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Best Carpet for Boat Trailer Bunks – Boat Trailer Bunks Carpeting 101
Today we are seeking the best carpet for boat trailer bunks that you can get just right away. Choosing one can get overwhelming, as there are so many brands on the market. It’s easier if one has a shortlist from which to choose.
In this article, we’ll look at such a shortlist of the best carpet for boat trailer bunks. We’ll also include a buying guide with everything you need to know about marine carpets to make it easier for you to shop on your own.
In a Hurry?
Our number 1 choice is the SeaSense Boat Trailer Bunk Padding. This excellent carpet can be used both as a carpet and as padding for your boat trailer bunk.
It is easy to precision cut and doesn’t fray when cut. It is easy to install, clean, and fit and is resistant to the elements.
Your boat is one of your greatest investments, and so it needs to be properly taken care of and maintained at all times.
This is especially important when you’re loading it into a trailer bunk or unloading it. Before you load, store, or launch your boat, it is necessary to make sure it is well carpeted to protect the hull of your boat from damage.
That said, it’s not as simple as laying out just any carpet on the bunk boards. You need one with the right material to protect your boat’s hull.
These carpets are not only durable but also breathable, with minimal water retention and a tendency to dry very quickly. They’re also suited to harsh marine environments.
Read on to find out about other carpets in our review.
Best Carpet for Boat Trailer Bunks – Reviews
SeaSense Boat Trailer Bunk Padding
This is a great carpet designed with a focus on comfort. One of the most impressive features of this product is that it can be used both as a carpet and as padding. This is rare to find in most marine carpets. The padding weighs a pound, which is excellent for those who aren’t great fans of heavy carpeting.
This carpet is made of polypropylene, which is resistant to both UV radiation and water. It’s also static-free so you don’t have to worry about getting weird buzzes from static electricity (or the potential fire hazard). It’s highly durable and will protect your boat from scratches.
The acrylic backing ensures it is easy to install and has a good grip. The material is easy to precision cut and is a quarter of an inch thick. It’s easy to make a custom fit for your boat. It also doesn’t fray after cutting. This model is 12 feet long by 12 feet wide.
CE Smith Trailer Roll Carpet Replacement
This CE Smith carpet is perfect for those who are looking for custom sizes and designs. It is also versatile and can fit boats of different sizes with ease.
It comes with marine grade fabric, which won’t break or tear easily in the face of the harsh marine environment. That means it lasts very long and gives you good value for your money.
The construction is polyester, which dries quickly and breathable, making it poor at retaining water. It won’t support the growth of either mold or mildew.
It also comes with a high-quality rubber backing that prevents it from being damaged by either wind or the elements, since it doesn’t spoil easily.
Attwood 11246- 1 Bunk Padding
The Attwood is a great product for those with either trailer bunks or trails. It protects the hull of your boat from damage and is guaranteed to last long, thanks to its polypropylene construction, which neither breaks nor tears in the face of the harsh marine environment.
This carpet also comes with an acrylic backing that provides plenty of grip for when you’re loading or launching your boat. It’s also very flexible and easy to install.
This carpet also comes with a custom fit. Before you purchase one, measure your bunk to get the right dimensions so you know which size to get. The maximum size you can get is 12 feet by 8 feet so it can fit trailer bunks of different sizes easily.
Fulton Replacement Trailer Bunk Carpet
Fulton has garnered quite a reputation for making great bunk carpets. This particular carpet is made of high-quality material that doesn’t fray, break, or tear easily. It protects your boat’s hull from scratches and it is resistant to the elements in a harsh marine environment.
It’s also quite versatile and can be used for different purposes. Since it’s weather and waterproof, you can use it in virtually any season. I like the fact that it comes in black, which means it hides most of the dirt.
Also, when it comes to cleaning, it’s very easy to clean.
Tie Down Engineering 86137 Bunk Board Carpet
This great product from Tie Down engineering is a great choice for anyone that’s looking to replace their worn-out boat trailer bunk carpet.
It’s 11 feet wide by 12 feet long, which makes it wide enough for most purposes.
It’s also made with high-quality materials that can hold up to the elements. It looks good, keeps your boat protected from scratches, and definitely keeps your trailer bunk looking fresh. It’s also extremely easy to install.
BoatCarpetSales Black Bunk Carpet
This is a 12-inch wide bunk carpet that can completely cover 2 inches by 4 inches boards and partial coverage for 2 inches by 6 inches boards.
