Best Pontoon Flooring Replacement Options for 2021

The best pontoon flooring replacement options for 2021 include vinyl, faux teak, and high-quality weatherproof carpet. As your pontoon boat gets older, you’ll eventually need to install some updates to fight the signs of aging. Pontoon flooring and furniture are the first and most typical places that demonstrate wear and tear over the years. Today, however, we’ll be focusing on pontoon flooring.

Pontoon flooring is arguably the most important part of the anatomy of any pontoon boat. The purpose of a pontoon floor is to provide support and structure to the boat. It serves as a surface for you to walk and attach other boat components such as equipment and furniture.

If you’re a beginner pontoon enthusiast or merely a curious mind, the basic definition of a vessel’s floor is “the part of the bottom of a vessel on each side of the keelson, which is most nearly horizontal.” That being said, the flooring of a pontoon is pretty different right off the bat because it’s completely horizontal and raised quite a bit.

Why is the Correct Pontoon Flooring So Important?

replacement pontoon flooring options include teak, vinyl, and carpet
Popular replacement pontoon flooring options include woven vinyl, faux teak, and marine carpet.

Since the marine flooring offers structural reinforcement for your pontoon, it has to be sturdy enough to withstand the constant weight of people, equipment, and furniture on top. It also needs to be resistant to weather conditions and phenomena such as varying temperatures, waves, and storms. 

A strong marine floor automatically equals a healthy pontoon, which is why it’s a smart idea for every pontoon owner to learn about the flooring of their boat, from how to clean, protect, and maintain it to repairing or replacing it altogether.

Why Should You Replace Your Pontoon Boat Flooring?

Because this article is mainly concerned with pontoon flooring replacement, let’s shed light on some of the reasons why you may be replacing it. 

The first reason is discovering you have a rotting floor. This is when your pontoon flooring becomes soft because of mold. Rot can quickly spread to healthy flooring as well as the rest of your pontoon, creating a terrible, possibly dangerous mess.

Some pontoon owners will only patch up the rotten section, but if you have the resources to remove the entire flooring or if you can see the rot spreading all over, then replacing the floor is the best thing you can do to save the pontoon. There’s no way to know how bad the rotting is simply because it could’ve reached spots that you can’t notice right away.

The second reason is the signs of wear. These include cracks, dents, holes, split seams, and leaks, which may be letting water leak inside the bottom part of the pontoon construction.

woven vinyl replacement flooring on a pontoon boat
Woven vinyl flooring is among the longest-lasting and most popular pontoon flooring choices.

Another reason why you may be considering flooring replacement is to raise the value of your pontoon if you plan on selling it down the road. Replacing the existing floor of the pontoon with something more modern and sturdy will give it a better chance on the market. 

Lastly, you may be just looking for a style change-up, which is easy to achieve with a floor replacement.

What Are the Best Pontoon Flooring Options?

In any case, if you’re wondering what material you should use for pontoon flooring replacement, we’re happy to report that there are many options available. The most popular ones include vinyl, faux teak decking, and carpet flooring.

Carpet has been a popular choice for pontoon flooring since way back because it’s comfortable to walk on, has an affordable price, and easy to install. Due to molding issues, vinyl became a popular alternative to carpet as it’s much easier to clean. As for faux teak, it’s a cheaper, lower maintenance substitute to real marine teak.

In each of the sections below, we’ll take a closer look at those three options for pontoon flooring, discussing their advantages, disadvantages, possible color options, and how to install them.

Thanks for stopping by the Pontoon Authority pontoon accessories and reviews website. Being that you’re looking for replacement pontoon boat flooring options, you may also be interested in our guides on how to replace pontoon furniture, how to clean vinyl boat seats, the best pontoon boat covers, the best pontoon boat anchors, and the best anchor winches.

Pontoon Flooring Options Comparison Chart

Pontoon Boat Flooring MaterialSummary
VinylEasy to install, maintain, and clean. UV resistant with good warranties.
TeakLooks great and has superior non-slip properties.
CarpetAffordable, soft, and comfortable with great traction.
Pontoon Flooring Replacement Options

Replacing Your Pontoon Boat Flooring With Vinyl

Over the past few years, marine vinyl has become extremely popular as a pontoon flooring material. 

Advantages of Vinyl Pontoon Flooring

marine vinyl replacement flooring on a pontoon boat
Marine vinyl looks great and installs easily on your pontoon boat.

