A buddy I work with has a 19ft NR Scout, and we have been discussing floor treatments to soften the glare coming from the diamond plate.

He's set on painting it grey with a non-slip paint.

I think he should get rubber floor mats because it will probably be like painting a deck, ...and need to be re-done every couple years to keep it looking good.

Keeping cleanup and maintenance in mind, I'd like to hear from any of you folks who have done any type of treatment to diamond floors, either with mats, painting, or otherwise.

Thanks!

I agree with the painting and maintaining.


Scuff it up--rubber mats, maybe spray on bedliner-linex.

Use Superclean in the purple bottle from an auto store to clean it. It will slightly oxidize it and take the glare off. I love the diamond plate floor boards in my boat, it cleans up so easy!

Keith

Everyone I've talked to says the glare wears off in time.

If you are too impatient for natural wear/tear, you could try giving it the "brushed" stainless look (like all the fancy a$$ hi-grade kitchen appliances) with a scouring pad and a little coarse AJAX.

One of the board sponsors here took scotch brite to his diamond plate floors and it is considerably better. mine have become dull over time.

I'm just curious, what is the big deal about diamond plate? I'm not knocking it, I just don't understand the fascination with it? It looks pretty good and is probably indestructible but it seems like other materials would be up to the task while costing and weighing less? Does painting/covering it take away from some of its appeal?

Just trying to understand.

Here's my take... A black floor gets too hot in the summer, wood floors rott out, vinyl floors tear and diamond plate floors are indestructable....

If anything, you can put carpet over the diamond plate and it will last a few years but if you're putting a lot of fish in the boat it starts smelling bad quickly. I tore mine out and went back to the diamond plate....

Keith

I have had vinyl floors and they require to much work to keep clean. A litle bait dye and they look like crap. diamond plate is just to easy.

diamond tread plate does work, but not as good as non skid. take a look at decent commercial aluminum boats (kvichak, safe boat etc) and they typically don't have diamond on the decks. They used to use it in engine rooms for floor plates but if youve ever spilled glycol on it wearing rubber boots, you probably went down. It then tears the knees out of your pants or rips up your hands. It comes in 5052, 5086 and 6061, but in smaller plate widths so when you try and weld it down for a deck it never seems to line the patterns up so you end up with half diamonds you have to grind down.

Putting a scrotch bright pad on a hook and loop DA works well to get it ready for a primer or make it less light reflective. That also takes off the oxide layer and adds a ton of surface area for corrosion, but who cares on a replacable plate.

Using Matson 222 non skid (Farwest Paints) over a matson primer is good but it doesnt seem to handle gasoline or acetone really well and will discolor a little. easy to go over later though and cheap initiall cost. Excellent grip for cheap, but not perfect.

Dont lay things against aluminum that can trap water against the aluminum. It forms a white inter granular corrosion known as polstice corrosion. You can epoxy or seal something down like treadmaster, but dont bolt a piece of uhmw down against it or lay carpet down and not expect it to corrode against the aluminum. Scotty downrigger plates are a good example of a poor design for uncoated aluminum.


2 cents.

Diamond plate all the way ryley, I have had it in my driftboat and the surface will dull up quickly so there is no issue with the glare.

Peace
Fly

You sayin' that cigar butts and whiskey spray, combined with egg goo and shrimp guts, aren't good for keeping a surface shiny?

Fish on...

Todd

Whisky? Did somebody say "Whisky"? Makes me "dull" sometimes!

I think taking the glare off and leaving it like that is the way to go. When I camo my sled we did the acid etch and the abrasive treatment on the diamond plate before primer and paint hoping we'd get the pain to stick good. Well it has stuck good on the hull but mud/sand on waders and such has rubbed off lots of the paint job on the floor. It was a ton of work, if you dont need paint on the floor, skip it.

aluma brite found at auto parts store in a spray bottle will etch the finish and take care of the glare. only take 15-20 miniutes and done.

snead

Koffler sand blasted my new boats tread plate. No glare and it provides a lot more traction..

Purple power, Super clean, any purple soap will help if the plate is NEW!!