Glue carpet to aluminum deck or install plywood?

[marlattrr]

Need advice:

I have a Lowe Roughneck that has a flat aluminum deck with no middle seat. If i am installing carpet should i put plywood on top of the aluminum deck before installing or glue the carpet right to the aluminum deck?

Thanks

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

I glued right to the aluminium. Just used std I/O carpet glue. 8 years now, hasn't come loose. I keep boat covered.

 

[gogittum]

I'm about ready to install the indoor/outdoor carpet in my 16 ft Starcraft project and figured on laying strips between the ribs and gluing them down with spray adhesive. I want to go from chine indent (out-dent ??) all the way across to opposite side with a 4" bare channel down the middle for water drainage. I'm using standard i/o carpet with no nap.

Got to messing with a scrap and it looks like it might work to go right over the ribs which would look some nicer and be quieter, too. Where my thinking is bogging down - prob'ly overthinking it - is in the transition from the bump of the rib to the flat of the chine.....and it's a V bottom. How much flex/stretch/compression is there in that type of carpet to form it around things ??

I ordered enuf carpet to do the whole thing with a scrap left over at one end, so don't want to make any mis-cuts.

I finished the folding grab bar today - similar to what I installed in the little 12 footer (it worked out extremely well) - and finished the wood on rear seat. Center seat is cut, fitted around grab bar and stained, ready for polyurethane coating. Bought the wood for front seat today. It's coming together fast now.......gotta get to work on the motor and get it tuned up. It's an ancient 15 hp Johnson. Compression is very good and carb is rebuilt - just gotta fire it up. Soon, I'll be looking for an electric start 25 hp tiller for it.

 

[marlattrr]

I'm going to use contact cement and stick it right to the aluminum. Thanks

 

[Riverboatboy]

I used ply wood and painted the whole inside with, bed liner and thew in a little sand for traction. 16’ monark

 

[wis bang]

My '69 Alumacraft Crappie Jon with the seats removed is flat aluminum over the ribs. I bought a indoor/outdoor remnant and a quart can of the adhesive they recommended but for insurance I added a bead of construction adhesive along the edges.

I had removed the chia pet carpet [boat sat so long it showed on google earth!] and sanded away the old adhesive and paint, possibly annoying the neighbors.

Self-etching primer and paint, each baked a few days in the summer sun, before fitting and gluing the new carpet.

Still looks like new after 3 seasons

 

[wmk0002]

I can't speak from personal experience, but I have seen where a few other people have taken the really thin foam board and carpeted that in place of a piece of plywood. I guess the pros are its lighter and cheaper than plywood and then you aren't stuck with the carpet layout since its removable. Also it may provide some extra cushion? The cons would probably be its less durable and then you would have drill/screw it down numerous places.

 

[Kismet]

Justathought

I've spent far too many hours removing adhesive from the various tins I've rejuvenated(such as they are).

It might be impossible for me to deliberately put adhesive on the aluminum directly.

I think...no...I know that I have and will always put the adhesive on some other than the boat metal itself.

But that thing you're working on is called YOUR boat.

Best wishes whichever way you go.