When did AS use OSB flooring (Oriented strand board)?

[david686]

Just got a reply from AS regarding their use of OSB --

"
----- Original Message ----- From: Airstream Customer Support
To: dbeatty686@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 3:42 PM
Subject: re: Fwd: Floors (contact us from airstream.com)



Thank you for contacting us in regards to the plywood used in our trailer. We use only low VOC plywood and paneling in our trailers to help eliminate out gasing. Some pressure treated woods contain preservatives that would not be allowed used inside a close area.The plywood we are using is 5/8" water resistant grade 1 plywood.

From: David Beatty <dbeatty686@gmail.com>

Date: August 29, 2011 3:42:52 PM EDT

To: Marketing <marketing@airstream.com>

Subject: Floors (contact us from airstream.com)

Reply-To: David Beatty <dbeatty686@gmail.com>


Owner VIN 1STJPBM234J516149. Simple question: Given the premium cost of all AS's why doesn't Airstream use pressure treated, kilm dried plywood for floors in their trailers? Thanks

From: David Beatty"

I checked the AS web site and found on their factory tour - they stated that OSB is used for flooring.
http://www.airstream.com/company/factory/tour-part-2.html

So I guess some AS have OSB and some don't/or all do/or all don't.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by david686

Thank you for contacting us in regards to the plywood used in our trailer. We use only low VOC plywood and paneling in our trailers to help eliminate out gasing.

Well, this is confusing: we know they used OSB in almost all models over the last 20 years; why does he talk as if all trailers have plywood?

[david686]

I replied to AS's email for some OSB information and just got this reply.


"We have not used any osb flooring since 2007 model year and that was only on 2 models.


Thank you,

Airstream Customer Support Team



From: "David Beatty" <dbeatty686@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 5:18 PM
To: customersupport@airstream.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: Floors (contact us from airstream.com)


I might not have made my email as clear as I could have. What I should have asked is; "Why doesn't AS use only pressure treated plywood for the floors and not OSB in some cases? It appears that some trailers have OSB as flooring."

[david686]

Just from this forum and a little personal information I see OSB used in 1974-2007 and 16', 20',22',25',29',31'and 32' models. I count 7 models, is 7 more or less than 2 model as stated in the AS email?

[william Haym]

My 1993 34' airstream Classic Limited has OSB.
What a mistake Airstream used this garbage!!!

[palmtreegirl]

I must add my data - I thought someone had been sick under the carpet in my outside storage bin - nope. the floor is rotten - like wet dust.

Please add 1992 29' Excella Classic to the list of dissatisfied-with-Airstream's-floor-choice customers.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Aage

Well, this is confusing: we know they used OSB in almost all models over the last 20 years; why does he talk as if all trailers have plywood?

We use only low VOC plywood and paneling in our trailers to help eliminate out gasing. Some pressure treated woods contain preservatives that would not be allowed used inside a close area.The plywood we are using is 5/8" water resistant grade 1 plywood.


Aage,

I think the operative word is "and", could it be they consider the osb.... paneling?

Our 03 Classic has plywood flooring, (dry now after leak repair)

Bob

[cameront120]

Or they could think that OSB is a form of plywood. It has wood and glue...

[ROBERT CROSS]

I fingered this out all by myself...I not a mathhead.

This does not take into consideration any bulk discount AS gets on the P-wood they do or do not use.

Approximate cost for the cheep stuff they used on our 25'....$225.00

The best marine grade hardwood....$700.00

$475.00 more....I would, would you?

.... after the floor's installed and the chassis is sitting there on the line what a great time for a nice coat of epoxy, maybe too much to ask though, one step at a time

Bob

[Aage]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

$475.00 more....I would, would you?

Bob,

But don't forget, the President of Airstream, who is responsible to the board of Thor, gets to take one step further: let's take a very rough guess that they make 500 units a year.

Your $475 becomes something like a quarter of a million dollars now. If they make a thousand, looking at half a million...

And whatever it is, it drops right to the bottom line. That OSB is lookin' good now, if you are on the executive of AS!

But not if you are a buyer.

What I think would be fair is if they offered it as an option, starting those same twenty years ago. Like you said, Bob: who would have said no?

[cameront120]

Okay, so it affects bottom line. If they were smart, they'd make marine grade plywood an option. A $500 extra cost to the consumer - totally elective. I'd pay it gladly. That would keep the the people who only care about the bottom line happy.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by tpi

My '05 Safari 25 (built 04) has OSB

Hi, my 2005 Safari [built in 2004] has a 5/8" plywood floor.

