Cabin sole

[melp64]

Has anyone made new cabin sole panels. The ones that I have now are moldy and stained. The small section that goes by the mast is broken and I don't believe is all there. I was thinking of using 3/4 birch plywood and routering in the grooves, staining and finishing the top then caulk the grooves and then more finish. I planned to epoxy the bottom. I've watched a lot of videos some use LVT flooring or lament flooring. I've also seen the videos on the fake teak flooring. Is there a trend in the flooring

[Ron Hill]

Dan : You might be able to refinish the stained section, but a warning that the Teak/Holly may be only a thin veneer. So easy on the sanding!!  Don't know what to tell you about the broken piece unless you can post a picture!!

A few thoughts

[melp64]

These are some of the panels, the one that goes to the galley is completely missing

[waughoo]

I would suggest using your existing panels to make templates.  I bought new teak and holey plywood and plan to make new using a router and templates.  It will be fidly, but doable.

[Noah]

Alex—I have heard some comments that the teak and holly plywood they can get now days is too thick to fit in the sole recesses of the hull liner. The top veneer is still thin, but its plywood substrate is thicker. Have your found this to be an issue?

[dfloeter]

A few years ago I did what Alex suggested. Only the largest piece needed replacing and looked like the example in the photo.  I did try to sand, bleach and otherwise try to save the original but the staining was too deep.  With double stick tape and a few clamps the old served as the pattern.  Being careful to line up the strips the results were great.  Good luck. 

[waughoo]

Noah... I haven't laid a piece in the tray yet to find out.  I did measure the old to get the new so I sure HOPE it fits.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The factory used SAE measured Teak/Holly sole while the new T/H on plywood is metric!!!

Personally, if I needed an new piece I would to the look alike prefab TeakHolly and slowly change it all over.

A few thoughts.

[waughoo]

I just went into my shop and did a quick measurement of one of the old floor panels and it comes out at 5/16" thick.  My new material ALSO measures at 5/16".  The translation from in to mm puts the material at 8mm.  My boat is a 91.  Perhaps by then they had switched to mm stock vs in. stock.

[Noah]

Alex — That's good news!  I wish I had a shop!

[Ron Hill]

Guys : I believe that my T/H sole (1988 C34) is 3/8" and that's what the factory floor mold was made for.  A few friends were only able to find 10mm thick wooden T/H!!

A thought

[melp64]

I have been reading I think almost all the post in the archives on refinishing the cabin soles. I did read a section on filling the slots in the stairs. The guy in the post refinished the stairs then taped off the slots, filled them with caulk and I think put another coat of finish over the caulk.
I was thinking of doing the same thing with the cabin soles. Router out the groves in the plywood,  stain the plywood to match the teak. Then a couple of coats of finish, caulk the groves and then 3 more coats of finish (or more possibly epoxy for durability).
Has anyone ever tried this. I am going to use a scrap of 3/4 birch and make a sample to see if it looks good

[waughoo]

Honestly, the 500 bucks for the two sheets of T/H plywood sounds like we'll worth it vs the amount of time and hassle of making a T/H look alike.  I doubt you will save much with that plan.