Does your pontoon deck feel sticky, hot, or just plain worn out after a long day on the water? You know that feeling—the sun beats down, and suddenly, walking barefoot feels like stepping on hot coals. Or maybe you’ve noticed those annoying tears and stains that just won’t scrub out. Your pontoon boat is your floating living room, but tired, old flooring can quickly turn that relaxation spot into an eyesore and a hazard.
Choosing new pontoon flooring is a big deal. You need something tough enough for sun, water, and constant foot traffic, yet comfortable and stylish. It’s easy to get lost looking at vinyl, foam, and marine carpet. Which one handles algae best? Which one will last five seasons or more? Making the wrong choice means wasting money and spending your summer dealing with slippery, fading surfaces.
Don’t worry! This guide cuts through the confusion. We break down the best flooring materials available today. You will learn the pros and cons of each option, how to estimate costs, and what features truly matter for your boating lifestyle. By the end of this read, you will know exactly which flooring will keep your deck cool, safe, and looking brand new for years to come. Let’s dive into transforming your deck!
Top Pontoon Boat Flooring Recommendations
- Marine-Grade, Heavy-Duty Vinyl Flooring: A superior alternative to carpet, designed for RVs, boats, and trailers with durable 50 mil construction for long-lasting use.
- Slip-Resistant & Easy to Maintain: The textured surface enhances traction for added safety, while the smooth vinyl material allows for effortless cleaning and maintenance.
- UV-Stabilized for Long-Term Performance: 100% UV-stabilized to resist fading and cracking, ensuring it maintains its appearance even with continuous sun exposure.
- Secure & Reliable Installation: Features a woven polypropylene backing that can be glued down for a strong, stable fit on RV floors, boat decks, and other surfaces.
- Versatile Design & Color Options: Available in tan and gray to complement various interiors, providing a sleek and modern look.
- Upgrade Your Boat: If you are considering replacing your boat flooring and don't want to spend too much? Our eva teak-like boat floor decking may be the perfect choice for you. It will give your boat a new look, make it look more luxurious. We have a variety of colors and sizes to choose. Take a minute and it may meet your needs
- High Quality Materials: Our boat decking floor uses a high quality marine grade EVA foam material, not easily absorbing water. It is not easy to become hot in the sunlight, and it will not burn your feet when you stand on it with bare feet. The 5mm thickness provides a cushion and the fine pile surface provides a comfortable touch for your feet without having to put up with the hard surfaces of metal
- Excellent Slip Resistance: Crafted with scrunchies for a more textured look. The non-slip surface gives you a good grip on the boat. No need to worry about wet feet making you fall. Even it provides great grip for your pets. Let them come and go wherever they need a non-slip grip
- Easy to Cut and Install: The eva flooring is easily cut with a razor blade or scissors into the shape you want to fit nearly any surface on a boat where non-skid or protection for the boat's surface is required. It has a strong self-adhesive backing that sticks well to the surfaces
- Easy to Clean: The foam imitation teak boat deck hardware mat can be easily cleaned with broom or vacuum cleaner, or be pressure washed. It has wide applications such as boat deck floor, yacht floor, pontoon deck floor, RV flooring, swimming pool platform floor and etc. If you have other size or other needs, we can provide customized services
- 6 mm Thick High Quality Closed Cell Eva Foam: Premium soft boat decking material provides great heat resistance, water resistance and level 3 UV stability for durability; eva foam gives you a shock-absorbing cushioned feel under foot; protects boat surface from scratches, reduces noise; it is recommended for installation on metal or fiberglass decks or other flat, smooth surfaces
- Easy to Custom-Cut: Included instructions for easy installation; use scissors or a utility knife to cut and trim the eva foam boat sheet into pieces of different shapes and sizes to fit your boat shape; then simply peel and stick on the boat where traction or protection is needed; with a strong 3M adhesive backing that sticks it hard to the floor, giving it a nice and firm grip
- Easy to Clean and Replace: The faux teak boat flooring feature with V-groove surface that is good for drainage, provides an anti-skid surface for your boat in both wet & dry conditions; this eva foam boat mat can be cleaned with broom, vacuum cleaner; if a spill or stain happens and a single piece is damaged, you can simply peel up the piece and replace it with a brand new pad
- Wide Application: The Oceanbroad faux teak eva foam boat deck pad can add some style and comfort to your boat; it is suitable for boat flooring, motorboat, marine deck, swim platform, RV, bass boat, pontoon boat, jon boat floor, yacht floor, golf cart, boat trailer, kayak deck, surfboard traction pad, stair steps, car floor etc
- Happiness Guarantee: Oceanbroad offer a 12-month guarantee, replacement or refund for any quality issues; if you have any questions with our products, please don't hesitate to contact us
- Durable construction: This flooring is designed to be strong and durable with woven PVC vinyl, able to withstand life on the water and stay looking great.
