What could be better than improving the value of your pleasure boating and recreational watercraft at such a small expense? Depending on the size and style of your boat, a $200 dollar investment in new marine grade carpet and some marine quality adhesive could net you a value of well over $1,000.

Your water sport enthusiasts will enjoy the experience even more with the luxurious feel of new quality carpet from boatcarpet.com beneath their feet and other body parts, more so than the factory carpet installed when the boat was new. Today’s color variety also allows you to make the boat look newer and enhances any new upholstery work you may want.

The new replacement carpet available today is more durable, more color stable, and has a longer lifespan than factory carpet and will likely last you the rest of the years that you own the boat.
New boat carpeting from boatcarpet.com only looks expensive. Why not invest a small amount now and install new marine grade boat carpeting and ensure more comfort, safety, and value from here on?

Okay, you have a boat and it needs to be recovered. Do you use vinyl or carpet?

First, let’s reveal some honest facts about both to make an informed decision, because you want to get the most enjoyment out of your boat and spend less time and expense working on another project.

Vinyl is a lot easier to clean. No doubt about it. But vinyl flooring is slippery when wet, and much more difficult and unforgiving of mistakes to install. Vinyl loses its sheen after a couple years max, and shows imperfections and scuff marks.

Vinyl tears and needs replacing more often than carpet. To replace Vinyl, the floor panels, seats, sidewalls, and other things must be removed.

Vinyl expands and contracts. Installation requires a nominal temperature, out of the sun. If vinyl is installed it in its expanded condition due to heat and direct sunlight it will shrink. Some people report that they have witnessed vinyl shrinkage as much as an inch on all sides!

Vinyl requires that the perimeter be sealed after it is installed to prevent any moisture from penetration. If water penetrates the vinyl, it bubbles up, molds, rots, and can deteriorate the wooden boat deck beneath.

If the wooden deck needs to be replaced you must be certain to use marine grade plywood. Occasionally you may order the correct wood and receive pressure-treated plywood, and this will not do the job!

Traditionally, boat carpets have a number of extra improvements engineered into it so it can withstand life in the water, exposed to the sun. Marine grade boat carpeting is backed with a synthetic that the polypropylene yarn is woven directly into, and is:

• resistant to UV and fading
• resistant to unraveling
• resistant to stains
• resistant to mold, mildew, and rot
• weather proof
• non-flammable
• porous for quick drying
• manufactured from special polypropylene yarn

Marine grade carpet, or boat carpet, cleans up much easier than regular carpet and hooks come right out without snagging and pulling the fibers. When it does get soaked, it will dry out very fast.

Carpets offer slip resistance. Cold, icy vinyl decks can be dangerous.

Boat carpet must meet a number of quality and manufacturing standards. Boat carpet is designed to handle harsh marine environments, but sooner or later they also become soiled or dirty. Boat carpet can be hosed down quickly, and with a few sprays of Febreze can withstand odors and smells from spills and fish, and is much more quiet and comfortable to the feet.

Cleaning boat carpet can be a reasonably simple process. Equipment and supplies needed include a shop vacuum, garden hose, white vinegar, and a brush. Note: Avoid using carpet shampoos or conditioners—they may cause carpet fibers to soften, resulting in the carpet to look and feel worn-out. With some time and patience you can have your boat carpet looking and feeling like new again.

Whether it’s in a Bass Boat, Pontoon Boat, Ski Boat, Deck Boat, or any other boat, boat carpet endures much abuse over the years. Marine grade boat carpet is manufactured to handle the abuse and harsh marine environments over an extended time, but even boat carpeting eventually shows signs of wear.

Replacing boat carpeting is an easy step-by-step process that only takes a couple hours.

Protect your boat with the right carpet and avoid the cheaper outdoor carpet as it will disappoint you in a couple of years. Trustworthy marine grade boat carpeting is the best investment for your boat floor—it’s what new boats come with and for good reason.

One of the questions we are often asked concerns the replacement of carpeting on boats and on trailers, among other outdoor uses. Hopefully we can save you some headaches later and extra work by addressing the circumstances and the best solution here.

If you are like most boating, fishing, outdoor enthusiasts, you want some durable carpet on the boat trailer, boat, and other surfaces that are in contact with the elements that don’t fall apart in a couple years and require replacement at a low cost, not to mention any damage to the boat decking and surfaces that may occur as a result of using inferior material.

The truth is marine grade carpet, as well as the backing and adhesives, are made for exactly this purpose. The price difference in this higher-grade quality is minimal with respect to the damage you will prevent from occurring to your boat or trailer, or other possibilities such as docks, decks, patios, pool house, cars, RVs, basements, garages; virtually any place where water can collect on a surface.

Every sportsman and mechanic knows that the craftsman chooses and uses the one, best tool to do the job, be it large or small, to ensure the best results. (You wouldn’t fillet a fish with a butter knife, would you?)

