Floor material - what and where?!?!

[atmouse]

We have acquired a '58 Overlander which needs a new floor. We have pretty much gutted it and are taking out lower panels to gain access to the c-channel. The edge of the belly pan looks good so far and we are thinking of doing a frame on floor replacement by cutting the center of the belly pan out (about 8"-12" back from the edge).

Our problem is the replacement floor: We have searched high and low for a vendor of 5/8" marine-grade plywood and met with failure. Our local hardware store owner is STILL looking for it for us as well and after 3 weeks has unable to find it.

We had considered something like Coosa Composites, LLC - Manufacture of high-density, fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane foam panels. I suspect it is pricy, but if it will result in a floor we NEVER have to worry about again and can tell our heirs to the Airstream they never have to worry about again, well, it may be our answer. We'll just do a big budget adjustment.

I have emailed the company twice - no answer. Do they not deal with pitiful small fry like us?

So...where the heck are y'all getting your flooring from?!?! We are thinking we may have to do a road trip for it - sheesh!

[InsideOut]

Sounds like you are on the right track as far as replacing your floor.

We are in the midst of a similar undertaking with our '56 Safari. We found 3/4" marine grade plywood at our lumber warehouse (Austin Hardwoods) here in Denver. The original appears to have been 5/8" but the vinyl floor tile also was under the c-channel which added a little more dimension to it. So the 3/4", while being a snug fit, will work. You may look for a specialty lumber yard in your area...good luck!

Shari

[toastie]

Originally Posted by atmouse

We have acquired a '58 Overlander which needs a new floor. We have pretty much gutted it and are taking out lower panels to gain access to the c-channel. The edge of the belly pan looks good so far and we are thinking of doing a frame on floor replacement by cutting the center of the belly pan out (about 8"-12" back from the edge).

Our problem is the replacement floor: We have searched high and low for a vendor of 5/8" marine-grade plywood and met with failure. Our local hardware store owner is STILL looking for it for us as well and after 3 weeks has unable to find it.

We had considered something like Coosa Composites, LLC - Manufacture of high-density, fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane foam panels. I suspect it is pricy, but if it will result in a floor we NEVER have to worry about again and can tell our heirs to the Airstream they never have to worry about again, well, it may be our answer. We'll just do a big budget adjustment.

I have emailed the company twice - no answer. Do they not deal with pitiful small fry like us?

So...where the heck are y'all getting your flooring from?!?! We are thinking we may have to do a road trip for it - sheesh!

Try Fingerle Lumber Company's Web Store featuring 20,000 lumber and building material products! 4x8x3/4 $115.00 4x8x5/8 $104.00 they may ship, they are a very big lumber company in Ann Arbor, Michigan

[atmouse]

Thanks to both of you!

Toastie, I have a brother out in MI; if I can't get it delivered out here, a family visit might be in order. I live in Western NYS, not far from Buffalo or Rochester.

[toastie]

Originally Posted by atmouse

Thanks to both of you!

Toastie, I have a brother out in MI; if I can't get it delivered out here, a family visit might be in order. I live in Western NYS, not far from Buffalo or Rochester.

I'm sure Fingerle will ship, call them (PHONE: (734) 663-0581 (800) 365-0700) they do have a u.p.s. department............

[atmouse]

Originally Posted by toastie

I'm sure Fingerle will ship, call them (PHONE: (734) 663-0581 (800) 365-0700) they do have a u.p.s. department............

Nice folks, we already called them and the guy on the phone was very helpful. He did mention that shipping would be over-the-top expensive.

Still, he gave us some leads for us to explore.

[LI Pets]

As I have stated numerous times, you don't need marine plywood what so ever, total waste of money.

Use exterior grade ply, it has the same glue as marine.

The difference with marine is the inner plys have no voids, can't have that on a boat.

This is not a boat.

[toastie]

Originally Posted by LI Pets

As I have stated numerous times, you don't need marine plywood what so ever, total waste of money.

Use exterior grade ply, it has the same glue as marine.

The difference with marine is the inner plys have no voids, can't have that on a boat.

