When my husband and I bought a 1998 Fisher pontoon boat for what we thought was theft, one of the first things we had to do was replace the dry rotting carpet. The pontoon had been sitting in the sun for ten years and the carpet was torn and had areas of dry rot. As soon as the boating season ended, my husband started toppling the pontoon. This is what we did to bring an old pontoon back to life.

Materials that may be needed for this project: camera, paper and marker, zip-loc bags, treated plywood to cover the deck, stainless steel hardware, carpet (marine or indoor / outdoor), electric drill, cordless screwdriver, glue for carpets, paint. roller or trowel, floor roller or roller, sharp scraper, sandpaper, clamps, stainless steel staples and a stapler,

Step 1

Take pictures of your pontoon so you have a visual memory of where things are going. Use zip-lock bags and labels to keep track of all hardware. Disconnect all wiring from the console and label it to make sure you will be able to reconnect everything correctly.

Step 2

Draw a diagram of the platform and include precise measurements. Then go back and measure again to make sure it’s okay.

Step 3

Check all under-deck wiring and hardware to make sure everything is tight. Be sure to pay special attention to the accessories in the area of ​​the transom where most of the loose bolts are located.

Step 4

Remove furniture, railings, and edge cap.

Step 5

If the platform is questionable, remove it and replace it with. This material is a chemically treated wood that excels in harsh marine conditions and has an incredibly long life. Lay all the new sheets of treated plywood over the old plywood to mark all areas that need to be cut, marked, or drilled. Then remove the old plywood. Place the new plywood on the studs. Install the fasteners on the studs where the wood is not joined. Use at least three fasteners on all cross members.

Step 6

Spread the mat on your clean deck to make sure you have enough to cover the deck and then place it somewhere by hand until you need it. If the rug came in a sturdy cardboard roll, save it for later use as a roller. The color of your carpet is a very important detail to take into account. Remember that dark colors attract and retain heat. Light colors will get dirty faster, but won’t require you to wear your shoes because the carpet is too hot to walk on.

Step 7

If your plywood is still in good condition, you will need to remove the old carpet. Use a sharp knife and cut the mat into strips at the deck joints and pull the strips up by hand. There is a good chance that there will be some bits of the carpet backing or other debris left and you don’t want clumps to form on your new carpet, so use a sharp instrument and scrape off as many of these things as possible. Some parts may stubbornly refuse to come off with a knife, so you may want to use a heat gun and scraper to remove residue. In extreme cases, you may need to sand the debris with sandpaper or even a belt sander.

Step 8

Use a paint roller to apply a generous amount of glue to the deck. Two gallons of glue is recommended for a 16 foot deck. Let the water “run off” the glue before applying the mat.

Step 9

When the glue is tacky to the touch but before it becomes transparent, apply the mat. This should be done when the temperature exceeds 60 ° F and when the humidity is not too high. The colder the temperatures (and the higher the humidity), the longer it will take for the glue to dry. It is suggested that you keep the cover out of the elements and wait at least 24 hours even when all conditions are optimal.

Step 10

First, lay the mat at the back. Lay the rug flush with the edge. Keep it tight and straight. Remove wrinkles with your hands by pulling the rug to the front and sides. An effective way to install the carpet is to lay the carpet in one shot, fold the carpet half back, and apply the glue, paying special attention to covering the edges. Then put the glued half down and use a rolling pin to smooth out any air bubbles. Repeat this process for the second half of the rug. The glue should dry in about an hour.

Step 11

Staple the carpet along the back with stainless steel staples.

Step 12

Using a floor roller, rolling pin, or even the cardboard tube the mat was placed in, roll up the mat to make sure it is in contact with the plywood.

Step 13

Staple the rest of the edges and trim off any excess carpet. Install the edge cap first. Place the entire rail on the platform and align it in position. Use clamps to hold it in place. Some people suggest that you use all new stainless steel hardware. In our case, we were able to reuse the hardware we removed.

Step 14

Take out the images to use to reinstall the hardware. Start with the edge cap and then put the railing back in its correct location. Hold the railings in place. Place all furniture on the platform and secure with stainless steel fasteners with fender washers.

Step 15

Reinstall the steering, throttle and shift cables. Recheck the steering of the pontoon by turning it left and right before the next launch to ensure a safe maiden ride on your near-new pontoon.

Step 16

Now is the time to protect your near-new pontoon by purchasing an inexpensive pontoon cover with a 4- or 5-year warranty. This covering should eliminate the extra cleaning needed after the last rain storm or last seagull flyby and will maintain the look of your new carpet for a reasonable period of time rather than show the rapid deterioration of the carpet that has been left behind. outside. in the sun for long periods of time.