Coosa Board

[LSorrells]

Hello All!
I am currently in the process of renovating a 1979 Argosy and I am really wanting to go with Coosa Board for the flooring. I know this forum has talked extensively about this topic. I am a believer but the darn stuff is so expensive! I was quoted $377 per 4x8' sheet of 3/4" Bluewater 26. Is that normal? I am willing to travel to get a better deal. I live in the Charleston/Beaufort area of South Carolina.

Is there a better time of the year to buy this stuff or is this just the general going rate?
Also, anyone know of the insulative properties of Coosa Board?

Thanks in advance!

[kidjedi]

I hate it when people give their opinions instead of answering questions... but I'm going to do it anyway, because I don't think a lot of people realize this: you can't attach anything directly to Coosa with a screw. To anchor anything to the floor of your airstream, you will need to place something solid on the under side of the Coosa (inside the bellypan) for screws, bolts, etc. to grip. Just making sure people realize this.

[LSorrells]

Ok so if it’s not super obvious already this IS my first rodeo. Ha! So if I am understanding your reply correctly I will need a “subfloor” before I lay the coosa? Does that negate the lightweight positives of the coosa? Also now that flooring will be susceptible to rot. Or are you suggesting extra welding plates to be added in order to screw down the Coosa board.
My camper is 30’ so I wanted to capitalize on the lightweight of the coosa but if it doesn’t behave like wood ie hold screws, then what’s the benefit?

[Isuzusweet]

Okay, one thing at a time.

As a person that has replaced a majority of their subfloor with Coosa board I can atest to the many pro's and very few cons to Coosa. As far as I'm concerned the pro's far out weigh the cons.

1) Yes, Coosa is expensive; to lower costs to you, can you get away with Bluewater 20, like I did, instead of 26? Less weight and cheaper. Also approach as many marina's as you can to get the best price, since they use it the most.

2) To attach Coosa to your framework is just like the factory attached the plywood, by screwing it to the framework. I did go one step further by using a 3/4" half lap joint where the two boards met. This reduced the amount of fasteners needed, made it easier to screw down, made the sheets flush to each other, and allowed me to silicone the sheets together. The half lap joint can be easily made by a router and a 3/4" by 1/2" bearing bit.

Post number 5 will show you the half lap joint.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f311...me-106269.html

3) Can you screw into Coosa, yes, but with provisions. I screw and unscrew my water pump every year back into the same holes, but the screws do go into the aluminum sheet below. Also to attach sofa's or cabinets I have used a 1"x1" aluminum L channel, PL Premium Pro adhesive and screwed it to the Coosa board and then screw the other side of the L channel to what I needed to be held down from the back side. Most gables and such are held by wall cleats and cabinets beside them which negates having to screw them down to the Coosa.

It just takes being creative, but like I said, the pros out way the cons.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[Re-Pete]

Originally Posted by LSorrells

Hello All!
I am currently in the process of renovating a 1979 Argosy and I am really wanting to go with Coosa Board for the flooring. I know this forum has talked extensively about this topic. I am a believer but the darn stuff is so expensive! I was quoted $377 per 4x8' sheet of 3/4" Bluewater 26. Is that normal? I am willing to travel to get a better deal. I live in the Charleston/Beaufort area of South Carolina.

Is there a better time of the year to buy this stuff or is this just the general going rate?
Also, anyone know of the insulative properties of Coosa Board?

Thanks in advance!

I paid $216.75 per sheet for Coosa Bluewater 26 on September 7th at Eastern Burlap and Trading Company in Norfolk, Va. This did not include shipping because I picked it up.

Give them a call. I do not know if they ship or not.

[kidjedi]

Originally Posted by LSorrells

So if I am understanding your reply correctly I will need a “subfloor” before I lay the coosa?

Well, you could do that, but as you surmised, yeah, it would kind of defeat the purpose of using Coosa in the first place. And I'm not saying don't use it; just making sure you realize the limits, especially as you go into a major remodel.


Usually a remodel involves installing all new interior components, and if that's the case for you, and you don't have a lot of experience, Coosa is definitely going to make things harder. With a plywood floor, you can simply fasten anything you want directly to the 3/4" ply (cabinets, beds, toilet, etc.). With Coosa, for every single thing you want to fasten, you will need to place something on the underside of the Coosa for your fasteners to "grip," and preferably bolt through. It won't be a simple matter of just screwing to the floor.



