cgbjake
Sault Ste Marie, MI
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I purchased my HTT last year and found that the hot water heater had been ruptered by the previous owner (stupid mistake). But the laminate was discolored slightly and we asked the owners what happened and they played dumb. Thought that it was stained from the water heater. After a winter of storage, the stain has grown and it seems that it is getting soft in one or two areas.
I'm thinking of pulling up the laminate and replacing the soft spots. What can I expect to see when I pull this up. I've looked under the trailer and it looks perfect. No rips, no stains, solid as far as I can see/feel.
As far as I can see, they install the floor first and build on top of it, so a replacement floor is really out of the question they way it is now, but I'm thinking of a really good install and then 1/4 moulding along the edge for the final look. Anyone done this before or have other ideas?
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RPFAN
Poughkeepsie NY
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I am just finishing up a job like this. First, the floor is 3 layers. 1/4 or 3/8 plywood or OSB on top with a Styrofoam center and the same plywood or OSB on the bottom. The membrane under the trailer tends to hold water/moisture in. Check the entire bottom for water/moisture. It had to go somewhere when it leaked. We ran dehumidifier in the trailer for 3 days and dried the bottom with a space heater.
We then cut out the bad areas and replaced them and laid 3/8 sanded plywood over the old. We removed as much as we could to keep down the amount of cutting.
We replaced the linoleum with product from HomeDepot, same for the carpet.
Not a fun job but it now looks great!
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tupfam
CT
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I had a small, spongy area in my camper in the hall right outside the bathroom. I cut out the linoleum in the hall(2'X 5' area), cut out the small area (1'X 1' approx.)of spongy flooring,(the luan was very wet under the linoleum that I pulled up, so I ran a dehumidifier until it was dry)
cut & attached some firring strips under the floor as a frame so the new peice of flooring had something to attach to (had to notch the foam under the floor to fit the firring strips). Cut and screwed a peice of luan to the firring strip frame. Installed some vinyl tiles and metal thresholds at the bathroom door and the end of the hall. I couldn't find any tiles to match the original linoleum but I think it looks OK.
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countryrhodes
louisville ky
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I am facing the same type of situation. How did you cut out the bad plywood and how did you seperate it from the foam? Any photos of either process.
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tupfam
CT
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countryrhodes wrote:I am facing the same type of situation. How did you cut out the bad plywood and how did you seperate it from the foam? Any photos of either process.
The flooring in mine is 1/4" plywood (luan). I cut through it pretty easily with a utility knife with a new blade. I ran the knife along the edge of a level to get a straight cut and had to go over the same cut a few times to get all the way through the flooring. It pulled off of the foam easily, once I cut through all the way around, I just pried it up a little and once I could fit my hands under I just pulled it up. The sticky side of the foam came off with the wood but the foam itself was undamaged. Sorry, I didn't think to take any pics. I was embarrased enough at buying a leaky trailer with a rotten section of flooring, I didn't want any pictures reminding me.
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cgbjake
Sault Ste Marie, MI
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I'm getting ready to tear into this project. One more question, are there any stringers running opposite of the metal cross members that are underneath. My spacing of the metal is rather long and I would think they need more support stringers. I'm concerned about the integrity of these, but I'm going to have to wait until I unroll the tiles to see what I have. I just don't have access to a lot of materials here and I'm going on a road trip tomorrow where I could pick up some but don't have time to pull it up.
They must build these with the linolieum down first and then build around that. I couldn't imagine pull it all apart to that level.
Thanks for the advise and experience, I will be taking pictures to pass it on as I go.
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tupfam
CT
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I don't recall seeing any support other than the metal cross members when I had the small section of my floor up.
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cgbjake
Sault Ste Marie, MI
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Got the floor up today, the cross members are wood with cheap staples holding the joints together. I cut the 1/4" Luan around everything. I hope that it doesn't affect the structural integrity too much. I am going to replace with 1/2" and if need be, add a brace below in the main traveled areas. I don't think I will need that, but I'm thinking ahead.
So the next thought is "where did all this water come from?" Well I found that the bushing that is mounted in the wall of the slide out that is suppose to accept the hose that drains the roof (or something) cracked and didn't allow the hose to mate up with the bushing and therefore when the slide out was retracted, it didn't line up and leaked all winter into the camper. So word to the wise, check your drains eh?
I'm going to be drying it out for 2-3 days and will post some pictures soon. I'm really hoping the final product is worth the hassel!
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fishwiths_j
Columbus, MI
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Joined: 09/06/2003
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We too had a soft floor problem. We have a 1999 shamrock. bought it in 2002 used. It had a pinkish color to a piece of the floor by the U shaped dinnette. We thought is was anti freeze since it was by the water tank. Welllll..Live an learn yeah the previous owners did not know anything about it. It turned out the refridgerator drain hose was never brought out to the outside. It layed between the walls and and drained. The entire front half of the camper floor was rotted out. Dh removed the U shape dinette, water tanks. removed the floor everything except the aluminum joists. Slit the plastic undercaridge barrier to drain the water. Used some boater apoxy stuff on the edge of the flooring not removed but minor damage. He would have had to remove refrigerator and kitchen/sink stove cabinet to get to remove it. Put in new foam insulation sheets and plywood (vs luan) for added strenght. He also added some bracing to the frame. The floor is a little higher than the none replaced by 1/4 in. We matched the linoleum closely and ran a metal strip on the joint which falls in the aisle way. He then replaced the water tanks and dinette. It was a huge undertaking for him. The end result is a strong floor. You can tell there was repair work because of the floor joint but it really does not look bad. He also put and adaptor on the water tank that runs out the bottom of the camper where he can directly drain/ flush it in the driveway. He also braced the dinnette better at tht time also.
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cgbjake
Sault Ste Marie, MI
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Bummer, glad to hear your up and running. I chose to remove the entire floor, I only hope that doesn't have too much to do with the structrual integrity...
Now to find out where the water came in from. I thought it was from the hose in the middle of the slide out, but that is the manual crank out. I'm sure becaue it doesn't mate up with the bushing that some of the water came in from there, but I have a large wet spot on the other side of the camper by the door. I'm thinking that during the winter, the snow/ice combo found a way to get in from the front. Does anyone know the common ways for these to leak that may not be too obvious? Because the frig is by the entryway, I'll check the drain to make sure of that...thanks for that tip...any more? Pics will follow soon!
Thanks
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