It has a PET polyester construction and is resistant to water and the elements. It has UV protection and is quite durable, even in the face of extreme sunlight.
Installation is easy and straightforward. All you need is to roll it out on the trailer bunks you need to carpet. It comes with a pre-cut size so you don’t have to worry about precision, and it features an installation kit to give you an easy time while installing.
This carpet comes with a rubber backing that has little water retention and provides a great grip during loading and launching. The rubber backing is also glue friendly.
Maintenance is low as it is black in color, which makes it great at hiding dirt. It’s also easy to clean when you get round to it.
Boat Trailer Bunk Carpeting – Buying Guide
Before we can take a deep dive into the subject of carpets for boat trailer bunks, we have to understand a little bit about what they are and why they’re so important.
What exactly is the marine carpet for bunks?
A boat trailer bunk carpet is a special kind of carpet you use to provide a smooth and protective surface for your boat when you’re loading or unloading it. It’s mainly there to protect the hull of the boat from scratches and other forms of damage it might suffer in the process of loading and launching. It also protects the hull of the boat while it’s on the trailer bunk, such as during storage or towing.
A marine carpet for bunks isn’t like your regular carpet. This one is made of high-quality material that is not only durable but also very resistant to a harsh marine environment. It can withstand both moisture and exposure to UV radiation, making sure that water does not saturate the board bunks and also resisting fading due to exposure to UV radiation.
With a trailer bunk carpet, you don’t have to worry about the buildup of mold or mildew. That said, you still need to take proper care of it by regularly cleaning off the sand and dirt that accumulates. Letting it accumulate will lead to damage on your boat’s hull.
So how does a Boat Trailer Bunk Carpet Work?
The carpet is wrapped around the boards to offer either partial coverage or complete coverage. The material is trimmed so it can fit perfectly on the boards, and also to allow butt seams.
Once the bunk carpet has been installed, it will provide a smooth surface on which you can place your boat during loading, launching, towing, and storage.
Most carpets on the market are breathable, which means they won’t absorb much water. That ensures your bunks themselves do not get saturated with water.
Boat trailer bunk carpets come in different types, with different designs meant to suit the various needs buyers might have. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on what you’re looking for.
Some of the most common types include the ones below:
- PVC carpet
The PVC boat trailer bunk carpet is one of the best types you can get on the market, mostly owing to its compact nature. It is waterproof and therefore offers protection for your boards against both mold and mildew. It’s also one of the easiest types to install. One downside, however, is that it is very expensive. Another is that it isn’t very stable in the face of UV radiation, which means you shouldn’t expose it to direct sunlight. - Rubber carpet
Rubber carpets are great for those who are looking for a boat trailer bunk carpet of decent quality that is not too expensive. These carpets are attractive, comfortable, and don’t let the boat slip off very easily. That said, they are a little weak in the face of UV radiation and should not be exposed to direct sunlight. - Vinyl carpet
Vinyl boat trailer bunk carpets are very easy to install and also slip-resistant. They are a little cheaper than the others on this list, though they need lots of maintenance and should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
You might wonder why, exactly, you need a boat trailer bunk carpet. There are quite a few reasons:
- Protection
A high-quality boat trailer bunk carpet protects the hull of your boat from damage during the process of loading, towing, launching, and storage. - Promotes the longevity of your trailer
A high-quality boat trailer bunk carpet will not only protect the hull of your boat but also your boat. Your trailer will be protected from the elements by a weather-resistant carpet and will last that much longer. - Provides slip security for your boat
The last thing you want to happen is your boat slipping off. A boat trailer bunk carpet offers a surface to grip your boat, greatly reducing the chances that it might trip or slip. - Makes maintenance easier
A boat trailer bunk carpet makes the maintenance of your boat trailer very easy. These carpets are usually easy to install as well as remove, which means you can remove the carpet and clean it. The bunk underneath is then protected from mold, direct sunlight, and the formation of rust. - Makes your boat trailer bunk more durable
Boat trailer bunk carpets are not your normal everyday carpets. These carpets will not wear and tear easily, even in the face of an environment as harsh as a marine one. Such a carpet will therefore serve you for a very long time before you need to replace it. The beauty of that is that your boat trailer bunk is also protected and lasts longer as a result.