One of the biggest advantages of marine vinyl flooring is that it’s very easy to maintain compared to carpet. Instead of vigorous scrubbing, vinyl just requires a good hose down and you’re done! Just make sure you let it completely dry before covering it if you’re winterizing the pontoon.

This brings us to the second advantage of vinyl – it’s really easy to keep clean. Vinyl doesn’t absorb stains or hold onto dirt. A hose down is all you need to restore its squeaky clean condition. 

Imagine how handy this can be if your line breaks after a catch and the fish flopped on the deck, or if someone spilled a sugary drink that turns sticky when dry. 

Not to mention, vinyl doesn’t get affected by humidity. So, if you live somewhere humid, you don’t have to worry about mold growing and spreading.

Another advantage of using vinyl for pontoon flooring is the simple installation compared to both carpet and faux teak. Many types of vinyl tiles are equipped with adhesive on the back so you just peel and place them down. There are also vinyl planks that you can glue together.

Vinyl flooring is also UV resistant, which means its pigmentation will stand strong upon exposure to the sun. Your pontoon will stay looking fresh and vibrant. Additionally, you’re likely to get a longer warranty deal when buying vinyl flooring because it’s highly durable and will probably last you beyond the warranty period.

Disadvantages of Vinyl Pontoon Flooring

Maring vinyl flooring does come with a couple of downsides, slipping being the most evident one. When vinyl gets wets, it becomes slippery. You could lose your grip and fall, hitting your head on equipment or falling overboard in the process.

This is more of a concern if you plan on having kids on board as they’re clumsier than adults, so you’ll need to always keep an eye out for them. If you want to stay on the safe side, you can go for textured woven vinyl to provide the missing traction along with all the pros of vinyl.

How To Install Vinyl Pontoon Flooring

To install marine vinyl pontoon flooring, you need to first prepare the surface. Remove any pre-existing flooring as well as all the equipment and furniture. Then, clean the deck before starting the procedure.

Use a broom or a leaf blower to get rid of any unwanted debris (such as screws and sawdust). After that, it’s time to unpack your vinyl sheets.

You’ll measure the appropriate dimensions for your pontoon’s floor, then cut and install according to the type of vinyl flooring you. Some vinyl tiles have an adhesive backing for quick placement, while others planks require gluing together.

After you’re done, allow the vinyl to dry for a few hours. It’s even better if you avoid walking over the floor or put back any equipment or furniture for at least 24 hours. You can resume heavy activity on the pontoon after 48 hours.

RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Gray, 20') | Made in USA
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 6' Wide - 34 mil. (Gray, 6' x 15')
Marideck 34 Mil Marine Grade Vinyl Boat Flooring 6' Wide (Gray, 6' x 15')
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 8.5' Wide - 34 mil. (Stone Gray, 8.5' x 20')
RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Gray, 20') | Made in USA
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 6' Wide - 34 mil. (Gray, 6' x 15')
Marideck 34 Mil Marine Grade Vinyl Boat Flooring 6' Wide (Gray, 6' x 15')
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 8.5' Wide - 34 mil. (Stone Gray, 8.5' x 20')
$509.95
$235.00
$279.99
$645.00
RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Gray, 20') | Made in USA
RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Gray, 20') | Made in USA
$509.95
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 6' Wide - 34 mil. (Gray, 6' x 15')
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 6' Wide - 34 mil. (Gray, 6' x 15')
$235.00
Marideck 34 Mil Marine Grade Vinyl Boat Flooring 6' Wide (Gray, 6' x 15')
Marideck 34 Mil Marine Grade Vinyl Boat Flooring 6' Wide (Gray, 6' x 15')
$279.99
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 8.5' Wide - 34 mil. (Stone Gray, 8.5' x 20')
MariDeck Marine Vinyl Flooring - 8.5' Wide - 34 mil. (Stone Gray, 8.5' x 20')
$645.00

We’re an Amazon affiliate and we hope you love the products we recommend! We may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. These images are provided by the Amazon Product Advertising API.

Replacing Your Pontoon Boat Flooring With Faux Teak

Teak is a tropical hardwood tree that provides extremely durable flooring for boats. It can add a unique feeling of warmth to the appearance of your pontoon and act as a nice non-skid surface. The problem is, teak is very expensive and a major hassle to maintain.

Advantages of Faux Teak Pontoon Flooring

faux teak replacement flooring on a pontoon boat
Faux teak pontoon flooring is among the most popular replacement options.

Luckily, synthetic or faux teak marine flooring can give you the look of real teak, without the grand cost and heavy maintenance. You can install faux teak at a fraction of the price (about 30% to 50% less based on the job) and avoid the issues of splitting or going gray at the same time.

