Floor rot repair with epoxy

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Just remember, unlike many other conditions, epoxy can be cured...

I see what you did there.

[Ridgerunner3]

I made a floor repair very similar to yours on my 2002 Safari 25 in 2012. Absolutely no problems since then.

One additional step I took was to pull up all of the carpet in the trailer and replace the floor covering. The carpet was badly worn after 12 years of use. While the plywood flooring was exposed I soaked the outer six inches of the plywood floor with penetrating epoxy. Apply the penetrating epoxy around the perimeter may be a pointless exercise but I thought it may help reduce future water damage in the event of a future leak.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

I made a floor repair very similar to yours on my 2002 Safari 25 in 2012. Absolutely no problems since then.

One additional step I took was to pull up all of the carpet in the trailer and replace the floor covering. The carpet was badly worn after 12 years of use. While the plywood flooring was exposed I soaked the outer six inches of the plywood floor with penetrating epoxy. Apply the penetrating epoxy around the perimeter may be a pointless exercise but I thought it may help reduce future water damage in the event of a future leak.

Good idea!
A PO of my trailer had already removed all exposed carpet, and installed some cheap engineered woodgrain floor that I don't really like. Maybe, one day I'll get around to replacing it, but …. I'd rather go camping.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by cwf

I agree with Andy about the Fiberglass. It should be more durable than the epoxy. But... I have not been able to get Fglass to penetrate like the epoxy.

Check a product called "West System Epoxy". It's for the boat industry, and it's used to soak into plywood to make plywood boats. It's very thin when applied and maybe you drill a thousand holes but the product soaks in and turns to a very strong water barrier.
I've never used it, but I knew those who did.
Also, "Git Rot" was made to repair wooden boats plagued with rot.

[Ridgerunner3]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Check a product called "West System Epoxy". It's for the boat industry, and it's used to soak into plywood to make plywood boats. It's very thin when applied and maybe you drill a thousand holes but the product soaks in and turns to a very strong water barrier.
I've never used it, but I knew those who did.
Also, "Git Rot" was made to repair wooden boats plagued with rot.

The penetrating epoxy I used was from Rot Doctor. The epoxy & fiberglass overlay I used was from West Systems. Both companies make a wide variety of products and both companies offer very good customer support. I communicated with both companies during my repair process. I already had a number of West Systems products for my sailboat. I decided to go with Rot Doctor for the penetrating epoxy. I can't remember why I decided to go with Rot Doctor for the penetrating epoxy.

[OTRA15]

Another vote for West epoxy products, including a variety of different hardeners [catalysts] and powders to mix in to fill large voids. Epoxy has good tensile strength when it hardens, in contrast to polyester resins. Thus there is no need to use a woven cloth reinforcing fabric.

See earlier posts also, including this one -- click on orange arrow to go to this one from 2013:

Originally Posted by mtbguy

. . .
. . . West System epoxy even illustrates the hole pattern type repair you did in their catalog. wasn't that large an area and not worth ripping it all up/out.
. . .

Good luck,

Peter

[zayd]

Would the standard West Systems 105 epoxy resin be a good option here? I’ve read that thinning it compromises its moisture resistance and strength. Shouldn’t we instead be using an epoxy designed to penetrate? Even then, it seems the same arguments would apply.

[A W Warn]

The epoxy repair is still holding up. I have not put any floor covering over the patched/repaired area since it is beneath the bed, so I can see it clearly.

ps:
The caulk around the lower belt is starting to show some surface deterioration over the slinky storage. Time for a going over the whole exterior again.

[rodsterinfl]

The last post on this thread was four years ago but another observation on the leak pictures- where is the factory black-colored wood treatment band around the wall edge of the wood?

I have a 2006 Safari. This topic and horror stories of Airstream floor rot bothered me so much that I tore my pristine floor open and then removed the carpet and plastic covering in my outside storage locker areas. I now have bare plywood floors in the areas shown in the pics but I also have a black wood treatment that goes around the perimeter of the wood floor that is quite evident. I do not see any treatment in the pictures shared in the original post. Do you think they missed treating it at the factory?

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

The last post on this thread was four years ago but another observation on the leak pictures- where is the factory black-colored wood treatment band around the wall edge of the wood?

I have a 2006 Safari. This topic and horror stories of Airstream floor rot bothered me so much that I tore my pristine floor open and then removed the carpet and plastic covering in my outside storage locker areas. I now have bare plywood floors in the areas shown in the pics but I also have a black wood treatment that goes around the perimeter of the wood floor that is quite evident. I do not see any treatment in the pictures shared in the original post. Do you think they missed treating it at the factory?

I can't provide a specific answer because I don't know.

If there was any edge treatment, perhaps it does not show up in the photos because none of the outside edges of the plywood were exposed to my view during the repair. The part of the plywood that was removed at the edge was black/brown, but I assumed it was just rotted wood.

I've never heard of any "factory" edge treatment that was done by Airstream. In other older trailers I've owned and dissasembled I have seen something that may be what you are seeing. Airstream used an asphaltic coating, that I have seen puddled/spilled in the bottom wall track. If I remenber correctly it was Karnak Asphalt Emulsion, that they used to adhear wall insulation and deaden sound.

[A W Warn]

I can't believe it's been over a decade since I repaired the floor.

The repaired area is still in great condition. There are surface scratches from use and a few stains from wet items being thrown in while packing up in the rain.

The trailer has been towed over 25,000 miles since the repair was made. It's been across north america east to west and north to south. There has been no deterioration of the repair.

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by A W Warn

I can't believe it's been over a decade since I repaired the floor.

The repaired area is still in great condition. There are surface scratches from use and a few stains from wet items being thrown in while packing up in the rain.

The trailer has been towed over 25,000 miles since the repair was made. It's been across north america east to west and north to south. There has been no deterioration of the repair.

Thanks for the update. Great information in this thread should I ever need to deal with a floor rot. And when we replace flooring in the future, I expect that I will look at one of these epoxy products as a preventive measure to protect the floor.

[rodsterinfl]

ok, I will take a picture of mine if I can remember to do it! I have this black sealer of some kind that comes out from the wall about 3-4 inches I believe.