Mouse Fur Pros and Cons, Temporarily?

[Canibul]

We've stripped the interior vinyl and foam rubber out of a 40 ft. cat. We're to bare fiberglass mat and plywood for an interior at the moment. We are looking into various interior covering ideas going forward, and so far the one that is the most appealing is to take the boat down to one of the latin american countries with people who do this kind of work. We recently saw a boat here with a great interior done in central america. This won't happen this year.

My question is about the 'mouse fur' interior carpet. Our boat had a little of it in the two main staterooms, primarily on interior plywood bulkheads. I am thinking of using similar stuff to temporarily make the boat a bit more livable until such time as we can organize a trip someplace where there are local carpenters we can hire to do the wood work.

I've read a lot about people ripping out their mouse fur carpet. Is this because there's something inherently wrong with using it, or just because people get tired of it. or are there other issues?

We're in a tropical climate, and don't have the condensation issues people have keeping boats warm in cold water, so objections due to absorbtion of condensation are not a concern.

Any info or thoughts on the mouse fur as a temporary fix would be welcome.

[colemj]

Our boat has mouse fur from the factory in the sleeping cabins. The pro is that it is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and doesn't require finish work because it hides the bare stuff it is covering. The con is that it looks somewhat cheap and over time it pills a bit.

It is indestructible, so you can clean it with just about anything necessary - bleach, acid, etc and use a carpet cleaner on it. It doesn't really get that dirty - ours needs a good cleaning every 5 years or so. You can "shave" it with clippers if it starts to pill - the pilling takes many years to occur and is due to how much stuff continually rubs against it.

If you plan to do something else with the interior within the next 2 years, I wouldn't think the cost and effort of putting mouse fur in would be worth it. Also, it is glued on, so any future work would need to be OK with glue residue, or it will be a pain to get rid of it.

Mark

[a64pilot]

I have only heard mouse fur used to describe automobile interiors, but if it is the same stuff, it is nearly indestructible. Spray on headliner glue used for automobiles is the only way I've seen it applied to a hard surface

[Canibul]

that pretty much supports my own thoughts on it. I guess I also like it that I can use velcro to stick things to it.

Situation is that the interior of the boat already has dried glue all over the vertical inside surfaces. I think it must be some kind of contact cement, but it's a booger to remove. I know I have to remove the existing residue eventually, maybe, depending on what kind of final covering we decide on. Maybe not.

So, I know I have probably one de-glue job to do, and it's a big one. If I remove the glue now, and spray adhesive for mouse fur carpet, then we'd have another glue removal job to do. BUT what if we just spray the new adhesive over the old adhesive, and stick the carpet up to it? Then, the labor I hire to do the eventually decided real finish can take all the glue off at once, old and new, along with the mouse fur.

Yeah, I'm THAT lazy.

The overheads were vinyl/foam covered ply and so no glue to get off the overhead, thankfully. I spent hours scrubbing the overhead, a couple square feet at a time, using a sanding spongue and TSP and Dirtex....to the point where I developed some nerve issues in my neck and shoulder. Weeks.

Then I discovered that just spraying to sponging X-14 on the darkened overhead took it right off, almost effortlessly. Duh. It's dried mold and mildew. So we're painting the overhead. But the vertical bulkheads, both fiberglass mat and lots of ply, still has sticky glue residue all over it.

[a64pilot]

Go watch how a headliner is replaced in an automobile, it's a thin plastic sheet that has a foam backed mouse fur glue to it, the foam breaks down over time and the fur begins to hang down is what trips replacement, it's not the fur.
I believe a plastic "wheel" sort of like a wire brush, but plastic is chucked into a drill and this removes the foam and a lot of the glue, if I remember right and new glue is sprayed on both the plastic and the foam on the new mouse fur and pressed into place, whole process is less than a half hour. The foam makes any irregularities not show.
Would headliner material work in your case at least temporarily?

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Canibul

If I remove the glue now, and spray adhesive for mouse fur carpet, then we'd have another glue removal job to do. BUT what if we just spray the new adhesive over the old adhesive, and stick the carpet up to it? Then, the labor I hire to do the eventually decided real finish can take all the glue off at once, old and new, along with the mouse fur.

Hard to answer without seeing the old glue, but I would think there would be no problem gluing mouse fur over it. The only issue might be if it is clumped up in areas - then you would see/feel those clumps under the mouse fur.

Mark

[Cheechako]

It is relatively cheap and easy. It can mildew like everything can. I've seen it applied with Landau top adhesive and a paint sprayer. Comes in 5 gal can. The easiest method is to just spray the hull and the mouse fur, then lay the mouse fur in place and cut the perimeter afterward with a sharp razor knife... much easier than trying to cut fitted pieces... and not get them stuck in the wrong place!

[JPA Cate]

Minaret mentioned some product you can buy, that does work; you'd have to search his posts. Sorry, I don't remember which one it was in.

Ann

[Canibul]

I remember someone writing that lacquer thinner will remove it, and I tried it and it does, but it's very difficult to use in closed quarters and still breathe. Suppose I could run the hookah regulator into the cabin.

I'm having some confusion trying to find what is commonly known as 'mouse fur' carpet online. A search under that term doesn't help much. Marine carpet, yeah, but not mouse fur. Is that the same thing as 14 oz. carpet? That's the lightest carpet weight I've seen so far, but not sure if it's heavier than "mouse fur".

[colemj]

It is called "Nautolex": Gary's Upholstery - Furniture upholstering since 1970

Mark

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by colemj

It is called "Nautolex": Gary's Upholstery - Furniture upholstering since 1970

Mark

That's exactly the stuff I was looking for.

See, if you don't already KNOW it's really called Nautolex and go Googling deeply enough for mouse fur.....well.. There's some kinkier people than I was expecting out there is all I can say..I don't know how long I would have wandered aimlessly in the internet wilderness before stumbling across Gary's upholstery.

Thanks.

[colemj]

Just to be clear, that Gary upholstery shop was just a URL that I grabbed for an example of the stuff - they don't make it. Lots of other places probably do also, so you may find better pricing/availability.

Mark

[Cheechako]

Do you really need to get rid of the old glue? Whatever you use it's going to be the pits doing it.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Canibul

I remember someone writing that lacquer thinner will remove it, and I tried it and it does, but it's very difficult to use in closed quarters and still breathe. Suppose I could run the hookah regulator into the cabin.

I'm having some confusion trying to find what is commonly known as 'mouse fur' carpet online. A search under that term doesn't help much. Marine carpet, yeah, but not mouse fur. Is that the same thing as 14 oz. carpet? That's the lightest carpet weight I've seen so far, but not sure if it's heavier than "mouse fur".

Search under "marine hull liner", lots under that heading. It comes in different weights. I have some here that is about 1/4"+ thick and some that is more like 1/8". Also, I think it may come with one side having some kind of coating to allow less glue bleed thru, as well as without that.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by colemj

Just to be clear, that Gary upholstery shop was just a URL that I grabbed for an example of the stuff - they don't make it. Lots of other places probably do also, so you may find better pricing/availability.

Mark

Yes, thanks. I found a few alternatives. Headliner by the Yard – Sailrite is another one.

What will probably decide that choice will be who is the most savvy about shipping via UPS or DHL International, for the six foot long roll. I emailed Gary, would expect an answer Monday.

Sailrite already uses UPS for International shipping, but they're in Ill. Gary is in Tampa.