Additionally, marine faux teak is much more eco-friendly since it doesn’t demand harvesting hardwood trees. Synthetic teak is made out of textured PVC plastic.

An advantage of faux teak over real teak is that it doesn’t allow stains from fish guts or spilled beverages to soak in. If you do end up with a stain on the floor, just use some coarse-grit sandpaper to sand it off and it should be as good as new!

Another benefit of choosing marine faux teak for pontoon flooring is its superior non-skid properties. Some pontoon owners would even go as far as saying that it delivers better grip when wet than real teak. This is great for avoiding slipping accidents, especially with children on board.

Disadvantages of Faux Teak Pontoon Flooring

Still, there are a few drawbacks when it comes to faux teak. For example, synthetic teak pontoon floors are prone to bubbling due to trapped air bubbles or adhesive grassing. This is why you need an experienced installer, particularly for larger replacement jobs.

Temperature is also a concern when you’re working with faux teak pontoon flooring. Real teak already gets pretty hot when exposed to the sun, but synthetic PVC teak can get even warmer, more so when it’s denser and darker in color.

This isn’t good news for your feet, however, you can alleviate the issue by choosing a lighter-colored and less dense faux teak flooring.

Some faux teak materials/manufacturers offer a range of customization options including colors, logos, graphics, and boat names. Some also feature UV resistance to prolong the service life of the pontoon flooring.

How To Install Faux Teak Pontoon Flooring

Similar to vinyl, the process of installing marine faux teak flooring starts with preparing the surface by removing all the furniture and equipment, then thoroughly cleaning it to remove unwanted debris.

From there, we can break down the procedure into four main steps: making a template, cutting and gluing together the PVC teak strips to build large panels, cutting the panels to the required size then adding borders around their edges, and lastly gluing the panels down on the pontoon.

After that, you’ll need to let the glue cure for at least 72  hours. You can use weights (such as steel bars, plywood work, or steel bars) on the corners and edges to make sure everything stays in place. 

Also, don’t forget to pay extra attention to rolling out excess air and spreading out the glue evenly. This will help you avoid bubbling in the flooring.

KT GuoMei 94.5"× 35.4" EVA Foam Boat Decking Sheet Faux Teak Decking Self-Adhesive Marine Yacht RV Swimming Pool Boat Flooring Sheet Thick Non-Skid (Light Gray and Blue Stripes)
EVA Foam Faux Teak Sheet Boat Yacht Synthetic Teak Decking Marine Mat, Brown - 35.4 x 94.5 inches
Boat Flooring EVA Foam Faux Teak Marine Mat Self-Adhesive Decking Sheet Non Slip Carpet for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Surfboard Deckinging (35in x 94in Grey with Black Seam Lines)
Zeeos EVA Foam Teak Decking Floor Sheet,Non-Skid-Self-Adhesive Flooring Synthetic Deck Marine Yacht RV Boat Flooring Mats,Teak with Black line(94.5''x36'')
Eva Foam Yacht Deck Sheet Faux Teak Boat Flooring Non-Slip Mats Waterproof Self-Adhesive Flooring Material for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Swimming Pool 94.5“×35.4” Light Brown With Black Grooves
KT GuoMei 94.5"× 35.4" EVA Foam Boat Decking Sheet Faux Teak Decking Self-Adhesive Marine Yacht RV Swimming Pool Boat Flooring Sheet Thick Non-Skid (Light Gray and Blue Stripes)
EVA Foam Faux Teak Sheet Boat Yacht Synthetic Teak Decking Marine Mat, Brown - 35.4 x 94.5 inches
Boat Flooring EVA Foam Faux Teak Marine Mat Self-Adhesive Decking Sheet Non Slip Carpet for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Surfboard Deckinging (35in x 94in Grey with Black Seam Lines)
Zeeos EVA Foam Teak Decking Floor Sheet,Non-Skid-Self-Adhesive Flooring Synthetic Deck Marine Yacht RV Boat Flooring Mats,Teak with Black line(94.5''x36'')
Eva Foam Yacht Deck Sheet Faux Teak Boat Flooring Non-Slip Mats Waterproof Self-Adhesive Flooring Material for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Swimming Pool 94.5“×35.4” Light Brown With Black Grooves
Price not available
Price not available
$58.99
Price not available
$53.99
KT GuoMei 94.5"× 35.4" EVA Foam Boat Decking Sheet Faux Teak Decking Self-Adhesive Marine Yacht RV Swimming Pool Boat Flooring Sheet Thick Non-Skid (Light Gray and Blue Stripes)
KT GuoMei 94.5"× 35.4" EVA Foam Boat Decking Sheet Faux Teak Decking Self-Adhesive Marine Yacht RV Swimming Pool Boat Flooring Sheet Thick Non-Skid (Light Gray and Blue Stripes)
Price not available
EVA Foam Faux Teak Sheet Boat Yacht Synthetic Teak Decking Marine Mat, Brown - 35.4 x 94.5 inches
EVA Foam Faux Teak Sheet Boat Yacht Synthetic Teak Decking Marine Mat, Brown - 35.4 x 94.5 inches
Price not available
Boat Flooring EVA Foam Faux Teak Marine Mat Self-Adhesive Decking Sheet Non Slip Carpet for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Surfboard Deckinging (35in x 94in Grey with Black Seam Lines)
Boat Flooring EVA Foam Faux Teak Marine Mat Self-Adhesive Decking Sheet Non Slip Carpet for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Surfboard Deckinging (35in x 94in Grey with Black Seam Lines)
$58.99
Zeeos EVA Foam Teak Decking Floor Sheet,Non-Skid-Self-Adhesive Flooring Synthetic Deck Marine Yacht RV Boat Flooring Mats,Teak with Black line(94.5''x36'')
Zeeos EVA Foam Teak Decking Floor Sheet,Non-Skid-Self-Adhesive Flooring Synthetic Deck Marine Yacht RV Boat Flooring Mats,Teak with Black line(94.5''x36'')
Price not available
Eva Foam Yacht Deck Sheet Faux Teak Boat Flooring Non-Slip Mats Waterproof Self-Adhesive Flooring Material for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Swimming Pool 94.5“×35.4” Light Brown With Black Grooves
Eva Foam Yacht Deck Sheet Faux Teak Boat Flooring Non-Slip Mats Waterproof Self-Adhesive Flooring Material for Motorboat RV Yacht Kayak Swimming Pool 94.5“×35.4” Light Brown With Black Grooves
$53.99

