Tips on stopping wood rot

bighowdytex · 02-15-2008, 10:49 PM

I came across this post at a wooden boat builder site regarding relatively safe and effective methods of arresting wood rot. Seems like it is worth a read and try.

Departments

Also I have a question regarding partially rotted floor repair in the bathroom of a 67 Overlander. I have cut out a bad section of flooring right at the rear of the bathroom about a foot square. I was going to clean out all of the rotted wood and put a wood subframe underneath to support the new section of wood which would be screwed to the existing wood floor. I noticed that instead of open space and trailer frame underneath there is a large relatively thick piece of OEM plastic that seems to actually be right beneath the original floor (and apparently above the waste tank). It is the same color as the bathroom plastic. If I feel around the space between the bottom surface of the bath floor and the top of this piece of plastic it seems to be holding a few puddles of water that probably leaked from somewhere and is keeping the bottom surface of the bathroom floor wet. What is this piece of plastic and why is it there?
I suppose a lot of my questions would be answered if I pulled the pan, but I don't want to do that right now. I just want to add a little floor integrity to the bath room.
Another of my wood building/repair guys told me to perhaps use a near water thin epoxy to give some temporary structural integrity to weak wood floors. Anybody try this...using a product called Get Rot or a similar product?

FreshAir · 02-15-2008, 11:14 PM

Are you sure that plastic isn't the top of the tank? My tank was up against the bottom of the floor. I dropped my pan and tank to replace the old cracking one. There was nothing between the top of the tank and floor. I also replaced a large section of floor. Before I installed the new plwood I coated both sides and edges with fiberglas resin. I have build several 24" X 72" X 8" darkroom sinks out of ply and never had a leak.

bighowdytex · 02-15-2008, 11:28 PM

I thought the tank on a 67 was metal rather than plastic or fiberglass, besides I think I can see what appears to be the edge of this aqua colored plastic under the rear floor of the bathroom from the rear access panel. If I poke it with my finger the plastic does seem to flex quite a bit like an empty tank. I suppose I could completely fill the black tank with water...about 10 gallons from what I gather the capacity is and then poke the top of this plastic. If I look in the toilet drain (the toilet is currently removed) and if the water level does change when I poke the top then indeed the plastic is the top of the tank.

bighowdytex · 02-15-2008, 11:56 PM

I guess I might be wrong on the metal vs fiberglass/plastic black tank. Here is a pic of a replacement 68 black water tank from Inland.

http://www.airforums.com/photos/show...?i=18246&c=500

It has an edge on top like what I see from the rear access panel. Is there supposed to be an any free space between the top of the tank and the bath floor under surface? There seems to be about 1/2" freespace beneath the bath floor between this plastic surface. This appears to be at least enough to put a support stringer or piece of marine plywood under to attach the new small floor section to.

byamcaravanner · 02-16-2008, 04:01 AM

Ronnie,

That is the top of the tank you are seeing. You will find that the sloping bottom of the tank sits on a piece of polystyrene foam that was formed in an egg crate pattern to support the tank. The tank and the foam then sit in a galvanized steel box that is supported by 1X1 angles that bolt between the frame rails.

Your best bet would be to replace the whole rear piece of floor. It extends to about where the pocket door is and is about 4'-0 wide. The cross members are spaced at 4'-0 centers and everyother one is lowered 5/8" so that an 8" wide piece of plywood can be installed under the joint in the floor. All the joints in the floor occur over a cross member, with the splice board underneath.

Good luck!

Crusty · 02-16-2008, 07:00 AM

The product that you want to use to stop rot is CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealant).

Gitz Rot is more of a product to repair (fill in) rotted wood.

Wabbiteer · 02-16-2008, 12:49 PM

190-proof grain alcohol (ever-clear) has been used to conserve old wood since after a good soaking it damages the dry-rot organisms dormant in water damaged wood and suppresses (not eliminates) future cell division without chemicals that can cause lasting harm to people. Of course this is dependent on keeping the wood dry in perpetuity and a longer soak time than just allowing it to evaporate off so the wood draws alcohol in deeply, metal/glass/plastic plate covering floor and let it wick in underneath...

After treatment allowing it to recover from it's hangover then hitting it with a thinned epoxy or ester resin would give maximum DIY preservation.

Just another factoid for y'alls pleasure : )