Floor channel size when installing 3/4" plywood?

[surfpod]

Hi All,
I'm the proud owner of a 1976 23' Safari recently purchased, ending a 3-4 year search. I have learned a ton from this Airstream community forum. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I've embarked on a total shell off resto to my pod. So far, so good. My question concerns fitting floor channel. When the floor has been reinstalled using 3/4" plywood vs. original, how does the floor channel fit. Is it wide enough to up to 3/4" thickness?

[CanoeStream]

On my '74 Argosy, I used 19/32" inch solid ply underlayment. Even that is more than the perimeter channel is built for -- had to sand the edge of my 19/32" to fit it in. 1/2" is what was originally used.

[surfpod]

It looks like I may have use a router to reduce the thickness of my 3/4" plywood to accept the floor channel. Thanks!

[wasagachris]

My 73 was 3/4" plywood and the new metric size was a little tight but did fit.

[surfpod]

I read your restoration thread with great interest, learning what I was about to encounter! Great detail, great pics. It's helped me a lot. Thanks!

[wasagachris]

surfpod you're welcome feel free to brain pick any time you need. Either in a thread or by PM if yoy want.

[polarlyse]

Hi All. I'm working on my floor in the front section of an '85 Excella. The channel appears to be 5/8" but the subfloor I'm removing looks more like 3/4". I may try the router to take a bit off the edges to slide into the channel. I'm removing a section of severly rotted wood due to a leaking window seal. It's a real bear to get the old wet, swelled wood out of the channel but with some effort I've been successful so far. Fortunately I don't need to do too large of a section. Is marine plywood going to be overkill for this job, or should I go with just an exterior grade.

Thanks all,

[Wsmith]

Roger I uncovered my outriggers in the front are rear early last week and will be replacing 6 but could have probably got away with replacing only 2. I found the OSB had expanded or swollen over time to just under 3/4" It is stamped 5/8". Mine is a early model '85 and I plan to use the 23/32" for my repair. I should be within a 32nd of the original flooring. I also found that Airstream has planed down my OSB to get the channel on under my battery box on the curbside over to the side wall I haven't done a close inspection as to why yet since I don't have to replace that area.



Hope things go good with your project.

Wes

[polarlyse]

Thanks Wes. The OSB was really tough to get out of the channel. I ended up drilling it repeatedly and just eating away with a screwdriver and other tools. I removed all the subfloor that I plan on replacing this morning. I don't plan to replace any of the frame members but I am planning to paint them with the POR-15 stuff to inhibit any further rust. The area's that were kept dry are in fine shape. In the areas that had been wet do show some rust but not the extend requiring them to be replaced. I'm looking at an area from the door in almost 4' and forward almost to the battery boxes. Something tells me I should go farther but not at this time.

3/4" plywood seems to match in thickness nicely with the OSB that it will butt up to. So I think that's what I'll go with and use a router and take the thickness down a but along the edges where they fit into the channels. So far it's progressing nicely. I need to order some of the self tapping screws for the flooring and some rivits to put it all back together.

Appreciate your help and advice