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Lino for back cabin floor


monkeyhanger

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I need some black and white squared lino for my back cabin floor, and would appreciate some help. Would the pattern normally be "squared" or diagonal? What size would the squares normally be?

Can anyone recommend a useful source? I'm in East London

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I believe the "traditional" product for this was usually laid in "squares", rather than "diamonds", and that those squares were quite small 3" or 4" sides, possibly.

From what I have seen of people trying to seek out a modern alternative it is not easy to find.  Yes, you can find black and white squared vinyl floor coverings, but the sides of each square are more like 6", so it is not a very accurate copy of how it used to be, I think.

I believe Sarah, ("Chertsey"), may have researched this a bit.  She posts here again sometimes now, so might have some sage advice on the topic, if she spots it.

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If you locate a source, could you let us know?  I've been looking for this for years.

In the end my wife painstakingly painted black and white squares onto a ply floor in the cabin of Hampton.

I don't think she's going to volunteer to do the same when we get our butty back after its restoration with new back cabin, so I'm on the lookout.

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Just now, koukouvagia said:

If you locate a source, could you let us know?  I've been looking for this for years.

In the end my wife painstakingly painted black and white squares onto a ply floor in the cabin of Hampton.

I don't think she's going to volunteer to do the same when we get our butty back after its restoration with new back cabin, so I'm on the lookout.

I've found a few places on the internet, with various styles and sizes, but I'm reluctant to order until I'm certain of what I should be ordering! I'll keep you informed.

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Just now, Derek R. said:

I have rag rugs to go on top.

Thanks for the links. I've only just noticed them.

Edited by monkeyhanger
need to add something
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Having spent some time selling vinyl and carpets, and using it in my boat, I can recommend it. It is warm to bare feet and easy to keep clean - just don't buy cheap versions, you will regret it. If you can find one locally, I suggest you try an independent local shop for a good deal - the big boys load everything before they offer you the 'great deal'!

 

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I spoke to an ex-working boatman friend for his opinion on back cabin lino, and he couldn't give me a definitive answer, so he asked a few of his ex-boatman friends. Again, the answers seemed to be "unsure", until one person came up with the solution. The lino you used was "whatever you could get off the skip."

This caused me to think. I had assumed that the "traditional" back cabin pattern was black and white squares, but in my childhood in the 50s and 60s we had chequer pattern lino in the bathroom at home, which was, by the way, about a hundred miles from the nearest canal.

Perhaps the tradition of chequered lino in back cabin began in the 50s and 60s, when that was what land dwellers were putting in their homes as it was fashionable at the time, and disposing of small offcuts which the boaters could pick up and use. Any thoughts?

Edited to say Pluto  beat me to it.

Edited by monkeyhanger
seen previous post
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2 hours ago, Derek R. said:

I've seen these before.  The squares are far too big.  

Edited by koukouvagia
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Just now, furnessvale said:

You can always buy 12" square self adhesive vynil tiles, a pack of white and a pack of black.  Cut with a Stanley knife to the desired size and apply alternately to the floor.

George ex nb Alton retired

I did think of that, but 12 inch tiles would, to my mind, seem too large. But of course, my opinion may change if I saw them in position on the floor

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Just now, koukouvagia said:

I've seen these before.  The squares are far to big.  

The lino I have found has squares of 8 inches or 4 inches. My thoughts are that the smaller ones would be better. I'm hoping that someone will post photos with measurements!

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I bought some from a site called online carpets, tried to attach a picture but can't. Squares are small and lino is good quality, they list it as follows - Pisa Black White Elite Tiles Rhinofloor Vinyl Flooring.

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Just now, BWM said:

I bought some from a site called online carpets, tried to attach a picture but can't. Squares are small and lino is good quality, they list it as follows - Pisa Black White Elite Tiles Rhinofloor Vinyl Flooring.

http://www.onlinecarpets.co.uk/pisa-black-white-elite-tiles-rhinofloor-vinyl-flooring.html

rhinofloor-pisa.jpg

Diamond orientation of the squares (unless you cut it on the diagonal). Specification says 12cm tiles, so smaller than the others, but still a bit too big - unless the 12cm is the diagonal measurement which equates to 8.5cm or 3.3 in squares. 

Free sample too if anyone wants to tae a look.

 

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17 hours ago, furnessvale said:

You can always buy 12" square self adhesive vynil tiles, a pack of white and a pack of black.  Cut with a Stanley knife to the desired size and apply alternately to the floor.

