How To Fix A Rotten Floor In A Boat

Step 1 remove the damaged flooring.

How to fix a rotten floor in a boat. You cannot repair the boat floor while rotten wood remains as it will only continue to rot. Replacing a rotten boat deck is a fairly common task and it s a lot easier than you might think. If you have the means and resources to remove a piece of the boat floor and replace it then that is the best thing you can do for the boat. However the need for replacing a boat floor does not mean the end of your boating days.

The length of the wood screws is equal to the combined thickness of the floor and the marine plywood. Hopefully when you bought your boat you gave it a thorough pre purchase inspection and didn t get any nasty surprises. But if you buy a fixer upper or have an older boat you love and don t want to part with there s a fair chance you ll need to replace part or all of the rotten boat. The most common material used for boat flooring is bc plywood and it is also used for fiberglass boats in particular.

Once you are confident that the rotten sections have been removed you can start to repair the floor as needed. The need for a new boat floor becomes inevitable when the floor has a soft spongy feel that is a sure sign of dry rot. Start removing the old damaged material using an electric saw to cut it. But with the right tools and enough know how it is possible to make the repairs without a lot of problems.

Over time boat floors begin to show wear and tear from repeated exposure to the elements specifically water. Making these repairs will extend the life of the boat. Replace the carpet or use a fiberglass repair kit to finish the surface of the floor.