Coosa is kind of like drywall. Sure, you can put a screw in it and maybe even have something hold for a while, but as soon as you give it a yank, it's going to pull out. And driving down a bumpy road is way more than a "yank."


Coosa is awesome for rot prevention and the fact that it's light, but those come with a pretty major trade off, especially if you don't have a lot of experience.


Just my $.02.

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by kidjedi

Well, you could do that, but as you surmised, yeah, it would kind of defeat the purpose of using Coosa in the first place. And I'm not saying don't use it; just making sure you realize the limits, especially as you go into a major remodel.


Usually a remodel involves installing all new interior components, and if that's the case for you, and you don't have a lot of experience, Coosa is definitely going to make things harder. With a plywood floor, you can simply fasten anything you want directly to the 3/4" ply (cabinets, beds, toilet, etc.). With Coosa, for every single thing you want to fasten, you will need to place something on the underside of the Coosa for your fasteners to "grip," and preferably bolt through. It won't be a simple matter of just screwing to the floor.



Coosa is kind of like drywall. Sure, you can put a screw in it and maybe even have something hold for a while, but as soon as you give it a yank, it's going to pull out. And driving down a bumpy road is way more than a "yank."


Coosa is awesome for rot prevention and the fact that it's light, but those come with a pretty major trade off, especially if you don't have a lot of experience.


Just my $.02.

Just curious; have you used Coosa board?

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[kidjedi]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

Just curious; have you used Coosa board?

Yep! If you're asking that because of the "drywall" analogy, I was only making that comparison in relation to how fasteners function with a composite board.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Re-Pete

I paid $216.75 per sheet for Coosa Bluewater 26 on September 7th at Eastern Burlap and Trading Company in Norfolk, Va. This did not include shipping because I picked it up.

Give them a call. I do not know if they ship or not.

Thanks Pete, and WOW! Saving $150 per sheet makes even a 300 mile trip to pick it up worth the effort. It is good to live in the home of the Atlantic Fleet sometimes, isn't it?

Surely worth doing some shopping around before pulling the trigger on the first source.

[BigAl]

I think this high end product is a waste of money. My trailer is 24 years old and has no floor rot yet. Even if it did and I replaced it with the same fir plywood it came with I would expect another 24 years. Are you going to have yours that long? Something to think about.
Al

[cole3444]

Advanced Plastics in Ooltewah Tenn quoted me Bluewater 20 for 232.32 a few months ago. They are near Chattanooga Tn. Lookup advancedplastics.com look at where to buy they have other stores around Tennessee.

[dhbinkley]

I'm getting ready to put down Advantech in my frame off Argosy redo. Coosa was just out of my price range, I figured that it will out live me so....

Just my thoughts

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by BigAl

I think this high end product is a waste of money. My trailer is 24 years old and has no floor rot yet. Even if it did and I replaced it with the same fir plywood it came with I would expect another 24 years. Are you going to have yours that long? Something to think about.
Al

Well, arn't you lucky; but there are people that live in high humid and moist conditions that really promote the growth of mold on organic material; like us in South Western Ontario; which leads me to believe, you haven't looked hard enough.

Coosa isn't an organic material, and thusly will never be able to promote the growth of black mold; which is all through the 1993 Fleetwood Cummins diesel pusher motorhome I purchased for $1,500.00 this fall. BTW everything works in this Bounder, including all appliances and 7500w diesel generator.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[Re-Pete]

Oops sorry, asleep at the switch. Just saw this reply. I suppose what said about our location is true. Actually though, Eastern Burlap mostly supplies boat builders and marinas I don't know that they supply the Navy with anything.



In following this debate, and I can find things to agree with on all sides of this issue. I largely went with this product for it's durability and weight. Because I was able to get it for a pretty good price and it is the same strength (Bluewater 26) as 3/4" marine grade plywood I pulled the trigger. It is overkill from the stand point of the use "I'll" get out of it, but hopefully someone else will also benefit. Also on the con side, there will be issues to overcome when it comes to attaching things to it. As has been said it won't hold a nail or a screw. This comes directly from the manufacturer. So, additional creativity will need to be brought to bare in situations where that is necessary. I'm hoping those who have gone before me will share some of their work-a-rounds. As for what another decides to do, I say, to each their own.