We’re an Amazon affiliate and we hope you love the products we recommend! We may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. These images are provided by the Amazon Product Advertising API.

Replacing Your Pontoon Boat Flooring With Carpet

The last pontoon flooring option we’ll discuss is marine carpet. As we mentioned above, has always been a popular choice among pontoon owners. It’s quite affordable, which makes it cost-effective for large-scale projects that require purchasing a lot of flooring materials.

Advantages of Carpet Pontoon Flooring

marine carpet replacement flooring on a pontoon boat
Marine carpet for your pontoon boat is affordable and provides for great traction.

You should keep in mind, however, that we’re not talking about the regular carpet you’d buy for a house. Since the carpet is bound to get wet, you should buy the marine type because it’s meant to handle boating conditions being resistant to water and weather.

The main reason why many pontoon owners prefer carpet flooring over other pontoon flooring types is that it’s a whole lot more comfortable than most flooring options on the market. The carpet material usually feels rather soft, which makes it suitable for walking barefoot.

Additionally, marine carpeted pontoon flooring adds homey vibes to the pontoon, helping you feel more relaxed. Granted, comfort may not sound very practical, but many people consider it crucial since they use boating time to de-stress in a comfortable setting.

Another advantage of carpeted pontoon flooring is traction. Unlike vinyl flooring where the lack of traction is a major drawback, carpet flooring will effectively keep you grounded at all times even when it gets wet. 

This greatly minimizes the risk of someone slipping and falling over or injuring themselves, so you and your family/friends will stay safe while walking around on board.

Disadvantages of Carpet Pontoon Flooring

As for the disadvantages of marine carpeted flooring, cleanliness is what immediately comes to mind. One of the biggest problems with carpet is that it soaks up moisture. As a result, if you spill a drink on the floor, you can bet it’s going to stain and leave an odor behind.

This will also be the case if you’re fishing and a fish flops on your carpeted floor. The odor will get absorbed by the carpet and your pontoon will reek of fish.

The solution here is to scrub the mess thoroughly until the stain and odor are removed.

Another drawback we mentioned earlier is rotting, which happens when the carpet is exposed to water for extended periods without proper drying and cleaning. Rot could spread to healthy flooring weakening wood and causing creaks.

How To Install Carpet Pontoon Flooring

To replace your pontoon boat flooring with marine carpet, you’ll need to first clear the deck and work surface. Then, you’ll remove the existing flooring as well as the old glue.

