below or build plate holders, binocular rack, etc. Done on a Catalina 36 about 5 years ago, still like new. Consider this option. Slowpoker.

[Cowpoke]

I have been very pleased with teak flooring from Lumber Liquidators. Been 7 years now and still like new and very easy to care for. I did have to remove the factory finish and then covered with teak oil. Factory finish was very slippery. Makes a very attractive floor, non slip, and easy to clean.

[saltine]

Nothing more striking, than a teak and holly sole, and with a nice varnish job, you can definitely tell the difference between real and synthetic.
we would use vinegar and water to shammy the soles and it would leave the sole squeeky and gripping your topsiders.

[dennismenace111]

I'm considering installing NautikFlor on the cabin sole in my Watkins 29. I'll be removing the old plywood with teak veneer. NautikFlor is PVC based and will not face, rot, chip, or warp.

https://www.nautikflor.com/boat-flooring/marine-flooring

[wannacat]

Don't know if Seadeck is available over there? We've had ours for 9 years and love it! Soft on your feet and doesn't stain.

[Djarraluda]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Cork tiles witha polyurethane coating.

Or try the synthetic cork deck covering, that would not need the sealant.
Perhaps most important is to note the solid timber edging to the panels shown in Boatpoker's pic. That is what stops the edges getting damaged when lifting.
Roger

[MicHughV]

many years ago I built a Roberts 38 out of steel and also pondered the cabin sole.
being poor as a church mouse during my build, this is what I came up with.
I went to our local hardware store and purchased several sheets of house siding plywood known as " texture T1-11. This is a plywood sheet about 3/4" thick with longitudinal grooves cut in it about 3/4" wide x 1"2" deep....spaced about 4" apart.
Following that I went to a local motorcycle shop that imported Japanese bikes that came crated in Mahogany crates.
I salvaged some of these crate pieces and had the pieces cut into into 1/4" wide x 1/2" deep strips x however long the crate piece was.
These strips I glued into the grooves of the texture T1-11 plywood with West system epoxy with a darkening agent....I used the sawdust as coloring......
once the glue hardened, I sanded everything smooth...and sealed it with a coat of West system....
The final product looked like the well known " teak and holly" cabin sole material...but it was " prettier" in my opinion and not as dark.
Off course, I'm biased, but these same procedure was used by other home builders I knew at the time...and came to be know as the " poor man's teak and holly" sole.
I can dig up my old build photo album and attach a pic if you want...but that is the gist of it.

[chowdan]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

many years ago I built a Roberts 38 out of steel and also pondered the cabin sole.
being poor as a church mouse during my build, this is what I came up with.
I went to our local hardware store and purchased several sheets of house siding plywood known as " texture T1-11. This is a plywood sheet about 3/4" thick with longitudinal grooves cut in it about 3/4" wide x 1"2" deep....spaced about 4" apart.
Following that I went to a local motorcycle shop that imported Japanese bikes that came crated in Mahogany crates.
I salvaged some of these crate pieces and had the pieces cut into into 1/4" wide x 1/2" deep strips x however long the crate piece was.
These strips I glued into the grooves of the texture T1-11 plywood with West system epoxy with a darkening agent....I used the sawdust as coloring......
once the glue hardened, I sanded everything smooth...and sealed it with a coat of West system....
The final product looked like the well known " teak and holly" cabin sole material...but it was " prettier" in my opinion and not as dark.
Off course, I'm biased, but these same procedure was used by other home builders I knew at the time...and came to be know as the " poor man's teak and holly" sole.
I can dig up my old build photo album and attach a pic if you want...but that is the gist of it.

Would love to see photos of it.

I just got a sample package from lonseal,and the products definitely look synthetic. I have a few other companies shipping out sample products. I am up in the air as to what I should do for my cabin sole as well.

Something like what you described wouldnt be hard to do, even if one just bought marine plywood, cut grooves in it and rip some hardwood lumber to fit the grooves.

[HankOnthewater]

Like previous posters, I think a teak/holly flooring is the traditional type of flooring and as such very much admired.

Bamboo didn't get a mention as yet, but is very suitable (I am biased here, as that is on my floor). It comes in strips/planks of various thicknesses (6 to 19 mm) Like with wood, some woodworking skills and tools are needed for DIY.

Cork was mentioned, and pics shown, but IMO a more aesthetically pleasing result can be gained by using Marinedeck 2000. Eh, price is much higher than 'basic' cork sheets. Although this supplier mainly aims at covering decks outside with their 9 mm thick cork range, the 6 mm thick 'planks' are for the inside. Nice feel for feet, warm and softish. Very few tools are needed for installation. Skills needed: similar to laying a wooden floor.
https://marinedeck.nl/en
and here a review (although mainly aimed at outside decking):
https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...es/4985-1.html

[chowdan]

Originally Posted by HankOnthewater

Like previous posters, I think a teak/holly flooring is the traditional type of flooring and as such very much admired.

Bamboo didn't get a mention as yet, but is very suitable (I am biased here, as that is on my floor). It comes in strips/planks of various thicknesses (6 to 19 mm) Like with wood, some woodworking skills and tools are needed for DIY.

Cork was mentioned, and pics shown, but IMO a more aesthetically pleasing result can be gained by using Marinedeck 2000. Eh, price is much higher than 'basic' cork sheets. Although this supplier mainly aims at covering decks outside with their 9 mm thick cork range, the 6 mm thick 'planks' are for the inside. Nice feel for feet, warm and softish. Very few tools are needed for installation. Skills needed: similar to laying a wooden floor.
https://marinedeck.nl/en
and here a review (although mainly aimed at outside decking):
https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...es/4985-1.html

I am awaiting to get samples of marine deck. Looks interesting for sure.

How is your bamboo fastened down? Can you supply some photos? Did you do it yourself?

[HankOnthewater]

Originally Posted by chowdan

How is your bamboo fastened down? Can you supply some photos? Did you do it yourself?

my bamboo floor is glued down, previous owner did or rather had it done; will make some pics when I next on my boat.

[MicHughV]

let me see if this works.....
it's an old pic.....boat was built in early 80's

[MicHughV]

this is another pic.....while I was making the cabin sole..like the previous pic it may be a bit blurry due to age

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Cork tiles with a polyurethane coating.

A little more detail on the cork flooring we installed ....
Our tiles came with a flexible polyurethane coating. As per instructions, after installation we fine sanded the tiles and put a final poly coating on. This seals the edges.

We purchased the tiles, contact cement and flex coating from one source and they have a wide variety of textures and colours. Their website is awkward but worth digging through. CorkDecorâ„¢ Floors | Jelinek Cork

A decade of full time living with a dog and not a single mark.

Photo below is from the second boat we did. If there is a third boat, we'll do the same.

[stnick]

Just a Old sailors trick ! add linseed oil to your polyeuthane It make a non slip deck . Even on wet feet . deck shoes or bare feet . Its got traction like a GYM floor !