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Fiberglass swim deck padding


Ndawg12

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I am nearing the completion of my fiberglass swim deck project, I just have to spray on the last finish coat on it and then I'll be ready to install the padding. I had a product in mind but it is no longer available. I don't want to spend $250 on the stuff that has Malibu imprinted on it either (kind of defeats the purpose of building it yourself). Does anyone have any other options?

TIA,

Nate

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What about something like Hydro turf? - you can buy it in rolls. It may be a little thicker than your looking but would be cushy soft.

It comes in 40” x 62” sheets in various colors and patterns

Edited by bretski75
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What about something like Hydro turf? - you can buy it in rolls. It may be a little thicker than your looking but would be cushy soft.

It comes in 40 x 62 sheets in various colors and patterns

That's what I was looking for, anybody got experience with it!!

I don't mean to brag but my deck is around 68" and they're closed on Friday, must be nice!!! I'll call back on Monday and see if they can cut me a piece just tad bigger.

Edited by Ndawg12
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they're closed on Friday, must be nice!!! I'll call back on Monday and see if they can cut me a piece just tad bigger.

Ha!

They'll be closed Monday 'cause it's M.L.K. day. :lol:

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What about something like Hydro turf? - you can buy it in rolls. It may be a little thicker than your looking but would be cushy soft.

It comes in 40” x 62” sheets in various colors and patterns

Hydro turf is probably going to be your best option. You'll have to use a ton of spray on adhesive as well.

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Hydro turf is probably going to be your best option. You'll have to use a ton of spray on adhesive as well.

Possibly, but I also found this stuff. Pricing is at the bottom of the page.

Bill, are you sure youl don't still have a peice of black lying around!!??

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok so I figured out that if I use the hydroturf (62x40) I will end up cutting it into three sections. Of course it's Friday again and they're closed. Has anyone used this stuff? How hard is it to cut and how much will it shrink?

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Ok so I figured out that if I use the hydroturf (62x40) I will end up cutting it into three sections. Of course it's Friday again and they're closed. Has anyone used this stuff? How hard is it to cut and how much will it shrink?

I have it on my boat. I haven't noticed any shrinking on mine, I only used it under the rear deck pads and fenders though. Easy to cut with a stright edge and razor knife on the backside of it.

There's no way for you to use one piece, or even just two pieces. I think you'll have problems with 3 pieces.

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I have it on my boat. I haven't noticed any shrinking on mine, I only used it under the rear deck pads and fenders though. Easy to cut with a stright edge and razor knife on the backside of it.

There's no way for you to use one piece, or even just two pieces. I think you'll have problems with 3 pieces.

Why do you say, too many edges..??

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If you decide you have to do it in 2 or 3 sections, don't even try to do a seam. You will work long & hard to make it look nice & there will be places in the seam that will not look right.

Instead, think about installing the sections with like a 1/2" or 3/4" gap between each piece. This will look like it was designed this way.

traxxidea.jpg

If you recall there are boat manufacturers who do this from the factory, ie; Tige, Skier's Choice, etc.

I just talked to the LineX guy here. He said he's coated over a dozen swimsteps now. His own has been done for over 4 years & he said it still looks great. I'm going to finally pull the trigger & get mine coated.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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If you decide you have to do it in 2 or 3 sections, don't even try to do a seam. You will work long & hard to make it look nice & there will be places in the seam that will not look right.

Instead, think about installing the sections with like a 1/2" or 3/4" gap between each piece. This will look like it was designed this way.

traxxidea.jpg

If you recall there are boat manufacturers who do this from the factory, ie; Tige, Skier's Choice, etc.

I just talked to the LineX guy here. He said he's coated over a dozen swimsteps now. His own has been done for over 4 years & he said it still looks great. I'm going to finally pull the trigger & get mine coated.

+1

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I remember some people complaining about the edges of the padding shrinking/pulling back and exposing the unsightly glue underneath. Maybe it was Malibu's padding and not the Hydro-turf or other product, I can't remember for sure.

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I remember some people complaining about the edges of the padding shrinking/pulling back and exposing the unsightly glue underneath. Maybe it was Malibu's padding and not the Hydro-turf or other product, I can't remember for sure.

I think any of them will do it to a certain extent, especially if it's exposed and frequently used.

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If you decide you have to do it in 2 or 3 sections, don't even try to do a seam. You will work long & hard to make it look nice & there will be places in the seam that will not look right.

Instead, think about installing the sections with like a 1/2" or 3/4" gap between each piece. This will look like it was designed this way.

traxxidea.jpg

If you recall there are boat manufacturers who do this from the factory, ie; Tige, Skier's Choice, etc.

I just talked to the LineX guy here. He said he's coated over a dozen swimsteps now. His own has been done for over 4 years & he said it still looks great. I'm going to finally pull the trigger & get mine coated.

Thanks for the pic, I like the idea of the gap, not sure what kind of angle I would run them at, if any, in order to cut down on wear and tear on the edges.

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I think any of them will do it to a certain extent, especially if it's exposed and frequently used.

I thought you stated that you hadn't noticed it..?? Are you expecting it to but it just hasn't happened yet? I'm just trying to figure out how close to the edges to run it to.

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I thought you stated that you hadn't noticed it..?? Are you expecting it to but it just hasn't happened yet? I'm just trying to figure out how close to the edges to run it to.

I'm saying they aren't areas that are frequently exposed to the elements and used alot. Therfore I don't pay alot of attention to them. In the past when I've used Gator Grip it did separate, I used it on my transom.

I think anything you use will probably separate at the edges on the platform if there are pieces applied, better to have an intentional separation to cover up that phenomenon.

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I've been installing Gator Grip since 1995. It will shrink a tiny bit over long exposure to the sun & water, maybe 1/32" or less. And it depends on the type of PSA used to put it down. The vendor has had a couple of different runs of PSA over the years, some of which didn't do very well. It's not an issue any more since the supply has run out. But I'm sure the effect can be the same on other products too. I'm not sure how you'd tell which PSA you were getting, other than to ask them point blank.

Frankly I always considered it a sacrificial surface to protect the rest of the boat. If you got more than 3 or 4 yrs out of it, you got your money's worth. I had it on my 205 for over 7 yrs by the time I sold it. But I had a cover for the swimstep & didn't leave it sitting out in the sun, rain, & snow all year.

Get creative with it. I have the stuff all over the place, in a bazillion different shapes... in my truck, my wife's car, on my golf cart, skateboard, SkySki, ATV, etc.

Also, most of these materials don't make corners very well. So keep it on a flat surface. And the warmer the air temps, the more pliable it is to work with.

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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