Often we see problems when people substitute the marine-grade carpet material with a non-marine grade material, such as indoor/outdoor carpet, plastic strips, and other creative “cost-cutting” matter. The results vary, but common problems include:

• The sun bleaches-out, dries-out the carpet and the rubber backing
• The carpet only lasts about one to two years and has to be replaced
• The rubber backing wears out quickly
• The boat drags on the carpet-covered trailer bunks, scratching the surface of the boat
• Mold collects within the fibers of the inferior carpet and backing
• The adhesives ruin the surface after the carpet and backing are removed
• The carpets stain or discolor easily
• The carpet has an odor (mildew)

Using outdoor carpet on a boat will retain water underneath the carpet, causing the deck of the boat to rot and ultimately creating a more costly project.

Most outdoor carpet is constructed the same as indoor carpet; the only difference is the rubber backing on it which technically allows it to be classified for outdoor use. This technique is notorious for permitting the organic materials to remain intact, which will rot and mold when exposed to water.

Marine carpet is made from superior polypropylene olefin that has been chemically treated to prevent sun damage, where others will lose color and deteriorate from sun exposure. Marine carpet is made solely of the polypropylene olefin fibers which are then threaded into the 100% rubber backing (not attached afterward as in indoor/outdoor carpet), making mold, mildew, or rot impossible when exposed to harsh marine environments.

The superior qualities of marine carpet are many. Marine carpet is lightweight, flexible enough to conform to varying shapes such as boat hulls, and is manufactured to desired widths for the boating industry for easier application. Marine carpet also drains fluids more easily because it is specially made for marine use, unlike indoor/outdoor carpeting, and is also stain and fire resistant. A simple cleaning with household cleaners and an occasional vacuuming is all the care needed for marine carpet, and it will last many years.

Quality marine carpet is engineered to endure constant wetness and humidity while delivering long-lasting comfort, and a nice-looking appearance, something to think about when considering trading up or selling a boat and trailer, not to mention the fewer times you will need to replace inferior carpet, saving you time, effort, and money.

Here at BoatCarpet.com, we offer a wide selection of colors to accommodate all of our customers needs. All of our carpet is UV stabilized polypropylene/olefin to ensure that its color will last for years to come, even under the harshest marine environments and sun exposure. Our carpet is also chemically treated to resist the suns heat.

When deciding on the color of marine carpet for your boat, you want to get a color that matches, but you also want to take into account for the sun. We offer darker colors because of their sleek look and demand, but they may become hot when exposed to the sun for extended periods of time. Though our darker colors may become warmer when exposed to the sun, the exposure will not damage or affect the carpet or your boat in any way. BoatCarpet.com’s marine carpet has been thoroughly checked for durability ratings, maintenance, and tolerance of weather conditions.

If you are having trouble deciding which carpet would look the best on your boat or you want to veer away from a darker carpet, you may want to take advantage of our free sample program. So when you are deciding on which marine grade carpet is right for your boat, you want to make sure that the carpet will look good on your boat, but you also want to take into account for the sun. For more information check out our boat carpet color guide. You can also visit our boat carpet shop directly.

Check out or new boat carpet installation center for information on installing your replacement marine carpet. It has useful documents for installing pontoon boat carpet, bunk carpet, marine carpet, bass boat carpet, removing your old boat carpet, cleaning your carpet, ideal conditions for installation, as well as a new boat carpet video section. We will constantly be updating this section with new photos, before and afters, videos, and other useful information.
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We just added a video of our booth from the 2011 Grand Rapids Boat Show. We featured all of our marine grade replacement boat carpet products. We will be uploading more and more videos to our new YouTube account as they become available.

BoatCarpet.com Grand Rapids Boat Show Video
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Check out our new marine carpet specials blog for special promotions, offers, and short roll cuts. We will update this blog periodically as special short cut boat carpet rolls become available. We will also be giving away some FREE products and gift certificates as well as holding a special contest in the near future so stay tune.

Start shopping for replacement boat carpet today!
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Check out our new website today to shop for all your replacement boat carpet. With our new website you can easily navigate and find the best marine grade boat carpet for your boat. We have a complete boat carpet color, sizing, specifications, and comparison guide to help you chose whats right for you.

Some new website features include international shipping, custom cut quote request, easy checkout, and much more!

Request a FREE boat carpet sample

View our boat carpet store
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Boat carpet takes a lot of abuse over the years whether it’s in a Bass Boat, Pontoon Boat, Ski Boat, Deck Boat, or any other boat. Even though marine grade boat carpet is manufactured to handle the abuse and harsh marine environments, over time boat carpeting eventually tends to show signs of wear. Therefore, when the time comes for you to decide to replace your boat carpeting but don’t know where to start, no worries its an easy step-by-step process that only takes a couple hours.

Complete steps to remove your old boat carpet.
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