Cork

Greets: Been considering what material to use to line the salon pan and vanity pans. For the past year I used disposable carpets which are fine but eventually get used up and pitched. In the winter, they provided no insulation what so ever and were basically used as non slip materials that collected a lot of dirt. So looking at all the various flooring systems available for marine and non marine use, I remembered that cork was the material de jur for the longest period of time. So had an interesting discussion with a cork flooring vendor. The stuff is still available in tiles or roles, different colors and shades etc etc. The install process would be to adhere the cord to the floor plan (cut out and trim the bilge cover for the 3-29) and then cover with three to four coats of UV protectent water based polyurethane to make it water tight. If extra insulation is required in the floor a 1/4 inch cork based underlayment is available to provide extra heat retention. Was wondering if anyone has been down the road with cork as a pan liner in their vessels. In the 50s it was the material of choice in Europe for commercial and residential flooring and made it way into the marine industry. Have not seen it in years on boats other then on pictures. Comments or ideas would be most welcomed. -- /ch

if you have the time, buy a tile or two and cut them into appropriate sizes for samples. then try gluing them down to something, polyurethaning them as they do in housing apps. then, test for moisture resistance, cleanup(put a drop or two of oil, red wine if you see that on your boat, mud, etc.on spots) and mildew and then also, it can be dented if a heavy item falls or sits on it. also, some people don't like the smell of cork, check that after a while. How about it's fire resistance? It is a wood product as it is the bark that flakes off the cork oak tree every so many years. If it passes the tests, it's supposedly a green solution. HH From: chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> To: CAL <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Thu, November 11, 2010 7:11:49 PM Subject: [Cal_Boats] Cork Greets: Been considering what material to use to line the salon pan and vanity pans. For the past year I used disposable carpets which are fine but eventually get used up and pitched. In the winter, they provided no insulation what so ever and were basically used as non slip materials that collected a lot of dirt. So looking at all the various flooring systems available for marine and non marine use, I remembered that cork was the material de jur for the longest period of time. So had an interesting discussion with a cork flooring vendor. The stuff is still available in tiles or roles, different colors and shades etc etc. The install process would be to adhere the cord to the floor plan (cut out and trim the bilge cover for the 3-29) and then cover with three to four coats of UV protectent water based polyurethane to make it water tight. If extra insulation is required in the floor a 1/4 inch cork based underlayment is available to provide extra heat retention. Was wondering if anyone has been down the road with cork as a pan liner in their vessels. In the 50s it was the material of choice in Europe for commercial and residential flooring and made it way into the marine industry. Have not seen it in years on boats other then on pictures. Comments or ideas would be most welcomed. -- /ch

Thanks Helen. No real interest in the green thing as its a boat. Look what they are made from. More interested in a resilient flooring material that has the potential to provide some degree of insulation, to what ever degree. Noticed while on board in the winter that the interior pan is quite cold and no real way to insulate it from the bottom. Its similar to an uninsulated basement slab that allows the formation of a cold air dam about a foot above the pan. A fan remedies that and a suitable flooring material can add to that capacity by slowing down the heat/cold transfer. Reverse in the summer. Thanks for the advice all good information. I thought some of the more senior folks on the list would have had some experience with cork flooring materials as these we still used in the 60 and early 70's by various boat manufactures. I have no experience with the material so doing the basic research and seeking advice. Best regards and thanks ch

On 11/11/2010 10:11 PM, chris123 wrote: > > Greets: > > Been considering what material to use to line the salon pan and vanity > pans. For the past year I used disposable carpets which are fine but > eventually get used up and pitched. In the winter, they provided no > insulation what so ever and were basically used as non slip materials > that collected a lot of dirt. > > So looking at all the various flooring systems available for marine > and non marine use, I remembered that cork was the material de jur for > the longest period of time. So had an interesting discussion with a > cork flooring vendor. The stuff is still available in tiles or roles, > different colors and shades etc etc. > No comment on marine uses, but I remember it fondly from its use in the U. of Michigan law library's main reading room. People who have lived in Ann Arbor will know what a magnificent and awe-inspiring place that it, but its cork flooring added an elegant touch. It tended to quiet foot sounds. I would imagine that, especially in uncoated form, it would be quite grippy too, which is welcome in a boat. Chris Campbell

> > I would imagine that, especially in uncoated form, it would be quite grippy > too, which is welcome in a boat. > The manufacturer recommends three coast of water based PU to impregnate the flooring material to add to its resilience and seal the system as its tiles. Using a mat finish "should" provide that as well a good traction as its a pliable material. You would have to accommodate two area where wood would have to be installed, the table base and ladder base as these would wear through in time due to compression and sliding. So what I was thinking was to template the foot print and use teak cutouts of the same thickness as the cork so its all level and provides the needed friction protection. Then cover everything in three coats of PU...and see how it looks and works. All at the planning stage however. thanks for the comments. /ch

