Putting in the screws of the deck, after the new carpet is already done .....

I posted the below in the Bass Boat restoration forum as well .....

I have a Lowe Fish & Ski boat and am recarpeting the bow casting deck and hatch lids.

The lids are easy. Carpet gluing to the aluminum lids is done.

The casting desk is plywood screwed down to the frame. When I tore out the old carpet I thought "how the heck where these screws put in since the carpet was overtop of the screws and 100% hidden?".

Anyone have any tips on how I put the screws in after the plywood is already carpeted (like they did in the factory)? The factory carpet wrapped around the edge of the plywood and was stapled on. It was not glued. I plan on doing the same thing when I carpet the plywood this week. All I can guess is small cuts were put into the carpet where the screw holes are (they must have had a template) and the screws were put in through the small cuts in the carpet. Over time the carpet blends together and those small cuts are invisible.

Thanks

would guess the deck was put down and then the carpet done second..

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Originally Posted by Snowedin3

would guess the deck was put down and then the carpet done second..

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Nope. Not on this boat. The carpet wraps around the edge of the plywood decking and is stapled to the bottom of the plywood.

Where the carpet was glued down were the metal lid hatches.

Could you put in one side of the carpet tucked in under the plywood and stapled then screw the plywood down and flatten the carpet? Then you will have fewer screw holes in the carpet?

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Originally Posted by fishinFamily

Could you put in one side of the carpet tucked in under the plywood and stapled then screw the plywood down and flatten the carpet? Then you will have fewer screw holes in the carpet?

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Nope. The plywood floor goes across the entire available area to give a completely carpeted area. As done in the factory, the carpet wraps around the entire perimeter and is stapled to the underside of the plywood.

As you may be aware, the Fish and Ski boats have both the floor and sides carpeted. Everything is carpeted in these things. And all the screws are put in after the parts are carpeted ... yet most of the screws are completely hidden (they are under the carpet). Its quite an impressive install.

Cool looking old boat..

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Originally Posted by AdamW

Nope. Not on this boat. The carpet wraps around the edge of the plywood decking and is stapled to the bottom of the plywood.

Where the carpet was glued down were the metal lid hatches.

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When I was reupholstering aircraft many moons ago, we had several customers that did not want to see the screws in the carpeted side panels. When mounting the already carpeted panel (normally glued), I would locate the original hole with a needle, then cut a small slit in the carpet, install screw and re-glue the carpet. The glue that we used would reactivate with a small dab of fresh glue.

Would like to see some pictures of your Lowe fish and Ski. I need to redo my carpet, I have a 2005 Lowe FS165 and need to redo my carpet so would like to see yours.

So I got the pieces installed. Went pretty good actually.

Because I replaced the casting deck wood with new wood (old was was starting to rot ... which I didn't realize until I pulled it out), I used it as a template to cut the new wood and pre-drill the holes. Problem is when you pre-drill you can't find the holes after the carpet is laid! So I put the template on top of the new finished piece and where the holes were, I put a piece of tape and then used a small nail and put it through the screw holes on the template, puncturing the tape ...telling me right where the hole is. This worked very well. Almost all of the screws I put through the carpet hit the hole in the frame underneath the plywood.

I made small cuts in the carpet and put the screw through quite easily. Carpet is thick and hides cuts just fine. I experimented in a couple spots and didn't cut, just screwed and the screw goes in so low and tight that the thick carpet hides the screw head fine. So probably could do either way.

Side note ... I purchased Bayshore Marine carpet. It is very popular. It has a thick rubber under-siding which stops water from going through the carpet to the glue or wood (whatever the carpet is laying on). It also wraps around 90 degree corners quite nicely.

http://www.bbcboards.net/attachment....d=326376&stc=1