Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

[coalminerswife]

We bought a pontoon, a 1988 model Lowe, last summer. We're hoping to give it somewhat of a makeover before we take it back to the lake this summer. The original siding was a ribbed, rough texture metal. We painted it last year, but it's still ugly. We're trying to find something to replace it with--something that's smooth that we can apply graphics to.

We bought some vinyl flashing, but it's way too thin and flimsy for the job. What can we use to replace this siding? It's 19" tall, if that helps.

Thank you for any help!

 

[lncoop]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

http://pontoonstuff.com/pontoon-boat/260-pontoon-fence-panel-replacement-paneling.asp

 

[5150abf]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

If the rails on that are like most toons you are going to have to rivet the new stuff in since you can't get it behind the lip like the panel is now, pretty easy if you take your time but you may need to move some furniture to get to them, doing it this way all the rivets are hidden.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Check out coiled aluminum. Home improvement warehouses will normally have it, but in widths up to 24" which is probably not wide enough. You can go an aluminum supply store and get it in any width up to 60 inches. I helped a friend replace his panels using this aluminum and it looked good and was fairly inexpensive. We rivited it to the inside of the railings.

 

[coalminerswife]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

It will be riveted on. That is how the original siding was attached. The railing is only 19" high. The problem we're running into is that everything we've seen is about 24" wide. How do you cut the aluminum and leave a straight, smooth edge, not a rough, uneven one that will slice people's fingers off?

We're going to go to Lowe's today to see if we can come up with anything.

Some other ideas that we've been given are metal roofing and the paneling that goes around bathtubs.

 

[kbish]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

hopefully more experienced people will give lend their expertise, but i'd say look into some air shears if you want to make long straight cuts

 

[gilby1955]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

and then place the cut edge against the deck

 

[passingwindII]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

aluminium can be cut with a utility knife , score and bend. break tip of blade off every 4 or 5 scores. it really helps if you had access to metal brake used by vinyl guys..

 

[a1nowell]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

I used the vinyl from pontoonstuff. You do have to cut it but you just measure the various lengths you need, score it a couple of times with a razor knife and it snaps apart. You do the same with the heigth but is easier to work with in short lengths.

I'd send a picture of my toon I did in 08 but I can't figure out how you get a URL of a picture.

 

[coalminerswife]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Thank you all. We talked to several people today and got some ideas. We also went to Lowe's and looked at the aluminum coil.

Also today, we we talked about the mesh-type stuff that people sometimes use as fencing on houseboats. There's a pontoon at the lake that has it, and it looks pretty nice. What exactly is this stuff called, and where do you get it?

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

To cut the aluminum, take it to an aluminum store or to a heating/airconditioning shop. Both of these places will be able to cut it for you.

 

[coalminerswife]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Thank you all. I called the local lumber place today, and the guy there says the metal coil they have can be cut with a utility knife. So, I'm not sure if Lowe's carries different stuff, or if the guy at Lowe's just didn't know it could be cut that easily.

The stuff that pontoonstuff.com has... Is it working out okay for those of you who've used it? Is it thick enough? I've compared prices, and it looks like it may, foot per foot, be a little cheaper than getting the metal coil from the lumber place.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Don't have any experience with that particular product, but I can tell you they don't sell junk. I can also tell you they are fantastic to work with. Other iboaters have used them and will agree. Also, if I'm not mistaken theirs comes in several colors, and, best of all, it's made for boats.

 

[EGlideRider]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

The coil that we used could not be cut with a utility knife. I don't think anything that thin would be strong enough. I don't know the thickness we used, but it was the same thickness that goes around the bottom of screen rooms.

 

[a1nowell]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

As I mentioned in my earlier post I used the vinyl from pontoonstuff.com and it has worked out fine. I will caution you to take your time when riveting the vinyl or aluminum, it is easy to get a ripple in it. Call them, I think they will send you a sample. It is pretty rigid vinyl.

 

[passingwindII]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

coil by the name alcoa is thicker than the stuff at box stores. you'll need to go to a place the pros go to. a utility knife will score it and you can bend it to break. a metal brake such as the one a vinyl guy would use would be ideal. that would make a much cleaner cut than you scoring and bending. better yet order the stuff from pontoonstuff.com and put this thread to bed.

 

[coalminerswife]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

We decided to just order the stuff from pontoonstuff.com. I hope it gets here as fast as the other things we've bought there in the past, so my husband can get started on this project.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Cool. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Silver Eagle]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

Find a shop that makes gutters .It comes in a roll .They have a machine that shapes it at your house, so if you can buy there roll they may be able to cut it for you. And no sharp edges. It comes in Vinyl or alumn.

 

[Snake334]

Re: Please Help! Siding for Pontoon

I restored my pontoon last year from the toons up. I purchased several things from pontoonstuff.com. I did purchase the aluminum coil from them to replace my fence paneling. It is plenty thick enough, and it can be scored with a utility knife just like everyone has told you. We had a large metal break to use to get a nice straight edge for the length and height. It worked really good and looks great. I think you will be very pleased with your product. And, like a1nowell said, have to watch closely when your riveting it in, to make sure you have it nice and smooth with no ripples.