Flexiteek decking

[AMG1950]

When I bought my second hand boat (a steel dutch cruiser) in 2016 it had Flexiteek decking which looked very impressive. I do not know who installed it or when.
This year we have noticed sections of the decking appearing to lift and move up and down as they are walked on. I believe this has been caused by the fact it was not properly glued down when first installed and water has been able to get underneath it. In some of the areas where this "ballooning" effect has occurred the Flexiteek has developed small cracks along the black lines.
I sent an enquiry to Flexiteek through a website and was contacted by a dealer in the north of the Netherlands (near where I bought the boat but I am currently in northern France). He was somewhat helpful in that he looked at photos I sent him and suggested the problem should be repairable. He indicated that I should contact the dealer closest to my current location which I did. That dealer is in Germany several hundred kilometres away by canal and river. He again looked at my photos and said the problem was major and could only be fixed by bringing my boat to his yard and having his staff do the repair.
That is not possible at the moment because low water levels in France mean some of the route I would need to travel is currently closed and my visa expires in 3 weeks when I must return to Australia until next year.
I am proposing to reseal all the edges of the Flexiteek decking and fill the cracks with Sikaflex 591 to prevent any further water getting between the decking and the steel of the boat.
If anyone has experience with this product and/or could comment on my proposed course of action I would be very grateful.

[tkeithlu]

Hmmmm. Two thoughts. One, your description of the situation sounds like sheet flooring that is restrained at its edges, such that with a temperature change it expands and buckles. Second thought, I have not got an understanding of how water would create the pillows you describe. If it got in there, why can't it get out?

If these are pillows of water, drill a tiny hole in the Flexteak, step on it, and create a fountain. If it's buckled flooring, drilling the hole will not change the situation.

Good luck with it.

[sailormed]

Take of the flexiteek. It is just a panel made to fit inside the recessed area on the deck. You can walk on deck without the flexiteek. Inthink you can fix the reinstalling of the flexiteek yourself or a competent floorinstaller can do it. You need somebody competent in glued floors. you should be able to find somebody other then a faraway dealer in germany, it was a flexiteek dealer who made this mess in the first place. It is more a glue job then a marine professional job.

[tkeithlu]

If my hypothesis is correct, and it's buckling due to expansion, then trimming the edges so that it has space to expand without buckling will solve the problem. That's not exactly rocket science.

I actually saw this problem once with the floor of a long hallway in a remodelled building. The sheet flooring was put down, expanded, and left a "wave" several inches tall. The length of the hall dictated that more expansion space was needed at the ends than the installer had allowed. The solution was simple - trim the sheet of flooring at the ends under the toe molding.

[fgd3]

It would be a good idea to look under the Flexiteek to asses the condition of the steel deck before taking any other steps.

[Rumrace]

My boat came with Faux Teak. I love it. Faux teak toe rail and cockpit. Zero problems. I understood it was installed in the factory the same way teak is laid.
It on my list for options on a new boat for sure.
The boat winters covered and circulation heater for well below freezing for a couple months then summer 60 degrees C warmer. Despite dramatic seasonal changes 7th season the faux teak has outperformed teak.

[goboatingnow]

Bubbles in flexiteak are largely due to poor installation practices. My friend spent 30k having his partly lifted and relaid.

Make sure whoever repairs it is fully factory certified. Too many installers “ chanced their arms “ and poor quality resulted.