After that, you should measure the amount of carpet needed then once you get enough carpet, lay it over the floor while rolled up. Place glue down on the floor then lay the carpet on top, making sure to smooth out any bumps in the carpet.

You can use a rolling pin or a steel pipe for this purpose. Finally, allow the glue to completely dry for one or two days.

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32 oz. Pontoon Boat Carpet - 8.5' Wide x Various Lengths (Choose Your Color!) (Granite, 8.5' x 25')
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$434.98
32 oz. Pontoon Boat Carpet - 8.5' Wide x Various Lengths (Choose Your Color!) (Granite, 8.5' x 25')
32 oz. Pontoon Boat Carpet - 8.5' Wide x Various Lengths (Choose Your Color!) (Granite, 8.5' x 25')
$345.00
16 OZ Cut Pile Boat/Marine Boat Carpet
16 OZ Cut Pile Boat/Marine Boat Carpet
$255.00
RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Tan, 20') | Made in USA
RecPro Extreme Duty Indoor/Outdoor RV TPO | RV Flooring | Boat Flooring | Marine Flooring (Tan, 20') | Made in USA
$509.95
8' x 24' 20oz Marine Grade Boat Carpet - Gray
8' x 24' 20oz Marine Grade Boat Carpet - Gray
$434.98

We’re an Amazon affiliate and we hope you love the products we recommend! We may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. These images are provided by the Amazon Product Advertising API.

Pontoon Flooring Replacement FAQs

What is the best flooring for a pontoon boat?

The most common options for pontoon flooring are plywood, carpet, and vinyl. Plywood pontoon flooring, or more specifically, marine-grade plywood is often the go-to choice for pontoon owners interested in wood flooring.

Carpet flooring is comfortable and economic, but it’s prone to stains and rot. Vinyl flooring is durable, easy to clean, and won’t fade with extended exposure to the sun. However, it can get rather slippery when wet and very hot in sunny weather.

How much does it cost to recarpet a pontoon boat?

Marine carpet flooring is the budget option among all the other types of pontoon flooring. 

The tools you’ll need for installation will cost you a couple of hundred dollars at maximum. The carpet itself is going to be the biggest expense, costing you up to $500 depending on how much you need.

How to remove old glue from pontoon flooring?

There are a couple of different ways you can remove old glue from pontoon flooring in preparation for flooring replacement. You can either use a floor sander tool to sand the glue marks off or use a liquid adhesive remover.

How to clean pontoon vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring is very easy to clean; a hose down should do the trick. There’s no need for harsh scrubbing as dirt and debris do not penetrate the surface. 

That being said, you should regularly spray the surfaces down to avoid dirt build-up, as well as wipe or mop any spills as soon as possible using a damp cloth or mop.

For a deeper clean, pressure wash your vinyl flooring and let it air dry in the sun. In the rare event of staining, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations using detergents that are safe for marine environments.

How to clean pontoon carpet flooring?

Cleaning your pontoon boat carpet is crucial to maintain it in good condition. 

To start, you’ll wet the entire carpet flooring and then scrub out any dirt using a soft brush. You’ll add water again and apply soap to the carpet.

Allow the soap to soak for a bit then wash it thoroughly off the water while scrubbing. Lastly, dry the carpet and run over it with a vacuum cleaner.

For stubborn stains, you can try a mixture of water and vinegar. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes and wash. Repeat this until the stain is removed.

How to clean pontoon faux teak flooring?

To clean your pontoon faux teak flooring, wash the synthetic teak flooring with soap and water, as simple as that! 

The best time for cleaning is after cruising since you’ll be washing the boat anyway. You can use your regular boat washing detergent or a small drop of washing up liquid in the water you’re using.

If there are any greasy marks such as food stains or sunscreen, using hot soapy water should work just fine. A nylon brush or non-scratch scourer can be rather helpful in loosening stubborn dirt.

 

Top Considerations When Choosing the Best Replacement Pontoon Flooring for Your Needs

Cost of Material

This goes without saying but the cost of the material will have an influence on what type of flooring you choose.

Type and Color of Material

One of your first considerations when choosing the best replacement pontoon flooring is what type and color of material work best for your needs. While most of your decision comes down to personal taste and the color of your pontoon boat, there are some pros and cons to consider.

Size of the Boat

Another consideration for your flooring choice is the size of your pontoon boat as that will affect the overall price of the materials.

Type of Subfloor

The type of subfloor you have beneath your current pontoon flooring may affect the type of material that you choose.

Type of Glue

The material you choose will determine what type of glue is necessary for the appropriate adhesion.