EVA foam decking

After considering several options I just installed the Corinthian product that I ordered from member MQuiet (Matt) for a little more than half of that.
He's a vendor and I highly recommend him.
It is basically the same idea as a snap in Carpet except it is the PVC (Seagrass type) material. They offer an option for Velcro attatchment in critical spots along the edges rather than snaps which I opted for because I like the clean look and I didn't have to deal with installing snaps with no experience.
Like any of these products, it is hotter on bare feet than carpet or a bare deck. There's no getting around that. But the benefits far out weigh that one drawback.
It also requires making templates out of 6 mil plastic which is relatively quick and easy.
The factory had a template for my boat. There was a problem with the fit of one of the pieces they made from that template. I made my own for that piece, sent it to Matt, and he replaced the piece.
I strongly recommend making your own template instead of having the factory use one they may have because whatever they have is only as good as the guy who made it for his boat.
The piece I made the template for is perfect, but now that it's down, although the other two pieces fit okay, I would have made them a very slight bit differently.
So far I love the stuff! It's easy to keep clean, dries very quickly, and the teak pattern looks fantastic. It's not glued down, and there are no snaps so if I decide to change it down the road it's just a matter of picking it up and cleaning some spots where the Velcro is with adhesive remover.
So far the Velcro has held up well. I had a dozen people on the boat for about 10 hours on the hook last weekend and it didn't budge an inch.

JVM, I'm wondering how you like the Corinthian product now that you've had it for a few years? I've ordered my new SR, and I may tell them not to put anything on the swim platform or inside the cockpit. And, I'd get the Corinthian instead. Someone here locally can make the templates and install for me for roughly the same cost as if I did my own templates and mailed them in . Would you buy it again?
 
I'm interested in this Chinese EVA stuff. The ones I'm finding are in rolls that are 3 to 4 feet wide. But, if you are trying to seam it together, how do you do that so it looks clean and straight? Does anyone have experience with putting two "runs" together? Can you make it look professional? As you see in the pic below, even the seams they show on the Ebay ad are crooked.

Also, what about how it's holding up? Anyone with that stuff on their boat for more than a year still happy with it?

I have two seams in mine. We cut the seams within the black parts and it's hardly noticeable. I've had mine 2 years. No issues, cleans up nicely with Simple Green.

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I'm interested in this Chinese EVA stuff. The ones I'm finding are in rolls that are 3 to 4 feet wide. But, if you are trying to seam it together, how do you do that so it looks clean and straight? Does anyone have experience with putting two "runs" together? Can you make it look professional? As you see in the pic below, even the seams they show on the Ebay ad are crooked.

Also, what about how it's holding up? Anyone with that stuff on their boat for more than a year still happy with it?

I've got 2 seasons on my E-bay (Chinese) decking and still thrilled with it. All seams are done down the black stripe, cut the black stripe off of one side and butt the other up with a tiny bit of black 4200 to mate them together and I also went around the entire outside edge with tape down and layed a tiny bead to seal the edges (so far it has worked great). The only problem I have as seem in the picture is far left of the picture... I screwed up a cut and had to order another piece that at first looked the same but over time it evidently came from a different dye lot.

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Looks great! In the eventual time that it takes where it needs to be replaced, is 4200 removable? I know it's tough... and I know 5200 is permanent, but I don't know about 4200.
 
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2.5 years later, still likee.
I did a ton of butting pieces together for my upper transom, and cockpit. I would cut one piece to have the "caulk" side, and one piece to butt up against it to be the "plank" side. That way, the seam is in the bevel. Where I had to bring two pieces together, I used the plank part, and just lived with the slightly larger plank. The center of the transom upper is an example.
You will have to live with the edges unless you can get it under something like a flexible trim that can follow the radius turns and non 90 degree edges. I'm still looking for something to finish this with.
Color matching between sheets will require some finesse. I didn't bother, and I can see them when I look for them.
 
I've considered this, but what holds me back is what happens when it comes time to replace. Peeling this stuff up and cleaning the gelcoat will be a miserable job.

Plus, the boats around here in the Texas sun that have had the professional installations don't fare to well.
 
I've considered this, but what holds me back is what happens when it comes time to replace. Peeling this stuff up and cleaning the gelcoat will be a miserable job.

Plus, the boats around here in the Texas sun that have had the professional installations don't fare to well.
This is true... I had a raw piece sitting on the dock before install with full sun plus a window reflection hitting it and it delam'd.
 
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We did our 390MY this spring with Aqua
Marine. Love it.
 

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JVM, I'm wondering how you like the Corinthian product now that you've had it for a few years? I've ordered my new SR, and I may tell them not to put anything on the swim platform or inside the cockpit. And, I'd get the Corinthian instead. Someone here locally can make the templates and install for me for roughly the same cost as if I did my own templates and mailed them in . Would you buy it again?

It is holding up really well in it’s fourth season of use. No signs of wear, staining, or discoloring.
I would definitely purchase it again.
Maintenance is easy. I wash it with the same boat soap and soft brush that I wash the smooth gelcoat surfaces of the boat with.
I’ve had to replace a few of the Velcro pieces that hold it down over the years, but that’s to be expected because I pull it up occasionally if I’m doing dirty work in the bilge or to scrub the nonskid under it.
Installing with snaps instead of Velcro would eliminate the need to replace the Velcro here and there, but there were no snaps in my cockpit and I didn’t want to install them.
 
