It can be difficult to find a flooring contractor in South Florida that is experienced with yacht flooring. We’re as comfortable at sea as we are on land. Here are some tips to help you repair damaged hardwood flooring on your floating home away from home.
Just Fix It – If you don’t care about how it looks, damage is easy to fix. You can just coat it with varnish. Then sand it down until it’s flush with the varnish near it, and add another coat or two to level it.
Impact Damage – Wet the end of a rag with fresh water (not seawater). Dab this to the damage, and then use a steam iron to help lift the wood. Be careful and don’t soak the damage, or you’ll raise the wood near it and risk damaging nearby unaffected varnish. Do this carefully and precisely. Then you can follow the rest of the instructions under “Just Fix It” above.
Slop Jars and Sandpaper – Try to keep a slop jar of varnish handy so that you can apply it to damage as soon as you see it. When wood contacts air, it discolors, so if you can get that varnish on quickly, you’ll help save the continuity of the color underneath. Use fine-grit sandpaper to help you thin the varnish, and a sanding block to keep your sanding level so that your fingers don’t push in too much.
Thin the First Coat – Thinning the first coat allows the wood to absorb it and bond to it better, making subsequent coats of varnish more effective.
Bubbles Early On – Don’t worry about bubbles in undercoats. Only the final coat needs to be bubble free. Stirring a few hours before you use the varnish can help bubbles rise and disperse.
Quick Dry Varnishes? – Careful here. Many don’t include additives to protect against UV, meaning they’ll dull in sunlight. They’re easier to use and they’re good for repairing quick damage, but they usually require an overcoat of spar varnish anyway.
Stir Your Semi Gloss! – Remember that some varnishes have solids that will accumulate at the bottom of the can. Stir these up thoroughly.
If you have more extensive damage with your yacht flooring or can’t seem to get it right, you can call us. We’re flooring contractors in South Florida with experience in this niche, and we can help keep your yacht looking ship-shape.