- Slip resistance: This flooring is made to be slip resistant both in wet and dry conditions, providing you with less slip risk while walking.
- Marine grade: This flooring is designed to be marine grade so it is made to stand up to marine life, water, sun, and weather.
- No fading: With hours of UV stability built in, this flooring can take a hot and sunny summer on the water and look great the whole time.
- High Quality EVA Foam - FOCEAN Boat flooring uses high-quality EVA(Ethylene-vinyl Acetate) material, Not easy deformation; High tensile elongation; Not easy to tear or damage; Not easy to fade; High density. Maintain a constant temperature, not easy to absorb heat; Odorless, non-toxic. Strong glue at the back(Extra with super glue), Non-Slip Self-Adhesive. Hardness: 55 (±1P)
- Perfect Performance - Our EVA foam boat flooring can be easily washed with vacuum cleaner, or be pressure washed. Including: water, red wine, fish blood, sundries and anything else. Good resistance to salt water and not easy to absorb heat. Fully combining ergonomic principles to design will definitely give you an excellent experience
- Easy Installation Boat Flooring- You can use a cutting tool to cut this eva foam boat flooring sheet to any size for installation, with strong glue on the back (please keep the installation site clean). Very easy to cut and hard to fall off after cutting, and it is flat and beautiful. You can enjoy DIY with this marine flooring materials
- Wide Application - Very nice diamond patterns boat flooring, different personalized colors available. They are perfectly used for Motorboat, Jon Boat, RV Yacht Kayak, Surfboard, Swimming Pool, Garden flooring and etc
- Excellent Service - Our company has an advanced production base, modern automation combined with manual production, and has been constantly committed to product upgrades. Customers are our top priortiy, we always try to provide the first-class quality and excellent services to all the buyers
- High Quality EVA Foam - FOCEAN Boat flooring uses high-quality EVA(Ethylene-vinyl Acetate) material, Not easy deformation; High tensile elongation; Not easy to tear or damage; Not easy to fade; High density. Maintain a constant temperature, not easy to absorb heat; Odorless, non-toxic. Strong glue at the back(Extra with super glue), Non-Slip Self-Adhesive. Hardness: 55 (±1P)
- Perfect Performance - Our EVA foam boat flooring can be easily washed with vacuum cleaner, or be pressure washed. Including: water, red wine, fish blood, sundries and anything else. Good resistance to salt water and not easy to absorb heat. Fully combining ergonomic principles to design will definitely give you an excellent experience
- Easy Installation Boat Flooring- You can use a cutting tool to cut this eva foam boat flooring sheet to any size for installation, with strong glue on the back (please keep the installation site clean). Very easy to cut and hard to fall off after cutting, and it is flat and beautiful. You can enjoy DIY with this marine flooring materials
- Wide Application - Very nice diamond patterns boat flooring, different personalized colors available. They are perfectly used for Motorboat, Jon Boat, RV Yacht Kayak, Surfboard, Swimming Pool, Garden flooring and etc
- Excellent Service - Our company has an advanced production base, modern automation combined with manual production, and has been constantly committed to product upgrades. Customers are our top priortiy, we always try to provide the first-class quality and excellent services to all the buyers
- This carpet is superior quality 32 ounce marine grade carpeting.
- This purchase includes: Carpet, Installation Manual and free tech advice.
- This carpet is designed for a glue-down application.
- PLEASE REQUEST SAMPLES VIA 'ASK A QUESTION' (INCLUDE NAME, MAILING ADDRESS, COLOR OPTION) FOR COLOR/QUALITY MATCH*** NO RETURNS ON COLOR DISCREPANCIES.
- Slip resistant textured surface
- Easy to Install
- Works on wood, fiberglass, and aluminum
Choosing the Best Pontoon Boat Flooring: A Buyer’s Guide
Your pontoon boat deserves great flooring! Good flooring keeps your boat looking sharp. It also keeps your feet comfy. This guide helps you pick the right stuff for your deck. We look at what matters most when you buy new pontoon flooring.
