Pontoon docks are an important part of any marine ecosystem, providing a safe haven for aquatic life and a platform for fishermen and boaters. Pontoon docks also require regular maintenance to ensure their structural integrity and longevity. One of the most important aspects of pontoon dock maintenance is replacing marine carpet when it becomes worn or damaged.
Marine carpet is critical in the construction and function of a pontoon dock. It acts as a cushion between the dock and our underfoot, providing critical grip in what would otherwise be a wet and slippery environment.
If marine carpet is not replaced when it becomes worn or damaged, it can lead to serious repercussions for both the dock and those that use it. It can cause damage to the dock’s surface and personal injury to anyone who may otherwise slip and fall. To avoid these consequences, marine carpet must be replaced regularly as part of routine pontoon dock maintenance.
Today, we’ll look at how to replace marine carpet on a pontoon dock. We’ll discuss the tools and materials you’ll need and the steps involved in the process.
Tools and Materials Needed:
- Utility knife
- Scraper
- Broom
- Marine adhesive (We recommend Roberts 6037 adhesive)
- Replacement marine carpet (We recommend Bautex Crusader)
Table of Contents
1. Remove the old marine carpet
The first step in replacing marine carpet is to remove the old, worn, or damaged carpet. This can be done with a utility knife, scraper, and a little bit of hard yakka. Simply cut the carpet away from the edges and around the cleats/cleat bolts, being careful not to damage the underlying dock surface. In some instances, the carpet will come up relatively easy, but in others, it is a long, hard and tedious task to remove the carpet and old adhesive from the deck of the pontoon.
2. Clean the surface of the dock
Once the old marine carpet has been removed, it’s important to clean the dock surface before applying the new carpet. This will ensure that the new marine adhesive bonds properly. We recommend a good scrape of the old glue, then sweep up all the dust and sand build-up and carefully bag up for disposal, avoiding any dust entering the waterways.
If you decide to pressure wash/hose down the pontoon it must be completely dry in all areas before applying any adhesive.
3. Measure and cut the new marine carpet
Now it’s time to measure and cut the new marine carpet, keeping in mind that the pontoon runs one way and the gangway the other, so you need to ensure you cut the carpet the right way along the roll to ensure the pile/colour matches up. Allow a little overlap when cutting. This can be trimmed at the end.
4. Apply adhesive to the dock and attach the marine carpet
Now it’s time to apply marine adhesive to the dock surface. We recommend using Roberts 6037 adhesive, as it’s specifically designed for use with marine carpet. It is also the recommended adhesive by the manufacturers of our preferred marine carpet, Bautex Crusader.
We apply this with a glue trowel in a wide sweeping motion. As the adhesive tacks off slightly, you roll the carpet onto the prepared area working about 1 metre at a time and walk the carpet into the adhesive to ensure it adheres and ensures no ripples/bubbles in the carpet.
Simply follow the instructions on the adhesive can for the best results.
5. Trim any excess marine carpet and clean any glue
Once the new marine carpet is in place, you may need to trim any excess carpet that extends beyond the edges of the pontoon dock. You can do this with a utility knife. If you end up with glue on the upside of the carpet or the frame of the pontoon this can be removed with a rag lightly soaked in mineral turps. Just dab the glue; it should come away easily if attended to shortly after contact.
6. Enjoy your new marine carpet!
After applying the adhesive and attaching the new marine carpet, you can walk on the carpeted surface straight away.
There is a built-in conditioner in the carpet, which, when you hose the carpet for the very first time, you may notice a bubbly-like film on the top of the carpet – this is normal.
And there you have it! You’ve now successfully replaced the marine carpet on your pontoon.
Conclusion
Replacing worn marine carpet on a pontoon dock isn’t difficult, but like anything, the people who do it all the time make it look easy, It is time-consuming, hard work in some instances and needs some precision and a strong hand to trim the carpet neatly into the pontoon framework and accessories.
You must first remove the old marine carpet before you can install the new carpet on a pontoon dock. Once the old carpet has been removed, the dock surface needs to be cleaned before marine adhesive can be applied.
After the new marine carpet has been cut to size and attached with adhesive, you may need to trim any excess that extends beyond the edges of the pontoon dock.
If you don’t have the time or patience to replace your pontoon’s marine carpet yourself, don’t hesitate to give Micks Marine Maintenance a call. We’re the experts when it comes to pontoon dock repairs and maintenance, pontoon and gangway recarpeting, and we’ll be happy to help you out. Contact us today!