Interior Updating and Redoing

[b-rad]

My boat is 30 years old at this point and is really showing her age inside. All the wood surfaces are covered in chipped and flakingvarnish. The formica counter and tables are stained. And the walls are covered in a no longer white waffe pattern vinyl wall paper. At least the headiner is just about perfect. I have decided I need to do some updating in there. Im looking for ideas for walls and galley counter tops. Painted cabinets?
Head countertops, Will take any advice or pictures of what you have done or seen.

[gonesail]

pull the wall paper down and put up new .. finish the interior wood with off white and varnished teak trim. you can have a new counter built off site .. just make sure it will fit thru the companionway. have fun and keep your credit card ready.

[SkiprJohn]

If you want to do it yourself a little at a time then I recommend the boat "Boat Interior Construction" by Michael Naujok. It deals with about the same size boat as yours and it is more renovation than starting from the beginning.
regards,

[wahoo242]

I am currently redoing my 37cc interior. On the cabin walls I'm using frp panels. These fiberglass panels are easy to work with and look great. I have two finnishes, smooth and textured. They come in 4x8 sheets.

Scott

[osirissail]

The new boats have all switched from plywood laminate to "kitchen laminate" for interior wall surfaces. It is the stuff (4x8 sheets) that is used to make household kitchen counters and cabinets. It is installed with epoxy putty on the interior FRG sufaces. Or marine plywood with the laminate epoxied to one surface. Being all white it greatly increases the "brightness" of the cabin interior and can be cleaned with "409" or any other spray household cleaner.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by b-rad

My boat is 30 years old at this point and is really showing her age inside. All the wood surfaces are covered in chipped and flakingvarnish. The formica counter and tables are stained. And the walls are covered in a no longer white waffe pattern vinyl wall paper. At least the headiner is just about perfect. I have decided I need to do some updating in there. Im looking for ideas for walls and galley counter tops. Painted cabinets?
Head countertops, Will take any advice or pictures of what you have done or seen.

The first thing I will say is if you refurb one thing it will make everything else look 10 times worse...........

For the vinyl walls, what about painting? Given the aggro of replacement with same or different might be worth a go just to see if you can live with the results. FWIW I have not done this onboard, but I used a can of vinyl freindly spray (I forget the brand ) that I found in the corner of the garage to spray paint the name of my boat onto her winter cover........and used the 40 year old vinyl removed from the boat as a stencil. I was very impressed with how well the paint stuck to the vinyl, especially as being rubbish I could risk testing to destruction by scrunching up and trying to scratch off........didn't come out looking like factory finish, but a 500% improvement!

On the varnish work, I would strip back to bare wood maybe coat with some wood stain and then add 1/2 a dozen coats of varnish - probably won't look like the dashboard of a Bentley, but if you can live with less than perfection the results will be clean, tidy and low maintanence. IMO better than splashing on white paint, which due to it's colour does tend to show more imperfections than a dark varnish. On varnished wood it's called character, on painted wood it's called poor work Having said that, if you also have some panels that would take a laminate panel then why not.

On the stained worktops I think the options are either replace or cover up. Some of the folks here have got v.nice results using tiles............this is something I am thinking of tackling myself, partly for a colour change but also for a redesign of the cooler - but haven't worked out the details yet For me unbolting the work top is not an option, and I am hesitant to try and chisel off (1960's "solid" Formica)........but not sure whether anything could be made to stick on top of the existing formica.......

[jkleins]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

but haven't worked out the details yet For me unbolting the work top is not an option, and I am hesitant to try and chisel off (1960's "solid" Formica)........but not sure whether anything could be made to stick on top of the existing formica.......

I tried that as well. Not much luck. Fortunately I was redoing an icebox too and just cut it all away and built another top. Actually not near as hard as working with the original.

Jim

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by jkleins

I tried that as well. Not much luck. Fortunately I was redoing an icebox too and just cut it all away and built another top. Actually not near as hard as working with the original.

Jim

Yeah, I can see how removing the top would have advantages - especially would allow a bit more of a redesign........something yours truly will continue to mull over