Replacing Duratrim on a '91 Grady

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greencheez

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The Brown Duratrim on My boat is very faded. I can oil It down & will look nice for a few weeks then fades. I tried replacing It with 1/4" Starboard but It gets soft in the sun & starts to belly out between the screws, looks bad. Was a lot of work cutting It all to size. I wound up just putting the old Duratrim back on. Anyone know if this stuff is available anywhere Or a better replacement idea??
Thanks.
 
Although this doesn't answer you question of replacement, it does address upkeep. It's a quote from the GW website. My personal experience is below that.
Link: http://www.gradywhite.com/faq/#faq03
"Q: How do I restore the look of my boat’s simulated wood-grain Duratrim?
A: On our older model boats, after years of exposure to the elements, the Duratrim simulated wood-grain trim may begin to fade. There is a product on the market called Penetrol that is excellent for restoring the faded Duratrim. Simply apply a small amount, allow to dry for a few minutes, and wipe off excess with a clean rag. You may need to repeat the process or allow the Duratrim to soak overnight if it is really weathered. Penetrol is available in most hardware and paint stores nationwide. If you have any questions about Penetrol or where to find it, call the Flood Company toll free at 1-800-321-3444."

Concerning my personal experience, I removed the all the trim pieces, and althought the GW manual for my boat says not to sand them, I did anyway. Then, I applied three coats of a marine-grade varnish. Also did this for the wooden trim around the cabin door as well the rounded corner piece on the outside of the head. Looks pretty good.
 
I have been trying to find a replacement for mine too, with no luck so far. I also spent about $125 on strips of black starboard to replace mine, but as soon as the sun hits it, it warms up and bellies out just like you said.

I still have my old trim, I will try painting over it. Previous owner painted over it once with a black paint that didn't adhere very well.
 
Well I'm going to try the Penetrol, I've been using a light coat of motor oil, actually looks good but only for a short while. Maybe the Penetrol will last longer. I still would love to buy new Duratrim strips. Thanks for the reply's. :)
 
Guys, Formica Corp produces laminates in 50 different wood patterns. Why not replace what you have with new plywood with new laminate glued to it? Stuff is really pretty easy to work with. New plywood, new laminate and epoxy applied to the edges should last for many years and not be that expensive. WilsonArt produces laminates too but not sure they do the wood grain patterns.

Gary 89 Overnighter
 
Put down several layers of penetrol.

Just as ti:

flip over the duratrim, it' s two sided, and see if you can reverse the pieces from one side of the boat to they other, they are usually mirror images. Some adjustmets nmay be necessary same as holes.

Then you will have fresh new duratrim.

Alternately, you can sand and paint it or apply as another member suggested a laminate such as formica, use a router to match the edge line.
I prefer wood grain trim on my boat to any color starboard, just have not had the time to take care of it.

Starboard works good as a 100% constructed fishboard, not much more since it's not compatible with anything but itself when it comes to expansion/ contraction ratio, and is readily permanently marked.

Die
 
Formica seems like a good idea. They have a finish called Island Teke, looks nice on the internet. I wonder though how It will stand up to direct sunlight constantly. It can be pretty brutal here in South Florida. I'd hate to cut It all to size, laminate & trim, only to have It fade in a few months. Anybody tried this?
 
I work with plastic laminates every day, yes it will fade (if is the "58" finish)after a while, you will not notice the difference unless you put a new piece next to it. If you get something that you like with the "etching" finish, it will hold better outside. Also, if you pick a solid color even in 58 finish(matte), it will have very little discoloration. When you apply the contact cement, make sure you coat the wood AND the laminate at least with 3 coats, apply first coat, let it dry, apply second coat, let it dry(on both wood and mica), apply third coat wait till ALMOST dry and glue together, use a 5"-6" piece of 2X4 (the long edge of it) and press FIRM and even down. Good luck.
 
I bought a 4 X 8 sheet of the identical material from a local cabinet maker. It was about $60. I glued it to a sheet of 1/2 plywood and used the old piece as a template. The cabinet maker told me to use a glue that came in powder form mixed with water. I found the powder glue at ACE Hardware. He said the powder glue would hold up better if the laminate was exposed to sun. And I did expoxy the edges of the plywood.

Looks great and a fun project.
 
Penetrol worked great on my first application.
Second app on rear toeboards not so good. I may lightly sand them & retry. The out of sun areas always come back to new.
 
I too have the faded trim. Armor All works for about a month. Has anyone tried composite decking ripped down or does it belly like starboard? Thanks, John
 
doing my bulkhead

My 89 252g has rotten bulkheads that are plywood with the laminate cover. the laminate doesn't rot but he untreated plywood between it is pretty much gone. I thought about following your leads here and creating my own new lam covered ply but then thought, " why take real wood and cover it in plastic?" So, I began looking for mahogany plywood, i fould 3/4' 4x8 sheets for $56. But I also found 3/8" 4x8 sheets of mahogany ply with a honeycomb plastic core from a local boat builder. Much lighter than the solid ply and surprisingly rigid. Haven't decided which way I'm going to go. I still need the 3/4 ply for the back of the cockpit in front of the battery well, etc. Whatever I sue I will still need to seal the edges and face. I'm planning on 'painting" the surfaces with thinned clear epoxy.

I'll let you all know how it turns out.
 
I'm in the process of painting all of my duratrim with Krylon Fusion for Plastic, off white, first couple of coats satin, last couple of coats gloss.

Washing the parts first with soap and a little bleach, but no sanding.

Looks really good, but wondering if anyone has tried it and how it worked out in the long term.

Thanks.
 
Starboard moves a lot with temp changes, so their installation manuals always state the size hole needed for a specific fastener size, to prevent the warpage you're seeing with it ...
 
Just saw this post. Was planning on replacing my trim this winter with starboard, so glad I found this first. Have been using the penetrol with some success. Definately looks better for a while, but not permanent.

I wonder if the PVC board will work. Guess I could get a small piece of trim and put in sun for a while and see if it warps.

I don't get the 1/2" plywood with laminate deal.....Wood will absorb water. 1/2" seems too thick. The trim is not that thick today.

Got to be something out there that is like the same material as duratrim. Anyone know what that is or if we can get duratrim?
 
If you guys really wanted to go nuts with the Duratrim replacement, you could get a piece of MDF, route out several channels that are the same width of the trim, seal it with epoxy, wax and you have a mold that can be used to make new trim pieces. Gelcoat the channels in the mold and then layup your trim with strips of glass and polyester resin. When the pieces cure, pop them out, cut them to the proper length and install.

The color will match and they will be more durable than anything you could buy.
 
I used the pvc trim at Lowe's, they are a perfect fit. I painted with the plastic fusion paint. Been a year and still holding pretty good.
 
ccscorpion200, so you are not having any warping issues from the heat or sun? If not, then sounds like the PVC is more heat stable than the starboard and might be the way to go.

I think it only comes in white, so no need to paint if one wants it to stay white. What color did you paint it?

Has anyone contacted Grady to see if Duratrim is available frome somewhere? I did a search on the web, but seems it is more siding and other type products rather than trim.
 
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