will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

[Coors]

Re: will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

Just starting the same type project and I will try to post pics in a new thread. My question to this post is has anyone ever tried using the resin type floor decking like you see at Lowes for outdoor decks both for the stringers and for the decking. Also this may sound stupid but has abyone ever tried using empty 2 liter soda bottles with the cap screwd back on under the decking between the stringers for a cheep flotation?

If it ain't 2 part, it won't last.
See Bondo's old threads per the soda bottles.

 

[oops!]

Re: will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

Just starting the same type project and I will try to post pics in a new thread. My question to this post is has anyone ever tried using the resin type floor decking like you see at Lowes for outdoor decks both for the stringers and for the decking. Also this may sound stupid but has abyone ever tried using empty 2 liter soda bottles with the cap screwd back on under the decking between the stringers for a cheep flotation?

read this....all of it...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=233479

that is one of the most comphrensive discussions on rot and foam there is on this forum......

 

[reelfishin]

Re: will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

I've been considering using some light gauge plastic or PVC tubing under the floor with both ends capped.
I had an old Waterworks trihull from the early 60's last year that had two huge tubes formed in the upper gunwales which formed it's flotation. It was about the equivalent of having two 10' x 10" round pvc tubes full of sealed air on each side. It looked to be about equal to about 8 or so cubic foot of trapped airspace. There were several decals warning not to drill or compromise those areas, and that was 196? tech. The floor and several areas around the bow were also built with trapped air sections. My 1962 Glaspar is also built with a sealed lower floor area and no stringers. The 5 or 6 inches below the floor is sealed with only a single drain plug. The upper floor does not drain into it and has it's own bilge drain at floor level.

I wouldn't use the heavy schedule 40 PVC but there are lighter weight tube types that would work. On both my Starcraft aluminum and my Fiberglass Capri, the foam below the floor is in long strips, not glued in or poured in. It's packed pretty tight but not solid The foam feels more like the plastic which they make bubble wrap from than foam rubber or pour in foam. If you sand it or take a file to it it don't make saw dust like what is found in most boats.

I took a 6" piece of it last fall and put it in an old bucket full of water tied to a brick to hold it down, I actually forgot about it till reading this post earlier. The bucket sat outside behind the shed all winter, it froze and thawed and the foam has been at the bottom the whole time. I cut the tie holding the foam down and it popped up like a cork. I wiped it off and weighed it and it gained no weight, and changed none after sitting all that time. I put it there last September. This is the same type of foam which I've seen sold as float noodles at Wally world, pipe insulation (brown in color on the pack I have here), and its the same foam that's in the lower hull of both of my Starcraft boats. The upper hull on the newer Capri is foam filled, but the lower has white, plastic like foam. It's also similar to some foam packing materials, I've seen it used in thin sheets to protect some electronics as well. I too would like to know where I can buy it in bulk, or in dimensional sizes. I've had it in sheets before but it came from a local packaging company that is no longer around.

 

[thunderroad]

Re: will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

I actually saw a boat with 5/4 decking for flooring and empty 2 litre bottles underneath. The decking looked great and the owner said he liked it much better than the solid floor and carpet that was there originally. He said he just laid the flooring together when he installed it and after it dried for a few days it had about a 1/8" gap between each board. He put some sort of poly ( I can't remember what he said for sure) on it and it really looked sweet.
As for the bottles, I remember him saying that he mentioned at work that he needed some and by the end of the week he had something like 200, if I recall. Kind of a sad commentary about what's happening at our landfills, huh?
I'd say go for the decking. For a little extra cash you could use some of that Trex (?) composite decking and never think about rot or splinters. As small of an overall area as you're talking, I'd bet the difference isn't all that terrible.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: will foam ever dry out ? budget floor ideas

well I bought a $600 boat last summer(had a good running 140 hp on it) and had the same problem.

THe floor was shot so I took it up to find soaking wet foam, mine was easy to take out it was made out of 2 inch wide sheets which were cut to fit perfectly.

The stringers weren't in terrible shape, since I wanted the boat on the water, I did a "temporary and quick fix" Braced up the stringers with some 3/4" exterior ply. Put in some foam, I got it in 4x8 sheets at homedepot, made by owings corning, the pink stuff, I figured some foam was better than none. Traced the old floor that came out as it was still solid enough onto some 3/4" exterior ply slapped it into place and took it out on the water the next day.

Bottom line of my story I guess, if you're trying to get your $100 boat on the water you can do it my way. Its not a show stopper but if I get fish guts all over it, its no sweat off my back either.

Took me and a buddy saturday afternoon and about $150 in materials, I had the same theory as you, 1964 boat, I've never had a boat, it only needs to last a year or two and if I decide its something worth persuing, I'll spend some money fixing it right later, or just get at new boat.