Carpet install question

[darrall]

Ok guys I'm getting ready to install the new carpet in my Ranger. I'm going to use contact cement. Do I need to coat the carpet and the floor with the adhesive or will coating the floor be good enough? If I need to put it on the carpet how do you know how far to put it on the edges when you have cut extra around the edge to trim later? I'm just trying to avoid getting the adhesive on the boat parts that won't be carpeted.

Thanks,
Darrall

[brombass]

Just put glue on boat. Some glues can be washed off from edges, if you get sloppy, with soap and water until it dries completely. Also the carpet is movable slightly until it sets up in 24 or 48 hours. So it can be slightly pushed or pulled one way or other after laying it down. Get your feet wet. It really goes much easier than it sounds. Same thing with the upholstery. It is really simple after doing it once. I'm waiting on my new carpet again now 2nd time I'm doing my 81 ranger.
If any glue sets up completely and you dont notice till later use acetone to remove.
Just put a dab of acetone on rag rub litely and wipe with a clean dry cloth immediately. Any specific questions or concerns e-mail me at Brombass@aol.com.

[Stein]

Generally with indoor/outdoor carpet glue, you can put on the boat only. Contact cement, on the other hand, has to go on both the boat and carpet, allowed to almost completely dry and then put the carpet on the boat. It will stick quickly, not allowing you to reposition easily.

I used indoor/outdoor on the big stuff and contact cement on the lids and edges. On the deck parts, I used indoor/outdoor on the flat surfaces, let it dry, trimmed the carpet, painted on the contact cement on the vertical areas of the boat and carpet, let it dry and then pressed them into place. If you use contact cement, it will be dry when you put it down, so any on the trim part of the carpet will not stick to the boat if you didn't put any contact cement there. Contact cement only sticks to itself when it has been applied and has dried.

[Mike Daleo]

I just did this and if you use contact cement you will need to cover the surface of the boat and the carpet. The contact cement bonds together. Also, you want it to be almost dry when you put them together. If your lids are metal, like mine are, you can leave yourself some extra carpet and trim it as you are folding it over with a sharp razor blade. Then you can get some acetome in a spray bottle and clean up the excess glue.

I did exactly what he did, used the indoor/outdoor on the large boat surfaces since you can reposition it, but make sure you get a roller and put tons of pressure on it if you use it. It needs to be pressed on tightly once it is where you want it.

[darrall]

Thanks guys! I guess I'll just dive in and go for it.

Also my 375V Ranger trailer has the fiberglass wheel wells and they are real rough and won't polish up with the buffer. Will wet sanding get most of the rough and spider webs off the surface? Can you over wet sand and screw it up?

Thanks,
Darrall