Composite Flooring Ideas / Experience

[pjtss]

I'm restoring a 1963 Globetrotter (19 ft). The shell is lifted, sub-floor removed and we are in the process of restoring/repairing the frame. Next step is to replace the sub-floor.

I'd like to use composite flooring instead of ply-wood for the sub-floor and am looking for ideas/experiences anybody has installing replacement composite flooring.

How does material holds up when you screw it to the frame, it's strength (especially around the corners where there are no frame outriggers) and how the well it performs around the perimeter where the c-channels connect to shell.

Thank you!

Pete

[GPurcell]

I'm using Coosa bluewater 26 board for my floor. Couple things to note -

• It hates UV rays. I left one board in the sun for a day and it was bleached.
• It cuts just like plywood to my surprise. However, WEAR A MASK. The dust is crazy.
• It accepts screws kinda like plywood does.
• It is more flexible but stronger than plywood.
• The only thing I would do differently is get it 3/4 instead of 1/2 thick.

I love not having to worry about it ever getting water logged, rot, mold, or mildew. I never have to touch my floor again. Check my thread as it has all the answers I think you're looking for.

[Bubba L]

Pete, the people that uses Coosa are very happy with it. When we renovated our 66 and 55 there wasn’t that much information on using it for Airstreams. So, we just used CDX and saturated it with TotalBoat penetrating epoxy. So far so good. Concerning the outrigger supports at the corners, we added an extra support at each corner coming off the main frame. Good luck

[pjtss]

Originally Posted by GPurcell

I'm using Coosa bluewater 26 board for my floor. Couple things to note -

• It hates UV rays. I left one board in the sun for a day and it was bleached.
• It cuts just like plywood to my surprise. However, WEAR A MASK. The dust is crazy.
• It accepts screws kinda like plywood does.
• It is more flexible but stronger than plywood.
• The only thing I would do differently is get it 3/4 instead of 1/2 thick.

I love not having to worry about it ever getting water logged, rot, mold, or mildew. I never have to touch my floor again. Check my thread as it has all the answers I think you're looking for.

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking Coosa flooring as well. Thanks for the note regarding its susceptibility to UV radiation damage. Good to know!

Your trailer looks beautiful! This is my blog. It's a few months behind, but we'll catch up eventually. https://ps63airstreamrebuild.com/

Thanks!

Pete

[pjtss]

Originally Posted by Bubba L

Pete, the people that uses Coosa are very happy with it. When we renovated our 66 and 55 there wasn’t that much information on using it for Airstreams. So, we just used CDX and saturated it with TotalBoat penetrating epoxy. So far so good. Concerning the outrigger supports at the corners, we added an extra support at each corner coming off the main frame. Good luck

Bubba, Thanks a lot for the info. I really like your trailer. Nice work.

My wife, daughter and I started a blog (it's a little behind). The blog is only updated to when we got the trailer home (last Spring), but we're about 4 months along in the restoration (working 5-10 hrs/week). We have since stripped the interior, lifted the shell, removed the belly pan, pulled the axle and started restoring the frame.

Our blog: https://ps63airstreamrebuild.com/

Thanks, Pete

[juicenorris]

So, I'm in the same stages as you all seem to be as well on our '76 Sovereign. My question is this: is the cost worth it for the Coosa board? Pricing it out looks like it'd cost me about $4000 for the .75" board. I'm planning on a large solar system and this is still much pricier than a large solar bank!

Are there any other cost effective wood alternative solutions?

[skyguyscott]

You might want to shop around for best pricing on Coosa. Someone here on the forums was able to procure it for <$300/sheet.

Is it worth it? Depends. Plywood tends to last about a decade or so before it begins to go soft in all the usual places. If you don't plan on keeping your trailer that long, than perhaps not. On the other hand, how do you feel about going to all the trouble to replace the floor again in another 10-15 years from now when you will be a decade or more older? What's all that labor, hassle and pain worth to you?

No one doubts the superiority of Coosa, it's longevity, strength, imperviousness to water, varmints, mold or bugs, or how easy it is to work with; the 30% lighter than plywood is also a bonus -- only issue is the price and procuring it.

[juicenorris]

Why get the 3/4 Coosa instead of the 1/2? Supposedly it's stronger than plywood, right? Then, you'd be saving even more weight.

[Daytonacoupe]

I’m presently installing 3/4” Bluewater 26 on our 34’ Limited. I bought 8 sheets early this year when plywood was becoming the new gold standard. With Covid supply anomalies my fear was that I’d get ready to install the floor and there’d be nothing available. Outdoor project.

So, 5 months after the trauma of paying for Coosa I’m feeling happy about going this route. I put in 6 sheets early this week and had to pause while the remnants of Ida move through. Threw a few old tarps over the trailer, tied everything down, and if there are a few puddles or dampness under the tarps I’ll not lose sleep. What was left of our OSB subfloor was a biohazard. With a lot of new metal, careful application of POR15, Coosa, and stainless fasteners the goal is longevity.

The comments that others are making are bang on. Cost was the only downside for me, and some will say that it doesn’t t take a screw but with a shell off project there are plenty of work arounds.

Also, price in a few coats of epoxy on marine grade plywood + your time and the stress of working around the weather and the Coosa premium begins to look less irrational.

Good luck with your progress!

Cheers.

[Foiled Again]

My old neighbor, Re-Pete, still lives in Va.Beach, right next to Norfolk, home of the Arlantic Fleet. Big civilian and Military marine industry hubs. He retired from a flood and fire.restoration company, and knew.the area well. Careful shopping through three or four big suppliers saved him a lot of money. A couple of other owners drove over 100 miles to get match to his savings. Prices on everything have gone up in the past 18 months, but Menards or Home Depot should not be your supplier of choice. Look for yacht builders, drydocks, and companies who build trailers for trucking companies, or maybe horses or cattle.