I'm interested in this Chinese EVA stuff. The ones I'm finding are in rolls that are 3 to 4 feet wide. But, if you are trying to seam it together, how do you do that so it looks clean and straight? Does anyone have experience with putting two "runs" together? Can you make it look professional? As you see in the pic below, even the seams they show on the Ebay ad are crooked.

Also, what about how it's holding up? Anyone with that stuff on their boat for more than a year still happy with it?
Here's the thing: as inexpensive as this material is, if you don't like it after putting it down, take it up and trash it. In the process of putting some on my swim platform. As far as seems, take your time, push the ends together as tight as possible. Look at some pics on the internet of Seadeck. Some of the applications have a break in them.
 
How do you guys make the nice curve cuts?
Do you make a cardboard template first?
I bought the materials a couple of years ago. Being laying flat under a bed ever since. To affraid to cut!
 
How do you guys make the nice curve cuts?
Do you make a cardboard template first?
I bought the materials a couple of years ago. Being laying flat under a bed ever since. To affraid to cut!

I used clear plastic and a Sharpie to make a template. Cut with a very sharp razor knife. Used a jar lid to get the radius of the curved corners. It’s not the cutting quality of a SeaDeck installation, but pretty darn good and a fraction of the cost.
 
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Guys absolutely awesome pics and DIY to all of you. I am curious only because I am so tired of my snap in carpet and being in a covered slip in Kentucky I have spiders and barn swallows that make cleaning an every weekend job. Having said that, I have no problem making a template. I'm pretty handy on DIY and Fabrication as you can see from some of my posts. My question is after getting on Ebay and Amazon there are tons of Chinese companies that sell EVA decking... could you guys send me a few links of products you have installed that have proven to be good quality? I contacted a few companies that will pre cut the stuff but they are pretty pricey.
 
Guys absolutely awesome pics and DIY to all of you. I am curious only because I am so tired of my snap in carpet and being in a covered slip in Kentucky I have spiders and barn swallows that make cleaning an every weekend job. Having said that, I have no problem making a template. I'm pretty handy on DIY and Fabrication as you can see from some of my posts. My question is after getting on Ebay and Amazon there are tons of Chinese companies that sell EVA decking... could you guys send me a few links of products you have installed that have proven to be good quality? I contacted a few companies that will pre cut the stuff but they are pretty pricey.

You can search "EVA Foam Flooring" on Amazon and ebay. You'll find the off brand stuff easily.

For what it's worth - snap-in marine weave is FAR easier to clean than EVA foam. So if spider and bird crap cleaning matters to you, consider new snap in vs glue-down EVA. My two cents only.
 
You can search "EVA Foam Flooring" on Amazon and ebay. You'll find the off brand stuff easily.

For what it's worth - snap-in marine weave is FAR easier to clean than EVA foam. So if spider and bird crap cleaning matters to you, consider new snap in vs glue-down EVA. My two cents only.

Yep, I agree. Two boats ago, we had Infinity vinyl weave flooring and loved it. It was installed by a custom installer, and went edge to edge with very few seams. The current boat has SeaDek foam flooring throughout. I don't really like it. It can tear or cut from things dropped on it, or moved around. Think of squashing a soda can, or moving skis around. And, they make it in little pieces that fit together in a pattern.

It looks great, but dirt gathers in the spaces between the pieces, and IMO makes the boat look dirty quite easily. About every week or two, I am on my hands and knees with soap and a brush cleaning it. Sure, it cleans easily enough, but with the Infinity vinyl, I could pull it up and rinse the whole floor at one time. And, I did that about once a month or two.

Now, we ordered a new boat, and I have ordered with SeaDek on the swim platform, and nothing inside. We will have the custom installer put the Infinity Vinyl "carpet" stuff instead. He says it can probably be installed edge to edge such that it doesn't need any snaps, or only a few. I think it will look better and definitely clean more easily.
 
Yep, I agree. Two boats ago, we had Infinity vinyl weave flooring and loved it. It was installed by a custom installer, and went edge to edge with very few seams. The current boat has SeaDek foam flooring throughout. I don't really like it. It can tear or cut from things dropped on it, or moved around. Think of squashing a soda can, or moving skis around. And, they make it in little pieces that fit together in a pattern.

It looks great, but dirt gathers in the spaces between the pieces, and IMO makes the boat look dirty quite easily. About every week or two, I am on my hands and knees with soap and a brush cleaning it. Sure, it cleans easily enough, but with the Infinity vinyl, I could pull it up and rinse the whole floor at one time. And, I did that about once a month or two.

Now, we ordered a new boat, and I have ordered with SeaDek on the swim platform, and nothing inside. We will have the custom installer put the Infinity Vinyl "carpet" stuff instead. He says it can probably be installed edge to edge such that it doesn't need any snaps, or only a few. I think it will look better and definitely clean more easily.

Get some Simple Green and a proper boat brush. Get off your hands and knees! ha...
 
I do that too, but in the small spaces around the edge, or under seats and stuff, you have to get in there with a smaller brush or sponge to get it off the fiberglass. The point is that keeping the EVA foam can be tedious.
 

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