This is not a boat.

Agree, what kind of sealer should one use around the edge..........thanks

[LI Pets]

You can put a coat of epoxy resin on all seams.

But if you want it to last forever put a thin layer of fiberglass cloth and resin the whole floor.

I also put 1/4" Dbl foil insulation R-14 on top then pergo wood.

[Kajtek1]

I would vote against any floor sealing especially epoxy. Some might know, that epoxy hardener is acid. Acid put against aluminum siding????
I am presently restoring 1965 Safari. It is generally in good condition with little use and stored in CA didn't dry rotted too much. Regardless had some plumbing problems like freeze damage under the sink and leaky plastic water tank.
Long story making short, if the floor would be sealed I would have whole trailer flooded before I could track the leak. The way the factory build it, the water was finding its way under the trailer on short distances, making only part of the floor wet.
BTW when you stay in the trailer, you need air exchange for breathing.

[n2916s]

For our finished floor we used Quick-Step laminate. This is a "click together" mid priced floating laminate (ours is maple). Pretty easy installation.

It has been in about 18 months (including a 6 month road trip) and has held up very well despite spills, two cats and a short dog and my general messiness in the galley.

We were in Maine when we installed it (have great friends who own a boatyard so lots of handy power tools -- the band saw a true blessing) and we got the marine ply subfloor material at the local marine supply. However, as LI Pets noted, exterior grade plywood will do just fine in this application.


mike

[crowldawg]

Any lumber yard has 5/8 plywood. I would use (going to) a/c It has exterior glue and one finished side . I'm not talking about the big boxes .I see that the original post is from Belmont NY .If that is located near the raceway head east .I think Riverhead building Supply has a yard in Brentwood and they deliver all over the island

[babendawoodz]

Originally Posted by atmouse

We have acquired a '58 Overlander which needs a new floor. We have pretty much gutted it and are taking out lower panels to gain access to the c-channel. The edge of the belly pan looks good so far and we are thinking of doing a frame on floor replacement by cutting the center of the belly pan out (about 8"-12" back from the edge).

Our problem is the replacement floor: We have searched high and low for a vendor of 5/8" marine-grade plywood and met with failure. Our local hardware store owner is STILL looking for it for us as well and after 3 weeks has unable to find it.

We had considered something like Coosa Composites, LLC - Manufacture of high-density, fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane foam panels. I suspect it is pricy, but if it will result in a floor we NEVER have to worry about again and can tell our heirs to the Airstream they never have to worry about again, well, it may be our answer. We'll just do a big budget adjustment.

I have emailed the company twice - no answer. Do they not deal with pitiful small fry like us?

So...where the heck are y'all getting your flooring from?!?! We are thinking we may have to do a road trip for it - sheesh!

You may have a better response from Coosa if you call them directly, rather than just email. You should be able to then find out where you can purchase their product in your area. Sometimes emailing isn't enough......good luck and let us know how much it is. I may need to do the same, but first I have to find an AS!!

[atmouse]

Well, we got in touch with the Coosa folk directly and today the floor material was delivered. We have ripped the floor up and cleaned, loctite rust neutralized and primed the frame. We were pleased with the overall condition of the frame. Most of it is excellent. We have a couple of spots to get welded, but we are planning on getting the floor in shortly.

The stuff is eyepoppingly light in weight; the experts from Coosa assure us it has the same stiffness as plywood. We'll get back with y'all with the results. My only fear is the stiffness factor.

[uwe]

Originally Posted by LI Pets

As I have stated numerous times, you don't need marine plywood what so ever, total waste of money.

Use exterior grade ply, it has the same glue as marine.

The difference with marine is the inner plys have no voids, can't have that on a boat.

This is not a boat.

The advantage of Marine ply isn't just the glue. It is a far superior product, much straighter, has more plies, and won't warp. The plies are much denser, and the wood is overall of a much better quality.
It is definitely not a waste of money.
Exterior grade plywood will do fine, but marine ply will be a vast improvement over exterior ply.

