Installing Wood Planks

[ALANSD]

cork is great .. I used it in my prior trailer. In this one I have vinyl cork planking, it look s great too and has very low maintenance.

[Trixella]

Originally Posted by Wayward

Before painting or waterproofing, treat with borate. Also known as Borax it is a safe mineral solution that will prevent any wood rot fungus should you have a leak in the future. I use it for termite and wood rot protection on remodeling projects.

Bora-care is a commercial supplier which is particularly good when there is existing fungus.. Builders » Nisus Corp

Another is Tim-Bor - easy to mis powder for new wood. Amazon.com : Tim-bor Professional Insecticide and Fungicide, 1.5 lb. bag : Insect Repellents : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Do you sprinkle it on the surface of the wood in its powder form or do you apply it another way?

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by Trixella

Do you sprinkle it on the surface of the wood in its powder form or do you apply it another way?

Timbor is a powder you mix with water and then brush or spray it on the wood.

Bora-Care comes as a liquid.

Soak the wood well especially plywood which has glue between the layers. Try to treat the edges as much as possible. Your subfloor may get wet in the future but it will not rot.

[Trixella]

Originally Posted by Wayward

Timbor is a powder you mix with water and then brush or spray it on the wood.

Bora-Care comes as a liquid.

Soak the wood well especially plywood which has glue between the layers. Try to treat the edges as much as possible. Your subfloor may get wet in the future but it will not rot.

Thank you! I just got it in the mail yesterday. Any idea on how long it will take the plywood to dry out after I apply it? Our current temps are in the 30s- low 50's. We're supposed to get rain on Saturday so I will need to put the plastic sheet down on the floors before then, so I would hate to cover them while they were still wet.

[cwf]

Wait till floor is clear and dry before application.

[Trixella]

The floor was dry until I put the Tim-bor on it today. I'm wondering how long it will take the Tim-bor to dry up since I'm going to throw the plastic sheet back on the floors Friday so it wont get wet from the rain were supposed to get on Saturday.

I spent the weekend chipping out the old sealant on the roof, little chip by little chip, and sealed it with Loctite Pl30, Parbond, and Captain Tolleys.... I'm hoping I got the leaky areas, but I still haven't sealed every seam and rivet on the trailer so I'll find out on Saturday.

[cwf]

Since your plan is to POLISH, I think I would consider putting a cover over the roof. Put blankets over top before the cover... you can buy shipping blankets at H.D. or Harbor Freight, for a nominal fee.. and can be used elsewhere when done. Pull as tightly as you can to minimize flapping...

You might set up an electric heater to help dry...

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by Trixella

Any idea on how long it will take the plywood to dry out after I apply it? Our current temps are in the 30s- low 50's.

Hard to say - a few days - a space heater would help speed the process.

[Trixella]

I stuck a box fan in there and it seems to already be dry in less than 24 hours. I hope I used it correctly, I ended up painting it down with a paint brush and only used about 60 to 70% of the gallon I made up for 150 square feet. I don't understand how its going to help the underside of the plywood from rotting since it is only a topical application.

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by Trixella

I stuck a box fan in there and it seems to already be dry in less than 24 hours. I hope I used it correctly, I ended up painting it down with a paint brush and only used about 60 to 70% of the gallon I made up for 150 square feet. I don't understand how its going to help the underside of the plywood from rotting since it is only a topical application.

Well getting the bottom would be ideal but rot usually comes from interior leaks or along the lower exterior trim (where the edges of the plywood are).

The solution soaks in much the same as any water leaking onto the floor would. That is why it is important to get it to run to the edges of the plywood. Sawn end grain (every other ply) soaks water like a sponge.

Get plenty of solution along the edges with a small brush or something like a turkey baster. You could even stuff rags or paper towels in the gaps to hold some solution so it has time to soak in the edges.

When the borate solution soaks in the end grain, it leaves borate crystals there. If you get a leak in the future, the edges will still absorb water, but the mold/rot will not grow.

[Trixella]

I've now decided that I'm going to do cork tiles... do you think that the Tim-bor will interfere with the adhesive I use to put the cork down?

[Wayward]

Originally Posted by Trixella

I've now decided that I'm going to do cork tiles... do you think that the Tim-bor will interfere with the adhesive I use to put the cork down?

Just be sure it is dry. After it is dry you may want to wipe with a damp rag or sponge to remove any residue that may not have soaked into the wood.

I usually nail, staple or float - very little gluing of floors (mainly because I hate the job of pulling it up). But........... some wood flooring comes borate treated and it can be glued or nailed down so you could follow their recommendations for adhesives.

Here is a borate treated flooring that recommends "Use a moisture barrier wood flooring adhesive like "Bostik's Best" or Franklin.s 811 Plus."

Eco Friendly Flooring