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Wall Panel For Bathroom

SweetKingfisher1
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SweetKingfisher1

SweetKingfisher1

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Hi All,

Those who know us (Chelsea14Ian) and myself, with our ex Broads hire plus ex French canal boat. Alpha 29 Sweet Kingfisher. 

Last time we were up I decided to look into the problem of the rear cabin bathroom. 

We need to find a panel to match what was put into hire boats 20 years ago and no I forgot to take a picture of the panel.

I have looked on line and got a couple of samples, but I don't think they are what we are looking for.

So please, can anyone Help or advise us where or who to look or speak too?

Many thanks in advance.

Regards

Marina 

 

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PCL023

PCL023

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As mentioned Ipswich Plastics still appear to supply many of the yards up here, often see their delivery vans up here. They tend to supply the Formica in a roll, I can’t remember the size but it’s about 4 foot wide . The idea being cut the plywood to the size and shape you need, fix it, then apply the Formica, therefore covering the screw heads. The other way is to apply the Formica with contact adhesive, screwing the panel in place using screw caps to hide the screws. It’s quite easy to work with. Failing that if you can key the old surface, it should be possible to cover what you have. I had some from IPS plastics 10 years ago, walnut effect and some plan black. Back then the Formica was about £50 - £60 a roll if you can collect on the way up? I think they still do a book of samples which they can post out, there’s about 20-30 different effects in the book. Their website should also show these. 

Try and avoid the “paper” covered white faced ply, the stuff peels away at the first hint of any moisture. 

Cheers 

Paul 

 

 

 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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The chances of directly matching a 20+ year old formica are close to nil though you will probably find something acceptably close or an agreeable contrast. That's merely the start of your woes.

Applying formica over formica isn't ideal as the initial product is just glued on to plywood in the first place and any areas that aren't well bonded already are liable to lift more because of the additional surface tension of the new layer. 

There seems to be a misconception that it is supplied on a roll. It isn't. It tends to be delivered rolled up because that's a convenient way of handling a sheet of 8x4ft incredibly brittle flimsy material. 

Make no mistake, Formica laminate is hard to work with and easier to damage than toilet paper. When it shatters, it produces razor-sharp edges that will cut to the bone. 

Cutting it is best done with pneumatic sheet metal shears. If you use a Stanley knife, it will blunt it almost instantly; you will need a stack of blades. 

The proper way to bond laminate to substrate is in a huge press. I suspect this won't be possible. Therefore, bonding to an existing structure in situ, especially a vertical one is very, very hard.

One solution is to cut a new panel, bond in a sheet flat with a huge amount of pressure overnight and then put the panel in the boat. This enables you to rough-cut the laminate oversize and then trim with a guided router bit when the glue has cured to get edges that perfectly follow the shape of the panel. 

I have a ot of experience in retro-fittng laminates. Its not easy bit like everything, having the right tools makes a huge difference.

 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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1 minute ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hello Ian I would be inclined to go for plastic panels rather than ply faced panels. From what you say it sounds as if is some form of vinyl, try searching for vinyl sheeting for shower walls.

Regards

Alan

I wouldn't. Maybe at home where there's less movement and more space, but in a boat, they mark easily due to space restrictions and if you are talking about the interlocking tongue and and groove, could be hard to fit around existing things because of the length of the boards in a confined space. 

 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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11 minutes ago, SweetKingfisher1 said:

Thanks Paul and Andy for your information and yes we / I will look into any help you can give.

What would help if someone could do the work for us, as Ian is hope less at something like this.

Regards

Marina

If you are passing this week, drop by. I won't be there next week or the week after. 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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11 minutes ago, SweetKingfisher1 said:

Thanks Paul and Andy for your information and yes we / I will look into any help you can give.

What would help if someone could do the work for us, as Ian is hope less at something like this.

Regards

Marina

If you are passing this week, drop by. I won't be there next week or the week after. 

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SweetKingfisher1

SweetKingfisher1

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10 minutes ago, FreedomBoatingHols said:

If you are passing this week, drop by. I won't be there next week or the week after. 

We are on the boat from Saturday 29th Aug, but we go up to North River the first week and then back down the second week on south river.

We should be passing you either 9th or 10th Sep. Would that be ok for us to stop by then?

Many thanks.

Marina

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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3 minutes ago, SweetKingfisher1 said:

We are on the boat from Saturday 29th Aug, but we go up to North River the first week and then back down the second week on south river.

We should be passing you either 9th or 10th Sep. Would that be ok for us to stop by then?

Many thanks.

Marina

Contact me around the time as I am trying to be there as little as possible. 

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MauriceMynah

MauriceMynah

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1 hour ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

My problem my DIY skills are useless. I don't know one end of a screwdriver from the other.

Ahh, now there I CAN help you. At one end there's the blade either cross-head or flat-head. At the other end is the person you've paid to do the job.

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Lastdraft

Lastdraft

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Just like to echo what FBH said about Formica, it requires great skill and knowhow to cut this stuff, it easily shatters leaving razor sharp edges. Very difficult to work with, I speak from experience, thought I was up to the job, I wasn't.  3 stitches and an empty wallet. 

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wombat nee blownup

wombat nee blownup

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I ordered a sheet of walnut laminate to make a new dashboard. It came in a sheet 10’ x 5’. Cut mine with a grinderette. Went through like butter. Can even do slight curves with it. Then a hole saw for the dials. Job was a goodn. Meanwhile 12 yrs ago I rearranged the layout in my boat and built a new toilet/ shower with 1” blockboard then lined the inside in a sheet vinyl (flooring)with spray glue. Still good to this day.


Sent from my iPhone using Norfolk Broads Network

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Boaters

Boaters

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When we moored in St Neots we were the butt of many jokes in the clubhouse about our Freeman  having a “ wallpapered toilet compartment “ but the truth was the walls would have taken forever to restore, so we did some good sealing and applied a very heavy duty cork patterned  Vynl wall covering which did the job ,looked good  and was still sound some ten years later. We also relined the ceiling fixing it  with a spray on carpet glue ,looked as good as our friends Freeman who paid £500 for theirs.Had the satisfaction of having done  the jobs our selves.🤗 

 

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Oddfellow

Oddfellow

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1 hour ago, Boaters said:

When we moored in St Neots we were the butt of many jokes in the clubhouse about our Freeman  having a “ wallpapered toilet compartment “ but the truth was the walls would have taken forever to restore, so we did some good sealing and applied a very heavy duty cork patterned  Vynl wall covering which did the job ,looked good  and was still sound some ten years later. We also relined the ceiling fixing it  with a spray on carpet glue ,looked as good as our friends Freeman who paid £500 for theirs.Had the satisfaction of having done  the jobs our selves.🤗 

 

In the Freeman world, covering any part of that beautiful woodwork with anything other than something with shellac is taboo. 

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SweetKingfisher1

SweetKingfisher1

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As promised two photos of the panels and the panel I have unscrewed and removed.

If anyone could help, but as you all know it is not that easy, because I found damp also and that is why it has happened.

 I am trying to dry it out, if only it would turn warmer and dryer.

Fingers crossed.

Regards

Marina

55A8869F-0D52-413B-B373-C36CE908C535.jpeg

BA9FF146-5572-4963-8118-EE305450B154.jpeg

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