[Friday]

Originally Posted by cameront120

Okay, so it affects bottom line. If they were smart, they'd make marine grade plywood an option. A $500 extra cost to the consumer - totally elective. I'd pay it gladly. That would keep the the people who only care about the bottom line happy.

I get what you mean, but I disagree... It's like buying a a Ferrari and then having to pay $500 for 'premium paint'. If there is a better way to build it, it should be done. These are premium units that are marketed as life-time purchases. If money needs to be spent to make that true, then it should be done.

It would be a much easier sell for a salesperson to point to the thing and say "Look at that floor - it will last forever!" than to say "Our regular model tends to fall apart after a few years... but for $1000 you can upgrade!"

[Aage]

Friday,

I don't think that anyone here would disagree with that.

[cameront120]

Well, something is preventing the powers that be from addressing the issue. If they're unwilling to solve it, I'm suggesting that if I ever order a new unit, it would be nice if I could say, "hey, instead of the regular crappy floor, how about using this marine grade wood instead? Hell, I'll pay the extra and wait the time it takes to build my trailer from scratch". Heck, if need be, I'd have the wood delivered to them so that they didn't have to go out of their way to get it. It's pretty clear that they feel that the material that they're using matches the premium asking price of their product, otherwise they'd be paying attention and change. No?

[Bill M.]

Here is one thing to think of. Marine grade plywood and exterior sheathing plywood are made of the same thing, both glue and wood. The difference is the marine plywood has wood without knots in the interior also. Good for joints. But if it stays wet, it rots. Very expensive and adds little to the use for a floor. The problem is not so much the floor but the leaks. Marine grade plywood will rot at about the same rate as the plywood they use now. Marine grade plywood would be good floor underlayment and roof decking in your house too. You have it there?? Only add a percent or to to the total cost.

My trailers are 87 and 88 models. Both have OSB. Both have been outdoors since they left the factory. One sat in one spot for 20 years. I have repaired damaged areas in both trailers. The damaged areas were nasty. But fairly limited in size. Plywood would have been rotten too. Probably the plywood would have deterioated over a larger area than the OSB. The areas of the OSB that were not subjected to prolonged leaks are just fine.

Do not know what you could use for a floor that would be significantly better than exterior plywood. Can not use the pressure preserved stuff. There are some awful good floor grade OSB products out there now, but they have no advantage to plywood when used in 4 x 8 sheets and are probably more expensive. They do make a fine subfloor for a house. The structural plus feature for the OSB floors was the larger sheets avaliable.

In making most things there is a tradeoff between cost and performance of the materials chosen. Airsteam spends a lot of money on the shell, windows, door, etc. They are fairly light weight.

Botton line is that getting and keeping the trailer leak free is the essential thng to preserve the floor.

My trailers have particle board for the interior walls and the table, etc. Particle board off gasses organic compounds. Would be good if the newer trailers have more plywood under the veneer and plastic laminate.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Marine grade, the same?...yes but not quite.

A boat is built to get WET and last, an AS is built to last, the floor gets wet and doesn't.

If you can't make them so they don't leak.....at least make 'em so they don't rot away right away.

Bob

[Friday]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Marine grade, the same?...yes but not quite.

A boat is built to get WET and last, an AS is built to last, the floor gets wet and doesn't.

If you can't make them so they don't leak.....at least make 'em so they don't rot away right away.

Bob

That really is a good point... no wood, unsealed floor is designed for continuous water exposure. But, if Airstreams are more prone to leaks than others, going to a composite floor would solve lots of problems... go with 1/4 less wood, and laminate the whole thing in fibreglass. Or, go super-cool and do some carbon over foam-core.

[Friday]

Oh, and I can confirm the floor of my 06 22' is OSB.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by david686

I replied to AS's email for some OSB information and just got this reply.


"We have not used any osb flooring since 2007 model year and that was only on 2 models.


Thank you,

Airstream Customer Support Team



From: "David Beatty" <dbeatty686@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 5:18 PM
To: customersupport@airstream.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: Floors (contact us from airstream.com)


I might not have made my email as clear as I could have. What I should have asked is; "Why doesn't AS use only pressure treated plywood for the floors and not OSB in some cases? It appears that some trailers have OSB as flooring."

Does the above AS statement appear to be true?
Has anyone found OSB in 2008 and up?

Ken

My 2010 Classic has plywood.