[Ramp]

If it lasts 40 or 50 years that will be long enough. Give the next generation the pleasure of restoring a Airstream!

[atmouse]

Well, we noticed that the stiffness factor was a small concern, so we had some angle iron welded in some of the bigger openings in the frame.



We've positioned two sections in - the stuff flexes a bit and we could rassle in full sheets.



Our problem now? The c-channel in front is too high - but only in spots. When we pulled the old floor, the flooring was underneath the c-channel - making it nearly 1/8th inch higher than the original 5/8ths. You can see it in the picture above...on each side of the window, there is a shadow between the floor and the c-channel.

The center of the front is snug and down...wander over a bit to the curve and it is as high as 1/8th off the flooring. Move to the side c-channel and once again, all is well.

I'm thinking someone moved the channel up?

We are considering drilling out the solid rivets (which we will have to do anyhow as we are replacing the bellypan,) and drop the c-channel down to where it should be. The front four bolts will hold the floor in place until we can do that.

But we are not ready to do the bellypan - we want the floor in first; I don't want the front "hanging there" as we wait to finish...it makes me nervous. Am I being too cautious? Will it hurt nothing?

I'm sure someone will tell us we are doing the two things: floor then bellypan backwards or wrong - but c'est la guerre, eh?

I for one, need my feet on the round to deal with the floor. I'm willing to lie underneath for the bellypan.

[bredlo]

Originally Posted by Ramp

If it lasts 40 or 50 years that will be long enough. Give the next generation the pleasure of restoring a Airstream!

LOL - I bet that's exactly what they said in 1962! How did we end up being the unlucky ones??

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by atmouse

Our problem now? The c-channel in front is too high - but only in spots. When we pulled the old floor, the flooring was underneath the c-channel - making it nearly 1/8th inch higher than the original 5/8ths. You can see it in the picture above...on each side of the window, there is a shadow between the floor and the c-channel.

The center of the front is snug and down...wander over a bit to the curve and it is as high as 1/8th off the flooring. Move to the side c-channel and once again, all is well.

I'm thinking someone moved the channel up?

Originally Posted by InsideOut

The original appears to have been 5/8" but the vinyl floor tile also was under the c-channel which added a little more dimension to it. So the 3/4", while being a snug fit, will work.

I seriously doubt anybody "moved the c-channel up"...I think it's much more likely to have "sunk" in the area of the window because of the extra weight of the window & glass. The c-channel originally sat on top of the 5/8" plywood PLUS vinyl tile (as you noted). The vinyl tile was 3/32" thick which made the total thicker than 5/8" - more like 23/32" which just a hair under 3/4". If you replace it with 5/8" the c-channel is going to be higher unless you add the 3/32" back in with new vinyl tile to match the original...that's why we chose to go with 3/4".

The original was 5/8" + 3/32" = 23/32"
Option "A" - 5/8" = 20/32"
Option "B" - 3/4" = 24/32"

3/4" is closer to 23/32" than 5/8" and there was no way we were going to be able to put vinyl floor under the c-channel without doing a shell off to get to the original 23/32".

Shari

[atmouse]

Originally Posted by InsideOut

I seriously doubt anybody "moved the c-channel up"...I think it's much more likely to have "sunk" in the area of the window because of the extra weight of the window & glass. The c-channel originally sat on top of the 5/8" plywood PLUS vinyl tile (as you noted). The vinyl tile was 3/32" thick which made the total thicker than 5/8" - more like 23/32" which just a hair under 3/4". If you replace it with 5/8" the c-channel is going to be higher unless you add the 3/32" back in with new vinyl tile to match the original...that's why we chose to go with 3/4".

The original was 5/8" + 3/32" = 23/32"
Option "A" - 5/8" = 20/32"
Option "B" - 3/4" = 24/32"

3/4" is closer to 23/32" than 5/8" and there was no way we were going to be able to put vinyl floor under the c-channel without doing a shell off to get to the original 23/32".

Shari

But the ONLY place where it looks to be "up in the air" is the inner curve of the c channel in the front. (So far...)

So we are out of luck with the VERY expensive stuff we bought, huh?