There is an alternative from this source: http://www.lonsealspecialty.com/product_search.cfm?mmarket=MARINE&mfinish=&pattern=&mcolor=&mwidth=&mgreen=&submit.x=38&submit.y=13&submit=Submit There are two issues to consider, actually three: 1. carpets get dirty too fast and need constant replacement, soak up water, so waterproof and easy to clean are priorities 2. the liner has quite a curve to it, so flexibility is needed in the flooring material 3. Insulation factors in significantly for both winter and summer. So when you look at these criteria the vinyl products get a 2/3 as there provide zero insulation value and simply transmit any external energy sources (hot or cold) They sure look good however.....:) Was wondering what others who spend lots of time on their boats use. /ch

we use indoor/outdoor carpet with edging and thin foam underlayment, quiet, easy to take home and shampoo and dry with old bissell rug machine. took a long time to get the glue off the floor pan left by previous owner's carpet job. we cut out for table pedestal on the 29, nothing else sits on it. somebody used canvas snaps to secure rug on the 36. if you try the testing ideas, and turn out not to like it, at least you won't have the cleanup process later.HH From: chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, November 12, 2010 9:38:09 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Cork There is an alternative from this source: http://www.lonsealspecialty.com/product_search.cfm?mmarket=MARINE&mfinish=&pattern=&mcolor=&mwidth=&mgreen=&submit.x=38&submit.y=13&submit=Submit There are two issues to consider, actually three: 1. carpets get dirty too fast and need constant replacement, soak up water, so waterproof and easy to clean are priorities 2. the liner has quite a curve to it, so flexibility is needed in the flooring material 3. Insulation factors in significantly for both winter and summer. So when you look at these criteria the vinyl products get a 2/3 as there provide zero insulation value and simply transmit any external energy sources (hot or cold) They sure look good however.....:) Was wondering what others who spend lots of time on their boats use. /ch

The only issue with carpeting is when Im on the boat with the dog for a season I have to use disposable carpets (runners basically) due to dirt accumulation and dog hair. So a non absorbent flooring material is desired as its easily cleaned at the end of each day, week or as needed. Hence the search is on for alternatives. I tried the bare liner but the threading is so smooth its too slippery. In the winter season it gets very cold due do contact with the water of course. Not pleasant at all. There is a good solution out there, just need to find it. As always it will be a compromise. Best regards and thanks /ch On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 1:17 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > we use indoor/outdoor carpet with edging and thin foam underlayment, quiet, > easy to take home and shampoo and dry with old bissell rug machine. took a > long time to get the glue off the floor pan left by previous owner's carpet > job. we cut out for table pedestal on the 29, nothing else sits on it. > somebody used canvas snaps to secure rug on the 36. if you try the testing > ideas, and turn out not to like it, at least you won't have the cleanup > process later.HH > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Fri, November 12, 2010 9:38:09 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Cork > > > > There is an alternative from this source: > > > http://www.lonsealspecialty.com/product_search.cfm?mmarket=MARINE&mfinish=&pattern=&mcolor=&mwidth=&mgreen=&submit.x=38&submit.y=13&submit=Submit > > There are two issues to consider, actually three: > > 1. carpets get dirty too fast and need constant replacement, soak up > water, so waterproof and easy to clean are priorities > > 2. the liner has quite a curve to it, so flexibility is needed in the > flooring material > > 3. Insulation factors in significantly for both winter and summer. > > So when you look at these criteria the vinyl products get a 2/3 as > there provide zero insulation value and simply transmit any external > energy sources (hot or cold) > > They sure look good however.....:) > > Was wondering what others who spend lots of time on their boats use. > > /ch > > -- /ch

