Floor replacement thickness

[cuyeda]

After a discussion with a friend, I was thinking of using a 1/2" sub-floor plywood underlayment, then a 1/4" over the top for additional strength. Would a straight 3/4" be better?

Any thoughts about coating the plywood with a good primer (surface + edges) before installation? This should help slow any moisture seepage if any.

Is there a treated plywood sheating that helps resist termintes etc...? I will have to look into the Advantech stuff.

At Home Depot or Lowes, there does not seem to be 1/2" plywood.

[LI Pets]

3/4 is stronger than 1/2+1/4, because the 3/4 is one set of plys acting together as a total unit.

At the lumber yard Lowes HD you get something that is close to the thickness as you can they are playing games with 32's of an inch as a price game.

[Janets Husband]

I am thinking that a stiff floor is what I want. I am in the middle of a frame off and I was thinking of using 'Europly' it is much stiffer than standard plywood due to the number of layers in the sheet. It is like Baltic Birch but is available in 4' x 8' sheets and is FSC Formaldehyde Free for those who care.
A 1/2" sheet is 9 ply and 3/4" is 15 ply. The prices I have found is $85.00 for 1/2" and $91.00 for 3/4". 24 foot trailer will take 5 sheets. I was planning on pre-treating it with some type of water repellent, and I'm trying to figure out what I'll use.

[Ken J]

Gary

Is this on the Argosy you are doing a frame off?

Anyway I coated my edges with epoxy and then sealed the floor with varathane. You have to be careful when using wood treatment in that it won't gas you out of the trailer....stuff should be made for indoor use.

Ken J

[Janets Husband]

Yep, it is our 1977 24' rear door, number 60 of 60 made. The floor really is a pile of mush. It appears the 1/2" plywood originally used fractures internally and it loses its stiffness. No rot, just flabby. Thanks Ken, I'll look into the interior grade water proofing.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Janet's Husband

Yep, it is our 1977 24' rear door, number 60 of 60 made. The floor really is a pile of mush. It appears the 1/2" plywood originally used fractures internally and it loses its stiffness. No rot, just flabby. Thanks Ken, I'll look into the interior grade water proofing.

Gary, I think Argosy trailers got 1/2" floors to save weight. Have you considered putting in the thicker flooring, like an Airstream of the same era would have had?

[Ken J]

Oh ok - its not the one you have had all along - you must have snuck another on in on me - I don't know if you know this, but I did look at your original Argosy in Boisie when I was up there visiting Charle - even thought about buying it - its a very nice trailer.

Ken J.

[bc057]

my 1978 argosy used 15/32 5 ply plywood and it had voids all over. bruce

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by Ken J

Gary

Is this on the Argosy you are doing a frame off?

Anyway I coated my edges with epoxy and then sealed the floor with varathane. You have to be careful when using wood treatment in that it won't gas you out of the trailer....stuff should be made for indoor use.

Ken J

That's the same thing I did. No off-gasing that I am aware of. I used West Marine Epoxy and Varathane brand. Two coats of each, IIRC.

Jim

[Wabbiteer]

There is a company near me that laminates structural wood using Vinyl Ester resin - think plywood beams four inches thick and fourty feet long, etc.. This fiberglass-type resin has half the cost of epoxy but thinning involves some producing some solvent fumes; to make an extremly low viscosity wood penetrating resin thin with up to 15% acetone or MEK, but will still get good bite with out it.


I've used these peoples #700 resin before and it performs as advertised:

700 Vinyl Ester Resin.... "Vinyl Ester resin is superior in every property as compared to all polyester resins. This product is used in high performance applications in which high-strength and maximum heat tolerance is necessary. This resin is extremely chemical resistant when cured. Similar in strength to epoxies with much increased stiffness."

Polyester Resins

[Ken J]

Jim

Yes that is correct - epoxy and varathane will not out-gas, so it is safe to use.

As I understand it there aren't very many companies (for West and others to put their name on) that make epoxy - so whatever epoxy you purchase should be ok -

Ken J.

[Wabbiteer]

Another plus to Vinyl Ester is it's an excellent alternative for people allergic to epoxy... and sorry about the double 'some' in text of last post : )