How to Redeck a Fiberglass Boat

Removing and replacing an old deck on a fiberglass boat takes approximately a day's worth of work if you're lucky enough to have a partner helping you. The process tends to be fairly straightforward, but messy. For the replacement part you will also need to make a decision as to whether you fiberglass over the new deck or keep it as exposed wood. Each option includes benefits and drawbacks, depending on how you want your boat to look and perform.

Things You'll Need

  • Power drill and bits
  • Saws-all tool saw
  • Crowbar
  • Hammer
  • Pick
  • Circular saw
  • Construction horses
  • Plywood
  • Nails
  • Resin
  • Hardener
  • Bucket
  • Paint roller brush
  • Fiberglass cloth
  • Electric sander
  • Respirator mask
  • Teak board planks
  • Table saw
  • Black water-proof sealant
  • Water-proof wood oil
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Instructions

  1. Basic Preparation

    • 1

      Drill a hole in the old deck of the boat with a power drill and appropriate drill bit . Measure the depth at which the drill reaches the bottom of the deck. Make sure not to go too deep and cut into the boat frame beams.

    • 2

      Set the blade on the saws-all tool for the depth you measured in Step 1. Cut out the old deck piece by piece. Don't try to recycle any of it; throw the removed pieces in the trash. Remove remaining bits with a hammer, crowbar and a pick. Pry out the stubborn pieces until the sub-frame is clear of any remaining old deck pieces.

    • 3

      Measure the distance and length to cover various deck cavities. Use a circular saw and construction horses to cut pieces of plywood. Nail the sections into place on the boat sub-frame using nails and a hammer. Cover the entire deck with the base plywood cut to size as necessary.

    • 4

      Decide whether your new deck will be just fiberglass or a traditional wood deck final surface. Mix resin and fiberglass hardener in a bucket. Apply the resin with a paint brush roller. Lay down a full coat of the liquid. Cover it with sheets of fiberglass cloth. Roll these flat and apply another layer of the resin mix.

    • 5

      Repeat the process in Step 4 until the cover layer is at least 20mm thick. Cover the last cloth with one more layer of resin. Let the fiberglass harden for a day. Return and sand the surface until every area is smooth. Use an electric sander while wearing a respirator mask during the smoothing process. Paint the final fiberglass surface with a water-proof paint.

    Redecking with a Teak Deck (Optional)

    • 6

      Obtain sufficient planks of teak wood to cover the surface of the boat deck area. Place these piece by piece onto the fiberglass surface constructed in Section 1. Cut the pieces to size with a circular saw or table saw.

    • 7

      Drill the teak boards and screw them into the fiberglass surface. Line them up so the planks run parallel to each other. Squeeze water-proof black sealant between the planks to seal up the gaps between the wood pieces. Let the sealant dry.

    • 8

      Pour a solution of water-proof, wood treatment oil into a bucket. Paint the installed teak deck boards thoroughly, applying at least two coats of the oil with a paint roller. Let the oil dry thoroughly in the sun for a day before walking on it.