Key Features to Look For
When shopping for new flooring, check these main points first. These features make a big difference in how long your floor lasts and how it feels.
- Durability: You need flooring that fights wear and tear. Look for materials that handle heavy shoes and constant sun.
- Slip Resistance: Boat decks get wet! Safe flooring stops slips and falls. Good texture provides grip, even when soaked.
- UV Resistance: The sun beats down hard on boats. Flooring must resist fading and cracking from strong UV rays.
- Ease of Cleaning: Spills happen. Choose flooring that wipes clean easily. You do not want stains setting in.
- Comfort Underfoot: You walk on this floor all day. Soft, cooler materials feel much better than hard plastic, especially in summer.
Important Materials for Pontoon Flooring
The material determines the look, feel, and price of your flooring. Different materials offer different benefits.
1. Marine Vinyl Flooring
This is the most popular choice. Marine vinyl is tough. It resists water well. It often has a textured surface for better grip. High-quality marine vinyl mimics the look of wood or carpet but cleans up much faster.
2. EVA Foam Flooring (or SeaDek style)
EVA foam feels very soft. It is excellent for comfort. It stays cooler than vinyl in direct sunlight. This material is lightweight. It offers fantastic shock absorption. It is often cut into custom shapes.
3. Carpet (Marine Grade)
Traditional carpet offers the softest feel. It is warm on cold mornings. However, marine carpet holds dirt and takes longer to dry. Mold and mildew can become a problem if the carpet stays wet too often.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Not all flooring of the same type is created equal. Look closely at the construction.
Thickness and Backing
Thicker flooring generally lasts longer. For vinyl or foam, check the backing material. A strong, adhesive backing improves durability. Poorly backed materials peel up quickly at the edges. This peeling reduces quality significantly.
Stitching and Seams (For Foam/Carpet)
If the product uses stitching, strong, UV-resistant thread must be used. Poor seams break down fast. For foam, the way the sheets are cut and joined matters greatly for a professional look.
Chemical Resistance
Good flooring resists boat cleaners, sunscreen, and fish oils. Lower quality materials absorb these things, leading to permanent stains and breakdown of the material structure.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about how you use your pontoon. This helps narrow down your best material choice.
- The Family Fun Boat: If kids are constantly splashing, prioritize slip resistance and easy cleaning (like textured vinyl or foam).
- The Lounging Cruiser: If comfort is key for long days relaxing, EVA foam offers superior cushioning and cooler temperatures.
- The Heavy-Duty Fisherman: Durability against gear and bait is vital. Look for thick, high-density marine vinyl that resists punctures.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Pontoon Boat Flooring
Q: How long does new pontoon flooring usually last?
A: High-quality marine vinyl or thick EVA foam can last 8 to 12 years or more with proper care. Cheap carpet might only last 3 to 5 years before needing replacement.
Q: Is EVA foam harder to install than vinyl?
A: EVA foam often comes in interlocking tiles or pre-cut sheets with adhesive backing. Many users find it easier to install themselves than rolling out large sheets of vinyl.
Q: Does pontoon flooring get hot in the sun?
A: Yes, all flooring gets warm. However, lighter colored EVA foam stays significantly cooler underfoot than dark marine vinyl or traditional carpet.
Q: Can I install new flooring over old carpet?
A: Sometimes, yes, but it is usually better to remove the old material first. If the old backing is spongy or uneven, the new floor will look bad and wear out faster.
Q: What is the cheapest option for replacing pontoon flooring?
A: Standard, thin marine grade vinyl sheeting is usually the least expensive option upfront. However, you might pay more later if it needs replacing sooner.
Q: Does marine vinyl need special cleaners?
A: No. Most marine vinyl cleans well with mild soap and water. Avoid harsh, abrasive cleaners that can damage the surface texture.
Q: Will foam flooring float away if it comes loose?
A: Good quality foam flooring uses strong, waterproof adhesive. It should not float away. However, if the adhesive fails, pieces could detach in rough water.
Q: Is it hard to cut foam flooring to fit around seats?
A: Foam is easy to cut. You often use a sharp utility knife and a template made from cardboard to trace the exact shape needed.
Q: Does carpet add weight to my pontoon?
A: Marine carpet absorbs water when wet, which adds weight to the boat. Vinyl and foam absorb very little water, so they keep the boat lighter.
Q: Where is the best place to buy pontoon flooring?
A: You can buy it from marine supply stores, large online retailers specializing in marine products, or directly from manufacturers who sell custom-cut kits.