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03-05-2014, 08:08 AM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1990 29' Excella
Long Island
, New York
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
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Sub Floor Repair
I know, I know, we don't repair sub flooring, we just keep going and before you know it, I have a shell hanging in a tree and the carcass in my driveway. Lol! I have a 1990 29ft excella, a relatively new trailer, that I pulled the old carpet out of. There is a soft spot in the hallway, which I believe was probably from a shower leak in its past life. The sub floor is 5/8 exterior wafer board, I'm thinking I want to either cut it out, or level it. My question is,I see big Philips head bolts or are they screws holding it down?, and what would be the downside of using a leveling compound? The floor itself is dry, just spongy in that one spot. I would like to install a floating floor, so it needs to be sorta level, and yes she will get a total resto in the future.
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03-05-2014, 08:18 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,982
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If the sub-floor is spongy now, if all you do is put floor leveler on it, it'll still be spongy. And the floor leveler will end up cracking and falling apart. Your best bet would be to cut out the bad section and install a patch, using the same thickness wafer board (OSB) or plywood. If you can cut back to metal frame to support the seams, that's the best way to install a patch. If that's not practical, then cut the hole, install 4 in wide strips (gussets) of the same OSB or plywood under the hole so 2 inches is glued and screwed under the old OSB, leaving a 2 in wide platform for the new OSB to sit on. Then glue and screw the patch into the hole. The gusset will support the patch, and the glue & screws will tie it into the existing floor. Plywood would be better than OSB for the gussets, or regular 1 x 4's. Use a good quality waterproof exterior glue.
Chris
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03-05-2014, 08:41 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1986 34' Limited
1975 27' Overlander
1969 21' Globetrotter
Conifer
, Colorado
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 8,278
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Perfect description of rotted sub floor repair! Thanks Chris. Jeepjunk4, while you are waiting for the glue to dry, start figuring out where the leak came from. All Airstreams leak or are gonna leak. Crack in the shower pan? Shower drain pipe disconnected somehow? Exterior skin seam leak making its way to the hall floor? Usually floor rot is found along the outside edges of the trailer. Rot in a center section is a little more unusual.
David
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03-05-2014, 08:47 AM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
1990 29' Excella
Long Island
, New York
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
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Thanks for your help Chris. I am going to poke around in there today, lokks like we're gonna be above freezing for a while, bring on the spring!!!!
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03-05-2014, 09:36 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1972 31' Sovereign
Lexington
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,982
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What's it like to be above freezing???
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03-05-2014, 09:43 AM
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#6
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2 Rivet Member
1990 29' Excella
Long Island
, New York
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
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Haha Chris, I feel your pain!!! Honestly the sun is out 35 deg, and it feels like summer!!
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03-05-2014, 10:01 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1968 24' Tradewind
Oxford,
, Mississippi
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,564
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FYI-f you don't have one of the "multi-master" type vibrating saws, it will be money well spent before you start the floor repair. I bought a Harbor Freight model and have used it countless hours. With the vibratory type saw you can "walk" the cut right down the center of outriggers and the frame rail without worrying about cutting into steel. Just angle the blade and it will just slide along right down the middle or the steel frame(assuming your cut lines are correct). Another advantage is that the kerf is very small compared to other types of saws. I used it for all the floor rot sections on my 68 and frankly don't know how I would have done without it. And one last benefit, you can get right up to the wall or bulkhead, something you can't do with a circular type saw. I found making my joints meet over solid steel was easier, but if you can't Minno's suggestions are the way to go.
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Bruce & Rachel
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68 Trade Wind
2001 Toyota Tundra
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03-05-2014, 10:03 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1998 30' Excella 1000
Livingston
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 546
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To catch those slow/non-visible plumbing leaks early, I got two WatchDog Water Alarms. They are available at Home Depot for about $10. The battery lasts 5years. You can strip the insulation off the leads that go to the remote detector and make numerous detectors along the length of the wire by tacking it down to the floor in hidden locations. I have one that monitors my water heater and toilet area and a second one that monitors the area around/under the shower.
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