Good luck on your search. Just a few words of caution. Cork flooring in it's original design (9" or 12") squares is very heat/moisture sensitive. Think of a cork on a wine bottle. Keep it cool and wet it keeps the wine in and air out. They have improved the flooring with high tech laminations. Stable base with a thin layer of "cork" that has to be sealed quickly after installation. A co worker put this in her kitchen despite the advice of her contractor. Between the temp changes in the kitchen and her dog, she said the. Floor was trashed in a year. Not bad enough to replace, she just enjoys "character" of the flooring. Check out some of the flooring used in commercial kitchens. "Ecco-grip" is one of the manufactures. The material is a 1/4" (nom) thick rubber-like synthetic where the seams are "welded" it should contour to a boat cabin sole with minimal joints. One 4x10 sheet may do your cabin. We pay about $10-14/square foot installed. Scraps may be cheaper if you can find a local installer. Just thinking out of the box. John From: chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> Sender: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:26:42 To: <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Reply-To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Cork The only issue with carpeting is when Im on the boat with the dog for a season I have to use disposable carpets (runners basically) due to dirt accumulation and dog hair. So a non absorbent flooring material is desired as its easily cleaned at the end of each day, week or as needed. Hence the search is on for alternatives. I tried the bare liner but the threading is so smooth its too slippery. In the winter season it gets very cold due do contact with the water of course. Not pleasant at all. There is a good solution out there, just need to find it. As always it will be a compromise. Best regards and thanks /ch On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 1:17 PM, Helen Horn <he… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: > > > we use indoor/outdoor carpet with edging and thin foam underlayment, quiet, > easy to take home and shampoo and dry with old bissell rug machine. took a > long time to get the glue off the floor pan left by previous owner's carpet > job. we cut out for table pedestal on the 29, nothing else sits on it. > somebody used canvas snaps to secure rug on the 36. if you try the testing > ideas, and turn out not to like it, at least you won't have the cleanup > process later.HH > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> > *To:* Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > *Sent:* Fri, November 12, 2010 9:38:09 AM > *Subject:* Re: [Cal_Boats] Cork > > > > There is an alternative from this source: > > > http://www.lonsealspecialty.com/product_search.cfm?mmarket=MARINE&mfinish=&pattern=&mcolor=&mwidth=&mgreen=&submit.x=38&submit.y=13&submit=Submit > > There are two issues to consider, actually three: > > 1. carpets get dirty too fast and need constant replacement, soak up > water, so waterproof and easy to clean are priorities > > 2. the liner has quite a curve to it, so flexibility is needed in the > flooring material > > 3. Insulation factors in significantly for both winter and summer. > > So when you look at these criteria the vinyl products get a 2/3 as > there provide zero insulation value and simply transmit any external > energy sources (hot or cold) > > They sure look good however.....:) > > Was wondering what others who spend lots of time on their boats use. > > /ch > > -- /ch

Chris, I was at Menard's the other day and looked at some cork flooring, but it was too thick for my use in my 29. If you're close enough to Wisconsin that's where Menards is hqd, so probably lots of outlets. A better option than the big orange box around here. Regards, Dave D. --- On Thu, 11/11/10, chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> wrote: From: chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> Subject: [Cal_Boats] Cork To: "CAL" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 9:11 PM Greets: Been considering what material to use to line the salon pan and vanity pans. For the past year I used disposable carpets which are fine but eventually get used up and pitched. In the winter, they provided no insulation what so ever and were basically used as non slip materials that collected a lot of dirt. So looking at all the various flooring systems available for marine and non marine use, I remembered that cork was the material de jur for the longest period of time. So had an interesting discussion with a cork flooring vendor. The stuff is still available in tiles or roles, different colors and shades etc etc. The install process would be to adhere the cord to the floor plan (cut out and trim the bilge cover for the 3-29) and then cover with three to four coats of UV protectent water based polyurethane to make it water tight. If extra insulation is required in the floor a 1/4 inch cork based underlayment is available to provide extra heat retention. Was wondering if anyone has been down the road with cork as a pan liner in their vessels. In the 50s it was the material of choice in Europe for commercial and residential flooring and made it way into the marine industry. Have not seen it in years on boats other then on pictures. Comments or ideas would be most welcomed. -- /ch

You mean this stuff.....;) http://www.menards.com/main/wallpaper/wallpaper-rolls/kitchen-bath/house-blend-cork-texture-sidewall-mustard/p-1291976.htm Regards /ch On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 6:27 PM, david dobbs <tm… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Chris, > I was at Menard's the other day and looked at some cork flooring, but it > was too thick for my use in my 29. If you're close enough to Wisconsin > that's where Menards is hqd, so probably lots of outlets. A better option > than the big orange box around here. > Regards, > Dave D. > > > --- On *Thu, 11/11/10, chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com>* wrote: > > > From: chris123 <ch… [at] gmail.com> > Subject: [Cal_Boats] Cork > To: "CAL" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> > Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 9:11 PM > > > Greets: > > Been considering what material to use to line the salon pan and vanity > pans. For the past year I used disposable carpets which are fine but > eventually get used up and pitched. In the winter, they provided no > insulation what so ever and were basically used as non slip materials > that collected a lot of dirt. > > So looking at all the various flooring systems available for marine > and non marine use, I remembered that cork was the material de jur for > the longest period of time. So had an interesting discussion with a > cork flooring vendor. The stuff is still available in tiles or roles, > different colors and shades etc etc. The install process would be to > adhere the cord to the floor plan (cut out and trim the bilge cover > for the 3-29) and then cover with three to four coats of UV protectent > water based polyurethane to make it water tight. If extra insulation > is required in the floor a 1/4 inch cork based underlayment is > available to provide extra heat retention. > > Was wondering if anyone has been down the road with cork as a pan > liner in their vessels. In the 50s it was the material of choice in > Europe for commercial and residential flooring and made it way into > the marine industry. Have not seen it in years on boats other then on > pictures. > > Comments or ideas would be most welcomed. > > -- > /ch > > > > -- /ch