Do you have boat knowledge ? can you help me ?

Question

i've been asked to fix a boat. it has interior 1970's wood paneling and the owner wants me to apply teak veneered over the old paneling throughout the entire boat. any ideas on this ? i've tried searching sites but i'm still dumb on this. ( i'm a construction worker on land, boats are a new frontier for me.) if i get the first boat done there are many more waiting so i really want to do this. please give any advice and info. you can.

Answer 1

Lucky ******!!! Why can't I get work like that?  Wanna hire me?

Okay...first make sure there isn't any wax or polish on the panelling. Spray a few random spots with a few drops of water...if it absorbs or lays flat...you should be okay. If it balls up and rolls down the panel...you have wax to strip.  Use varsol and a scotchbrite pad followed by acetone and rags...get rubber gloves!!!

Now sand/scuff all the panelling with 150 grit on a belt sander...real fast and simple...you're not refinishing a buffet or wardrobe. Just give er...the idea here is to provide a surface to key laminate adhesive to. You stripped the wax so it isn't smeared all over during this sanding stage.

Using thinned epoxy...first brush-in all the verticle seams...then fill the seams with epoxy batter so thick it holds peaks....do just the seams...let dry and sand flush.

Now you can glue (with epoxy) all the Teak Veneer to the old panelling surface. Teak must be wiped with acetone before applying to strip the surface oils.  I generally use pieces of cardboard with a piece of vapour barrier against the wood and staple to hold the veneer on.

I recommend West System Epoxy and  fillers.

Protect your skin,eyes and lungs...

Good luck

Answer 2

Unless the wood to be covered is in Perfect condition and Flat and square I wouldn't try it besides stripping the wood of the old finish and prepping it for veneer, you will have the Moisture problem to contend with.

Evidently you are aware of the inherent Problem,s of veneer, so use your own judgment and then the best thing you could do is to Refinish what is their.

Personally I think veneer and Boat,s are not a good combination.

Answer 3

Before you start anything on that boat make sure the rest of the boat is not rotten. I am talking about the floor, stringers, and transom. If there is any rot in the above your in for a long term project.

Answer 4

My advice is to "stay away from working on old boats".  If you do not know what you are doing it can get very involved and very costly.  The owner of the boat will blame you for the damage.  There could be a lot of hidden damage, such as "dryrot" that you can't see.   All that has to be replaced before you do the veneer coverover.  Be suspicious of the boat owner.  He may want you to redo the interior so he can sell the boat for a good price and then blame you if there is a problem involving a lawsuit.  If you use the wrong sealants and glues there will be a dangerous smell of glue in the interior of the boat all the time. Someone could die from the smell of the glue if they sleep in the boat and it would be your fault.  The owner will say he hired you for the job.  You are the "Expert", not him.   If you drill or s***w too deeply into the hull, you could sink the boat or damage the fuel tank, etc.  With a power saw you could cut into wires and pipes hidden behind walls you don't know are there.  You have to know what you are doing.  Best do the first boat  with a Marine Carpenter.  Someone who has experience, to show you the way.    My guess is the owner already talked to one and was told not to do it.  Or found out the real cost of the proper job.  I would pass on these kind of jobs and stick to dry land work.  Boat owners are funny people, some good and some not too smart.  Good Luck.

Answer 5

The wood needs to be perfectly smooth and sealed prior to the veneer.  It is not an easy job.  Re doing the wood may be cheaper in the long run.

Answer 6

i don't know

Answer 7

If you do some digging into boat building and restoration, you'll find that even the "Pros" don't try and laminate teak veneer over old wood.  It's simply a whole lot easier the source Teak-finished ply and replace the pieces that you want replaced.  By the time you factor in how much cost and time is involved in the equipment, materials and chemicals needed to prep old wood,  the additional cost of starting with the right materials starts to make sense.

Beyond this, use the right cements and fasteners.  Teak is very oily wood and doesn't take to just any epoxy.  A specially manufactured two-part epoxy called "G2" is ideal for gluing (follow mixing and application temperatures to the letter) and any structural fasteners should be made of high-quality stainless.  Cosmetic fasteners can be made of other materials like Brass or Bronze.  One caution here is to be sure that you never use a Brass fixture that connects to the hull below the waterline.  Due to stray electric currents and issues with "Noble" metals, corrosion can result in the fixture's failure and possibly sink the boat.

The nice thing that you have going for you is that the old pieces that you take out serve as convenient templates for the new stuff.

Answer 8

wouldnt attempt to put veneer on old wood in a boat ....wont last