George ex nb Alton retired

 

15 hours ago, monkeyhanger said:

I did think of that, but 12 inch tiles would, to my mind, seem too large. But of course, my opinion may change if I saw them in position on the floor

 

I think you have missed the bit of George's reply that you quoted which I have now highlighted above.

I think George is suggesting cuttin up 12" tiles to make (say) 16 times 3" tiles, (or maybe 9 times 4" tiles) from each.

I think 3" is probably right, 4" probably "close enough" but anything larger will look quite wrong.

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13 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

I think George is suggesting cuttin up 12" tiles to make (say) 16 times 3" tiles, (or maybe 9 times 4" tiles) from each.

Or if 3" is too small and 4" too big, then 9 times (say) 3.5" and throw away the leftover bits.

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36 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

 

I think you have missed the bit of George's reply that you quoted which I have now highlighted above.

I think George is suggesting cuttin up 12" tiles to make (say) 16 times 3" tiles, (or maybe 9 times 4" tiles) from each.

I think 3" is probably right, 4" probably "close enough" but anything larger will look quite wrong.

I realised immediately after I'd posted my reply that the 12 inch tiles could be reduced in size, but I also realised that , as my cabin floor is in 3 sections, sticking down tiles which almost certainly wouldn't match up with the floor panels, wasn't really a viable option.

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21 hours ago, koukouvagia said:

If you locate a source, could you let us know?  I've been looking for this for years.

In the end my wife painstakingly painted black and white squares onto a ply floor in the cabin of Hampton.

I don't think she's going to volunteer to do the same when we get our butty back after its restoration with new back cabin, so I'm on the lookout.

I've ordered a piece of Rhino Floor, Pisa pattern from "Moreforyourfloor" on Ebay. The squares are approx 4 inches, laid in a diamond pattern. Hope this helps. If you want to have a look, I'll be at Cavalcade and Ricky.   Jack

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2 minutes ago, monkeyhanger said:

I realised immediately after I'd posted my reply that the 12 inch tiles could be reduced in size, but I also realised that , as my cabin floor is in 3 sections, sticking down tiles which almost certainly wouldn't match up with the floor panels, wasn't really a viable option.

Assuming you have, (as we do), 3 liftable floors stretching between the engine room bulkhead (or door) and at to the back of the swim, (possibly under a coal box), would a variation on the "David Mack" method work?

Measure the middle board exactly, and then find how many complete tiles of your preferred size it is long.  Lets say it is 32", and your preference is a tile size of 3".  You can get 10 full tiles on, but they would then fall 2" short of the full length of that panel.  But if you increase your tile size to make 10 tiles measure 32", you could then cut tile squares of 3.2" from your 12" ones, (discarding he excess beyond the 9 small tiles it can source). This would fill your middle 34" floor panel.  Then go forwards from there on the front panel, and backwards from there on the back panel, still using cut 3.2" squares, and introducing short pieces at the extreme forward and backward end if required.  This way each of your two joins in the floor will exactly coincide with cut tiles, so you don't actually have visible part tiles in the middle of the floor.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, and need to "get a life"!.....

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Thanks to everyone who submitted helpful suggestions on the subject. My lino is now ordered but I'm still none the wiser as to when the tradition of "chequer pattern" lino in a back cabin first began- if it is actually a tradition.

 My ex boatman friend has an inkling that he may have first seen it the Skinner's "Friendship", as he was friendly with them years ago. Is anyone going to Ellesmere Port over the Easter weekend? Perhaps, if you remember, you could have a quick look in Friendship's cabin and report back.

Edited by monkeyhanger
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2 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Assuming you have, (as we do), 3 liftable floors stretching between the engine room bulkhead (or door) and at to the back of the swim, (possibly under a coal box), would a variation on the "David Mack" method work?

Measure the middle board exactly, and then find how many complete tiles of your preferred size it is long.  Lets say it is 32", and your preference is a tile size of 3".  You can get 10 full tiles on, but they would then fall 2" short of the full length of that panel.  But if you increase your tile size to make 10 tiles measure 32", you could then cut tile squares of 3.2" from your 12" ones, (discarding he excess beyond the 9 small tiles it can source). This would fill your middle 34" floor panel.  Then go forwards from there on the front panel, and backwards from there on the back panel, still using cut 3.2" squares, and introducing short pieces at the extreme forward and backward end if required.  This way each of your two joins in the floor will exactly coincide with cut tiles, so you don't actually have visible part tiles in the middle of the floor.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, and need to "get a life"!.....

That sounds perfectly feasible, if a little complicated for me. My intention is to raise the cabin floorboards as little as possible, so a one piece solution works for me!

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