Pete

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Thanks Pete, and WOW! Saving $150 per sheet makes even a 300 mile trip to pick it up worth the effort. It is good to live in the home of the Atlantic Fleet sometimes, isn't it?

Surely worth doing some shopping around before pulling the trigger on the first source.

[dayner]

Simply stated Coosa board is a core material designed for glass laminating, it needs a surface such as epoxy/glass fiber to perform properly providing a strong glass/core composite. The material does have 2 layers of glass embedded and is stiff, but attaching screws etc is best accomplished by attaching thru the Coosa and into a threadable back side laminate. However if glassed on both sides as in the transom of a boat, screws may be securely attached to the Coosa by first drilling a blind hole, enlarging it below the top surface laminate with an "L" shaped nail in an electric drill, back filling the hole with thickened epoxy, then drilling and threading the fastener into the hardened epoxy. If it is to be a removable or semi permanent screw, then do not use a screw at all, thread a stud into the hole instead of a screw and then use a nut and washer to attached whatever you want to the stud. Coosa is great as a laminate core, poor by itself, and it has almost no abrasion resistance. A Coosa glass laminate floor in an airstream would be almost indestructible. If you want a an affordable really rot resistant Airstream floor, just use plywood and epoxy coat each side and all cut edges and plumbing/electrical openings, then when thru drilling for bolts around the frame fill the bolt holes with 5200 adhesive, and use silicone caulking on each interior screw you install. It will definitely outlast you, regardless of your present age.

[Isuzusweet]

I declined to glass epoxy my Coosa, as I thought it would be redundant. As I stated in one of my posts I found creative ways to attach things to Coosa and not have any problems in the five years since; everything I have screwed to Coosa has stayed put.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[vintageracer]

As mentioned in an earlier go with JM Huber "Advantech" for your sub floor board. MUCH cheaper @ $35.00 or less for a 4x8 foot sheet and works great. Yes you can also screw into this board. You can lay Advantech flooring underwater for days and nothing happens to it dimensionally or structurally. Really is a great product!

"Advantech" is an engineered wood product.

[Re-Pete]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

I declined to glass epoxy my Coosa, as I thought it would be redundant. As I stated in one of my posts I found creative ways to attach things to Coosa and not have any problems in the five years since; everything I have screwed to Coosa has stayed put.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

Hi Tony. I'm not ready to install it yet but I already have my Coosa board. Once it's installed if I need to screw something down what ways have you found work. I was thinking possibly thread inserts that spread out on the backside such as those made for drywall, but if enjoy hearing what you did / do.

[dayner]

Happy to hear you have had no issues and very happy to hear how you overcame the interior screw attachment concern.

[tevake]

Originally Posted by dayner

Simply stated Coosa board is a core material designed for glass laminating, it needs a surface such as epoxy/glass fiber to perform properly providing a strong glass/core composite. The material does have 2 layers of glass embedded and is stiff, but attaching screws etc is best accomplished by attaching thru the Coosa and into a threadable back side laminate. However if glassed on both sides as in the transom of a boat, screws may be securely attached to the Coosa by first drilling a blind hole, enlarging it below the top surface laminate with an "L" shaped nail in an electric drill, back filling the hole with thickened epoxy, then drilling and threading the fastener into the hardened epoxy. If it is to be a removable or semi permanent screw, then do not use a screw at all, thread a stud into the hole instead of a screw and then use a nut and washer to attached whatever you want to the stud. Coosa is great as a laminate core, poor by itself, and it has almost no abrasion resistance. A Coosa glass laminate floor in an airstream would be almost indestructible. If you want a an affordable really rot resistant Airstream floor, just use plywood and epoxy coat each side and all cut edges and plumbing/electrical openings, then when thru drilling for bolts around the frame fill the bolt holes with 5200 adhesive, and use silicone caulking on each interior screw you install. It will definitely outlast you, regardless of your present age.

Some excellent info shared by Dayner here. Each material has pros and cons.
Each require different techniques to work their best.

Having had both a ply glass trimaran and a foam core epoxy glass tri. I've dealt with both materials.
The ply glass isn't allways as rot risistant as once thought. Lots of coats penetrating epoxy required.

Foam core does require strengthening at fasteners. But can be done well to be strong, light and waterproof. It's more expensive and labor intensive.

In the case of fastening our wooden cabinets and furniture to the floor, these can be done with cleats laminated to the floors with no penetrations.

Cheers Richard