Floor Install Strategy

[tesstoaster]

I will be replacing the first piece of plywood in the rear of a 72 Tradewind. I will be doing it through top. The only way I can see doing this and getting the plywood fully into the C channel in the read and the sides is to install in two pieces and have a miter joint or tongue and groove joint glued with Gorilla glue. Has anyone installed it in one piece? It seems the adjoining piece of plywood would get in the way of the new piece going into the aluminum C channel.

[BradB]

I was just wondering the same thing myself last night as I would like to do it that way. Hopefully someone has some advice on this for us.

[perryg114]

I ended up using three pieces in the back of my trailer. One center piece and a piece for each side in the curved area. I did this so I could fit the the center piece under the L shapped steel bracket at the back of the trailer. I only replaced the last 4 feet of floor so I did not have to deal with the side channels. I added extra angle iron supports on each side of the frame to support all three sections properly. I have seen it done with 2 pieces and some sort of lap joint but I decided to put a support at each seam.

Perry

[RickDavis]

I replaced the back 4 feet in several pieces. At the point where the pieces met I screwed and glued another piece underneath that overlapped the joint area. I used drywall screws and wood glue. It has worked out quite well

[Collapso]

In the rear portion of my 54 Safari, I used three sections ( middle and two sides). I joined them at each of the two (lengthwise) frame rails, situating them so that the sections share, lengthwise, the rails. (picture two people sharing an armless chair). I used construction adhesive as well as countersunk, self tapping sheet metal screws. Came out very solid.

[BradB]

That sounds much easier than what I was dreading doing with one piece.

Not to hijack the OP's thread but RickDavis - did you have to drop the tanks to do yours?

Thanks for this