How to secure deck and flooring

I'm getting ahead of my self but just purchased my first Jon boat and inspired by everyone's builds.

I have big plans for this old rascal but while thinking ahead have a question. Once I have it framed and the deck and floor panels carpeted, how do you all secure the panels to the boat or deck frame without seeing the screws.
The builds I've seen look so seamless. Are the screws there but not really visible in a picture or is there a trick to securing them in place while hiding the screws?

Hi ya Seed. Congrats on the new boat.

One way to do what you want is to screw your ply floor down then put the carpet or vinyl on top. Obviously you would countersink the screws. Another option is to hold the floor panels down with aluminum angle screwed into the bottom of the seat bases.

Personally, I wouldn't use option one above because if you ever have to remove the floor panel for whatever reason you will need to tear up the floor cover to access the screws. I would rather cover the panels first then screw them down. The screws will show but if you ever have to pull the floor up for any reason, it will be easier and you won't damage the covering. This approach is pretty standard but it is your call of course.

Look forward to hearing more about your project.

Thanks for the input.
Right after I posted this I saw another post about not using pressure treated wood. Will any type of non-pressure treated wood work or is there something specific I should use?

I always use simple L brackets.

You can pop rivet aluminum angle, channel, L or other to the ribs and screw into those.

You can take no treated wood and fiberglass it - give it a covering of thinned FG resin (use acetone) so it will absorb, then sand and coat with regular FG resin. Should last about forever. Does get a little heavier and harder to put screws into.

If you're carpeting, just carpet the panels and screw them down. You will not be able to see the screws, I have had to use a magnet to find them when removing the last deck that I made.

With vinyl, you could screw it down and carpet over the top, but that is going to make removal in the future a real bear.

seed_81 said:

Thanks for the input.
Right after I posted this I saw another post about not using pressure treated wood. Will any type of non-pressure treated wood work or is there something specific I should use?

Click to expand...

Exterior grade plywood. A lot less costly and a lot easier to source than marine grade.

Perfect!! Thanks all for the input.

I'm currently in the thick of this... I'm using L brackets screwed from the bottom over open sections and the panel sections that lay on top of existing aluminum boat deck I'm using stainless screws through the rod holders, fish finder mount and seat mount so you see nothing in the carpet. Use all stainless hardware and staples and no pressure treated nothing. Anything with copper content will corrode aluminum.

Missed said:

You can pop rivet aluminum angle, channel, L or other to the ribs and screw into those.

You can take no treated wood and fiberglass it - give it a covering of thinned FG resin (use acetone) so it will absorb, then sand and coat with regular FG resin. Should last about forever. Does get a little heavier and harder to put screws into.

Click to expand...

I did this, but I predrilled all my holes in the decking and frame work. Test fit it all together, then pulled it all a part, oversized all the holes and filled with the resin. Then I redrilled pilot holes for the screws. Once all was screwed together with decking screws I had a completely water tight floor. The boat has sat outside in covered all winter and I just lifted my floor sections out to inspect the wood, and no water in the wood.