Materials Choices For Interior

I have a completely unfinished interior to do. Raw , rough fiberglass with weave showing.

I don't have the patience to fair and sand the interior of this 50' x 25' boat.

I also don't have the patience or funds to make every cabinet and piece of built in furniture out of foam/glass/epoxy.

I went with 1x2" stick frame construction for the interior, using door skin plywood with waterproof glue laminate. I am also speeding up assembly by using a waterproof hot melt polyurethane glue gun to build. Structures are then reinforced with thickened epoxy where necessary and also painted in epoxy.

This technique has worked wonerfully and moves right along.

However, I'm left now with rough glass on the hull and framed, boxed in cabinets with no finish on them.

I want the boat to look very nice inside. Not cheap. I notice production boats and RVs often use vinyl wall coverings and faux finished wood laminates as a final surface. These look great.

Where can I source these types of vinyl wrap type films and thin, flexible laminates?

I see thin plastic molding used in rvs too.

What's the best way to turn a rough framed interior into something nice? Without consuming too much time?

 

Here are the types of interior finishing laminates and thin panels I find in a new rv. There is no real wood. All plastic.





And......

Here is where I'm starting.

Getting from point a to point b and finding the right materials is kind of overwhelming. The hull is curved, but needs a finish surface. cabinets are square but have gaps at edges that need filling. Ceiling needs finishing. It's irregular and curved as well. The sheer curve is a tricky spot. How to join cieling and wall panels there? Also, lots of coves at fillets where bulkheads and hull join each other. same problem as sheer curve. Nothing is 90 degrees.

 

They will work OK on flat surfaces. However, they will not conform to the curves of a hull unless it is plywood or metal (developed flat panels).

 

For the hull, I was thinking a vinyl wallpaper? They have waterproof ones made for inside shower stalls.

http://www.amazon.com/HDC-117-wallpaper-bathroom-waterproof-adhesive/dp/B00GUANJXO

It's a thought, but still not sure.

Hull parts are definitely complex curves.

 

Anything thin, like wall paper will show the roving under it, so it'll need to be something fairly stiff and thick enough to not print through the weave. There's lots of stuff, from fabrics that are spray adhesive mounted, to carpet, to some sort of paneling. I'd recommend some strips of cedar glued on horizontally, to look like a ceiling. It can be finished on the work bench, after being cut to dimension and hung as a completed piece, which is handy. Cedar is light and if the strips are modest in width (say 2" or so), they'll conform to most curves on the inside of the hull.

 

Foam backed vinyl either direct to the hull/deckhead or light ply/board panels is the way to cover sqm in a hurry, there some nice faux seudes also, down from there is monkey fur/melded fabrics/carpet, the hull-deck interface is tricky for most, moldings can be created from the outside or a "box pelmet" fitted along that join- lighting & it's runs can be set inside, also handy to get to stanchion bolts/backing plates & other bolted deck gear along the edge. Cabinets can have .8 laminex glued on & lockers/appetures can be simple angle molds or the locker door can cap. You just need to pick a "theme" & execute neatly. With fastenings- mostly dont try to hide, again execute neatly so they look like they're meant to be there...... Some use of velcro & clear silicane can hold trims & panels in place that dont come out ever or often.
Jeff.

 

I have "plastered" the curved inside of hulls using Bondo or West system (e.g.) epoxy/410 Microlite. It goes fast and costs little. Use dry-walling tools like 6/10/12 inch knives. Sand to finish.
It's not hard to achieve what appears to be a molded liner. Paint afterwards with single part urethane. Easy to cove in as well. Having a background color that's simple and neutral won't look as busy as using a pattern. Choose from hundreds of colors (off-white semi-gloss Petit or Interlux) looks identical to gel-coat, so I have used that.
If carpet has been glued before, use a wire wheel on an offset grinder to remove the glue.

 

There are a myriad of profiles, channels and extrusions in aluminium.

Something like the above will take a gentle curve and allow a non obvious linear join.

Use it with waterproof LED strip light




to give high light output with low power consumption.

 

Nice scheme Andy,

Would look fully sik like a pimped up JDM but on the inside
some red led would be great with a deflector onto benches/steps etc for night vision.....
Jeff

 

Some good suggestions. I like the idea of channel or molding hiding wiring.

Fairing the interior makes me want to tie the anchor to my ankle and throw it overboard. We've been fairing the exterior and upper bridgedeck area for a year now almost. I'm out of patience and money for that.

Thanks for all the advice. Will probably be using all of it in various areas.

 

The LED strip is available in RGB (Red Green Blue) which can be dynamically blended by dimming all or some of the primary colours. Some controller intelligence is actually built on the strip so you can control the LEDs as individual groups of three -

As you say a boon for night vision, and the power saving benefit of only lighting every 2nd or third set would help conserve battery. A meter delivers a lot of light but uses less power than a single old fashioned festoon bulb.

Of course you could also link it to the entertainment system to have them sync'd and pulsing with the music - please remember that COULD is a very different word to SHOULD - I am not going to be held responsible if the 'good taste police' from the local yacht club pay you a visit after doing any such pimping.

There are some potentially brilliant applications - self contained handrail/ emergency lighting - the LEDs in chase sequence directing disoriented passengers towards exits if a ship/ferry goes dark. :!:

 

You might consider gluing on thin blue foam ,1/4 or 1/2 thick as insulation and noise control.

Then battens cut in and glued in place would allow a thin wall covering.

 

It's always fallen down when glued in RVs. What glue do you suggest?

Makes sense for interior partitions, but the hull itself already has an R value exceeding 5.

 

Vinyl with foam backing is a common material used for the hull. It will stretch and deform easily to curves. I use Locktite Hi-strength spray adhesive. Seems to work better than anything else I've tried.

 

One more thing... I'm trying to find plain white vinyl liner with 1/8" or so foam backing. Can't locate it. Any tips?

Amazon preferred.