questions on installing vinyl on Aluminum deck

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Olustee bus
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:50 am
Location: Olustee Florida and Pinson Alabama

questions on installing vinyl on Aluminum deck

#1 Post by Olustee bus » Wed Jul 15, 2020 3:19 am

1 I have seen a primer for aluminum flooring. Do I need that?

2. there was a tape used by the manufacturer that went around the perimeter and where pedestal seats were. Can I use Double sided vinyl tape?

3. I am using 3m contact glue. I have read that you need to apply to both bottom of the vinyl and the deck. Do I need to apply to the bottom of the vinyl as well as the deck? I

4. Pontoon stuff says to use a 1/16 v trowel for the glue. I have also read that you use a brush or roller to apply the glue. Which do I use?

Thanks again folks.

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sunedog
Posts: 356
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:48 am

Re: questions on installing vinyl on Aluminum deck

#2 Post by sunedog » Thu Jul 16, 2020 12:13 pm

1. I don't know.
2. Hard for me to picture what you are talking about, so I don't know.
3. If you are talking about conventional contact cement, I would think twice about using that. And then again and again until you decide to use something else. Contact cement sticks great to just about anything, but it is VERY unforgiving when you mate the two surfaces together. I have used it to adhere plastic laminate (Formica) to a wood counter top substrate many times. Yes, you do have to evenly and fully coat both surfaces and you need to let it tack up for a few minutes. You have one and only one chance to line it up correctly before that stuff sticks and won't let go. When doing a counter top, most people cut strips of scrap laminate about an inch wide to act as spacers to allow you to line up the laminate with the substrate. When you've got it in position, you start pulling the spacers and using a J roller to really mate the two pieces together. I can't imagine doing this on a pontoon deck with a piece of sheet vinyl that is about 9 feet wide and 20-something feet long.
4. Again, when using contact adhesive for laminate, I have used a short nap paint roller but it is very messy. At some point, the laminate starts to dry a little as you're applying it and starts getting really stringy on the roller. I have had better luck dumping some adhesive out in a small puddle and using a straight edge trowel to spread an even coat over the entire surface. You won't be able to use any size notched trowel on contact cement. It dries too quickly. And you don't want notches anyway in contact cement.

My real advice is to use the mastic that the manufacturer of the vinyl recommends for your application. I bought my vinyl and mastic together from pontoonstuff and used a notched trowel to apply it to the deck of my boat. You really need to find out one way or another what the vinyl manufacturer recommends. Good luck.

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sunedog
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Re: questions on installing vinyl on Aluminum deck

#3 Post by sunedog » Thu Jul 16, 2020 12:16 pm

Additional advice:
- pay attention to the weather. Too cold and the mastic won't dry. Too hot and it dries too quickly.
- rent a carpet / vinyl roller from your local tool rental yard. Will be less than $20 and will be the best $20 you spent that day.

Olustee bus
Posts: 67
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:50 am
Location: Olustee Florida and Pinson Alabama

Re: questions on installing vinyl on Aluminum deck

#4 Post by Olustee bus » Sat Jul 18, 2020 1:46 pm

Thanks. I did use what the manufacture recommended at 90 bucks a gallon, 3M. I put it down in mid 90 degree weather. However, I used too much adhesive and the gases made lots and lots of bubbles on the deck. I went back to it the next day and most were gone. I used a carpet roller to get most of the rest. I still have some but if need be, I will use a large hyperdemic and put in some glue.

I figured out that the double sided tape was for carpet so I did not foll with it. We will see.

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