So now that we know the basics of what a boat trailer bunk carpet is and what its advantages are, what should you look for when buying one? As it turns out, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration:
- The quality of the material
Before you buy a carpet, you need to check that it has satisfactory material quality and texture. The best boat trailer bunk carpets are made of dense and high-quality materials that ensure they last a very long time. You also want to go for a carpet that has a good quality rubber backing. This is to prevent water from causing damage to your boat. - The size of the carpet
Boat trailer bunk carpets come in all sorts of sizes. Before you get one, you should measure the area that you would like the carpet to cover. This is a necessary first step so as to avoid buying a carpet that is either too large or too small for the area you would like to cover and getting frustrated by it. Once you’ve measured the area that you would like to be covered, you should get a carpet that’s approximately 20% larger than the target area. You can then cut it down to size so it fits the area perfectly. - The weight of the carpet
The weight of the carpet matters just as much as its size. Boat trailer bunk carpets are usually weighed in ounces. A carpet with a high ounce rating is going to have denser fibers than one with lower ounce ratings. The weight of the carpet is also a good proxy for the quality and durability of the carpet. There is a downside to heavy carpets, though, and that is that they are pricier than their lighter counterparts. That said, it’s good value for money and is worth the investment. - The color of the carpet
This is one of the most overlooked factors when choosing a carpet, and yet it is also one of the most important. When choosing a carpet for your boat trailer bunk, you want to pick one with the right color that you’re not likely to regret later on.
It can, however, be a rather difficult thing to choose the right color. The best place to start is the details. Look at the décor, seats, and even hull of your boat, and get a color that matches those. You can also try and inquire from the manufacturer of the carpets to find out if they have sample colors that they can send you to make a comparison. - The ease of installation of the carpet
You want the installation process to be as simple as possible. Not only the installation but the removal as well. Ideally, you should look for a carpet that comes with an installation kit to make the process as simple as possible. This will save you effort, time, and money. If the carpet has a rubber backing, it should also come with a marine adhesive to make it easy to install. - The quality of the adhesive
Speaking of marine adhesive, it’s important to consider the glue that comes with the carpet. You need to have the right kind of glue when installing the carpet, or else you might end up placing it the wrong way and the boat might end up getting damaged. The best kind of glue is one that has been specifically formulated for use in a marine environment.
These types adhere very well to the rubber backing on a boat trailer bunk carpet. What you definitely don’t want is an alcohol-based glue as it loses its adhesive strength over time and deteriorates. That said, even if you get the high-quality glue, you should still observe proper installation protocol, which means cleaning all the dirt from the bunk and the rubber backing before applying the glue.
FAQ
Which brands of trailer bunk carpets are best?
There are a plethora of brands in the market for trailer bunk carpets. However, there are a few that consistently go above and beyond in providing good quality boat trailer bunk carpets.
One of these is BoatCarpetSales. If you want a good quality marine grade carpet that’s durable, then this should be one of the first brands you consider. They have a 12-inch wide black carpet in particular that gives a brand new look to your old boards.
Another option is Tie Down Engineering. This is a great brand that sells very high-quality boat trailer bunk carpets. One thing that causes this brand to be unique is that they have a very wide product offering. They also have very wide carpets that can provide complete coverage to large trailer bunks as well as modular carpets that offer partial coverage for those that want that.
Finally, we have Fulton. This is a leading carpet maker in the industry with some of the most innovative products you’ll find around. Their carpets are designed to provide superior protection for your trailer bunk and boat from scratches. They also have carpets that can be used for a variety of purposes.
What material are boat trailer bunk carpets made from?
Boat trailer bunk carpets are made from a wide variety of materials, with some of the most common being marine-grade rubber, polypropylene, and polyester. The most popular of these by far is polypropylene, which provides very good protection for the boat’s hull while it is being loaded and unloaded.
No matter what material the marine carpet is made from, the fibers are usually bound together by polyvinyl in the form of a thin resin membrane that looks a lot like rubber. Polypropylene is also a very popular choice for marine carpets due to its ability to dry quickly and also to resist exposure to UV radiation.
Polyester material, on the other hand, has its advantages as well. It is great for the marine environment as it is greatly resistant to molds and stains. It is therefore better suited to the harsh weather and environment of the water than other materials.
How do you pick the right size of the carpet?
It’s extremely important that you pick the right size of the carpet for your bunk. Most carpets have a width of anywhere from 6 feet to 8 feet, so you have a wide range from which to pick the right size for your trailer bunk.
