tips on laying Hyrdo Turf

Either use a carpenter's framing square and a long straightedge or use one of those drywall installers 48" long t-squares. I've noticed that sheets are not exactly square from the factory.

 

Where is the best place to buy it at? Just anywhere?
Sure like the idea of not burning on hot boat decks and some added traction

 

Folks buy direct from Hydroturf and get the 2nds pretty cheap when available. Generally they have available the gray diamond pattern in 2nds. I have done multiple boats with Hydroturf bought from BFC Marine (Gatortrax Boats) in Louisiana. They used to have an exclusive on the OD green color in the grooved pattern. Not sure if they still have the exclusive on that or whether you can buy it elsewhere. My current boat, which is now 10 years old, has some of that in it. They also have various patterns of "camo" colors.

 

Best price i found awhile back was on ebay

 

That stuff is great. Use a framing T-square, Exacto knife, etc to measure and cut it. I am very OCD when it comes to stuff like this. Get yourself some cardboard and make patterns for your boat, especially the bow area. Once you have your pattern out of cardboard, trace onto the back of the hydroturf and then cut. Don't worry about lining up the pattern exactly, you cant see it. just run all the stuff the same direction. I have had mine down for 6 years and not one single piece has come off and I hunt 50 plus days a year w/ a dog. When snow and ice you won't slip.

 

I did mine this spring. I used the spray on adhesive and I wish that I had used a brush or roller instead.

My is down but in hot weather (90+ I get a few bubbles, that then go back when the weather cools). The stuff is fantastic though, I can not imagine ever owning a metal boat without it.

 

When you get bubbles in it, take your knife and poke it thru the material at one end of the bubble. Then work the air out towards the hole you poked in it. Sometimes you may need to do it a couple of times depending on the size of the bubble. Also have done the hole in the middle of the bubble and work all sides to the hole. This generally takes care of the bubbles for good. You'll never get the air out if you don't poke a hole in it. The trapped air is why there's a bubble!

 

Lay it out on your deck the way you want it. Cut it to fit. Use the brush or roll on cement, get the piece in the desired position and put some weight on it to hold it in place. Pull up one end brush/roll both pieces, let it get tacky/almost dry- then put in down. Move weight to the glued side and repeat on the unglued side. This way it stays were you want it to be and it doesn't accidentally get stuck down while trying to do the whole piece at once. Good luck

 

I always use the pre-glued stuff but I lay it in the same way as described above. Peel back some of the backing, stick the piece down. Dry lay the rest of the piece with backing intact. Peel away more backing and stick more of the sheet...keep going until it is all stuck down where you want it.

 

How long do you typically wait for each piece?

We talking peel, stick, wait a few minutes, repeat
or
Peel stick, go eat a sandwich & nap and then come back?