Re-Flooring Your Pontoon Boat

Before installing your new boat flooring its a good idea to roll out and lay the new flooring out in the sun for a while to allow it to become more pliable. This will also help let some of the wrinkles out. About 15 - 20 minutes should be good.

If at all possible try to install your new floor in such a way that no seams will be needed. If seams are absolutely necessary, then make sure when you but up the two ends that the floors pile run in the same direction. This will help make the floor look seamless.

Un-Bolt all fencing and furniture. Remove all this from the deck of the boat and place it in the same configuration on the ground beside the pontoon boat. This will help you remember where everything went on the deck of the boat before it was removed.

Remove old flooring.

After old flooring is removed you will be left with a deck full of old glue. You will want to try and remove most of this old glue to ensure a good tight bond for the new floor. This will also smooth out the high and low points on the deck caused by the old glue that would make your new floor look level with no lumpy areas. Use a medium grade sand paper possibly on a belt sander. Be sure not to sand too far into the deck boards.

Once your deck is cleared and clean you are ready to install your new boat flooring. MAKE SURE that the glue you have chosen is a water based waterproof marine grade adhesive made for this type of application. Be thorough and spread the glue over only a SMALL area at a time as the marine glue will dry to quickly to do the entire deck of the boat at once.

Start to glue down your floor from one end of the boat to the opposite end. Spreading small areas of glue as you go along. Also smooth out the floor as you go along. Generally one gallon of marine grade adhesive will cover 90 square feet, or 10 square yards. (9 SQ/FT = 1 SQ/YD)

After carpeting the entire deck take a rolling pin or a piece of pvc pipe and roll it over the new carpet to smooth everything out and ensure proper adhesion to the deck in all areas.

After smoothing out your new floor cut off any excess that might be left.

Let the new flooring dry to the deck of the boat preferably overnight. 12-24 hours would be best before you start to place the furniture and fencing back on to the deck of the pontoon.

Your project is now complete! At this point put your pontoon back into the water, grab a cooler full of beer, relax and enjoy the rest of your day out on the water.