That is a good thing since you have options. But it can also be a bad thing since the chances of you picking something that’s either too large or too small have just been increased.
Before you go out to look for a marine carpet, measure the length of the boat trailer bunk to find out the bare minimum you need to get in terms of dimensions. These measurements should help you to find the right carpet for your needs.
Make sure you get a carpet that’s about 20% larger than the side you measured. That way, you can cut it down to just the right size and make it fit perfectly.
How do you install and use a boat trailer bunk carpet?
Installing a boat trailer bunk carpet isn’t difficult, and the same procedures can be used for most of them.
First, start by unbolting the board from the boat trailer bunk and removing the old carpet if you have any. Now, clean the bunk of any dirt before you install the new carpet. This will help the glue hold better, though it won’t be necessary if you have new bunk boards.
Once you’ve cleaned the bunk boards, measure the area which will be covered by the carpet. This will give you a great estimate of what size carpet to buy. It’s at this point that you should make an order for the new carpet.
Before you roll out the new carpet, insert the bunk board bolts into their holes. You can roll the carpet over the bolts to reduce the chances of scratching the hull of your boat.
Once you have the new carpet, lay it on the trailer bunk, either stapling it or gluing it down. Both are okay.
If you decide to use glue to hold your carpet down, make sure to get marine grade glue. Such glue is adhesive, even in wet conditions, and will connect well with both the trailer bunk and the rubber backing on the carpet. Before you apply the glue, make sure you clean both the rubber backing and the surface of the trailer bunk from dirt for the best results.
Once you’ve cut your carpet to the right size, lay it out with the rubber backing facing upwards. Position the bunk board on the edge of your carpet so you have enough space on both ends. Now roll the carpet out until the board is covered entirely. Staple every 2 or 3 inches to make for a very secure fit.
How do you clean and care for a boat trailer bunk carpet?
It’s very important that you accord proper care and maintenance to your boat trailer bunk carpet, especially if you care about how long it lasts.
Marine carpets can last for a very long time if they are properly cared for. Moreover, proper care ensures they look like they’re brand new always. It’s actually not very difficult to keep them in a good condition.
Start by getting loose of dirt by passing a vacuum cleaner over the carpet.
Next, get a low-pressure garden hose and saturate the surface of the carpet thoroughly with water.
Now, apply your cleanser to the carpet, one section at a time. You can use soap and water or mix vinegar and water. A carpet spot remover should also work for removing tough spots from the carpet.
Once you’re done applying the cleaner, lift away the dirt using a soft or medium brush. Work section by section from the front to the back. Saturate the carpet as much as you need to get rid of the dirt.
Now rinse the carpet with clean water as you scrub it.
Once you’re satisfied with the results, use a heavy-duty vacuum cleaner to dry the carpet down, then let it sit in the sun for a while so it can dry completely.
Now use a medium brush to fluff the carpet. Put it out to dry again, but put it under the shade this time so the colors don’t fade.
Whatever you do, do not have your boat trailer bunk carpet washed at the carpet. The high-pressure nozzles they use might end up burning the plastic fibers on the carpet. It is also not advisable to power wash because the glue might be damaged by the jet of water.
Boat Trailer Bunk Carpet Warranty
Warranties vary from one carpet manufacturer to another, though most of them will be in the region of 3 to 5 years.
The warranty is a vote of good faith from the company, or basically them putting their money where their mouth is.
It tells you that the carpet will not degrade or fade during the intended use as a consequence of bad quality materials or workmanship.
Where Should I Buy Marine Carpets?
Knowing how to pick the right carpet is one thing. Knowing where to buy is something else entirely, and it is just as important.
There are numerous suppliers that provide quality marine carpets, including Cabela’s and West Marine.
The best, however, especially if you’re buying online, is Amazon. They are reliable and have all the leading brands, not to mention perks like one-day shipping and free returns.
Click here to check all marine carpets available at Amazon
Best Carpet for Boat Trailer Bunks – Conclusion
And with that, we come to the end of our review of the best carpet for boat trailer bunks. As you can see, getting the best quality carpet is as easy as narrowing down the range of options and knowing what to look for.
All the ones reviewed in this article are guaranteed to satisfy, and they are diverse enough to satisfy a wide range of customer needs. We’re sure you’ll find something for you.
Until next time, happy sailing!
DesperateSailors Team
References
- Ensinger – Radiation resistant plastics
- FDA – Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation
Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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