Need Help!

[frjeff]

I have begun removing old vinyl plank flooring, I had thought these pieces used adhesive only where they overlapped.

However, they not only did that, but have self adhesive over the entire bottom of each piece.

No problem peeling them up (easy), but an adhesive residue is now left on the entire OSB subfloor. It is sticky!

I am concerned that unless I somehow remove that adhesive, I will not truly have a floating floor when I install the new SmartCore click vinyl flooring. ASlso, the new install would be very difficult as the new pieces would not slide whatsoever to get a tight click together bond.

Cannot leave as is, so any tips here oh how to proceed ??

[Iansk]

Is it possible to put an underlayment down such as luaun? It is a thin (1/8") underlayment used in the construction industry found at big box home centers. In fact, much of your coach is probably built with it.
I suggest this for two reasons:
1) Why in the name of cucumbers did AS use OSB? Anything to protect that subfloor would be advantageous.
2) Trying to get adhesive off of regular old plywood is hard enough, I should think you risk damaging the OSB and creating much more work for yourself.
3) (BONUS!) You will have a much flatter floor to deal with when laying the new one.

just one man's, who loathes OSB, opinion...
Ian

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Iansk

In fact, much of your coach is probably built with it.
I suggest this for two reasons:
1)Why in the name of cucumbers did AS use OSB?

BTW I had to Google OSB and it's what I'd call "chipboard". Here are two reasons that appeal to Thor.:

1. Cost. OSB $3 to $5 less per panel. To be exact, using the figures below, OSB is $4.50 less per panel. If you are doing whole-house floor installation, this is a huge difference.

OSB Cost: 7/16 in. x 4 ft x 8 ft. OSB Board costs $8.56 at Home Depot. (Trivia: When this article was first written in April 2011, the same panel cost $7.47.)
Plywood Cost: 7/32 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. costs $12.97 at Home Depot.

2.. Sizing
OSB. If huge panels are of a concern, you will find that OSB offers panels up to 8' by 24'. So if you're building a platform 8' wide, you can do long one's with just one seam.

Did I mention it's cheaper?
All the other reasons favor plywood.
Marine plywood is exactly the same as exterior grade plywood except it has no voids.

[Iansk]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

BTW I had to Google OSB and it's what I'd call "chipboard". Here are two reasons that appeal to Thor.:

Did I mention it's cheaper?
All the other reasons favor plywood.
Marine plywood is exactly the same as exterior grade plywood except it has no voids.

Hey Mollysdad,

I get why they used it then (though not anymore is my understanding), because of cost savings. My cucumber comment stems from years in the construction then design industry. OSB (oriented strand board) is like a sponge when it gets wet. With all those random sized chips (waste) creating far more surface area and crevices for water to intrude. In a structure like a travel trailer that carries the universal tag line, "They all leak", it boggles my sensibilities why they would think it was a good idea.

As to panel size, I can get 6' x 12' panels of furniture grade plywood from a local supplier here in Austin. Not that I'd consider it, but it is available.
The only time I have/will ever use OSB in any project would be for aesthetic reasons, because the look is appropriate for the design.

All that said, the construction industry uses OSB in home construction as sheathing on homes and buildings all the time, but those homes aren't bouncing down the highway year in and year out.

Anyway, frjeff didn't post to hear me rant about substandard building materials,
forgive me.

My advice above still stands, unless you can take out all the OSB and start from scratch.

Best of luck,
Ian

[frjeff]

Originally Posted by Iansk

Is it possible to put an underlayment down such as luaun? It is a thin (1/8") underlayment used in the construction industry found at big box home centers. In fact, much of your coach is probably built with it.
I suggest this for two reasons:
1) Why in the name of cucumbers did AS use OSB? Anything to protect that subfloor would be advantageous.
2) Trying to get adhesive off of regular old plywood is hard enough, I should think you risk damaging the OSB and creating much more work for yourself.
3) (BONUS!) You will have a much flatter floor to deal with when laying the new one.

just one man's, who loathes OSB, opinion...
Ian

The lauan underlayment will be the answer. Not going to be easy to put in (what with a sticky floor), but it has to be done.

I didn't choose OSB as my flooring. It is what was in in an otherwise excellent condition 29' 1989 Excella.

No signs of wetness anywhere and thus no rot. I intend to meticulously take care of this unit to insure it never does get wet and rot

[HowieE]

Consider #15 pound roofing felt. It will keep any glue from adhering to the new floor, not that thick, will have some leveling effect on high spots , and easy o install.

[frjeff]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Consider #15 pound roofing felt. It will keep any glue from adhering to the new floor, not that thick, will have some leveling effect on high spots , and easy o install.

Great idea!
Easy to cut, will stick to existing adhesive and should be slippery enough to allow ease in placing new flooring.

[HowieE]

I removed all cabinets except the kitchen sink. That way you have very little cutting and even pieces on the sides. Start to lay flooring at the center line of the trailer and work to the edges if the connection system of the flooring will allow that.

post #4 on this tread will show my helper.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f461...oor-67428.html

[RadioWagon]

Hey frjeff. I'm not sure if this will be helpful, but when it comes to removing adhesive, look at a product called Big Wipes. I only know about it because a friend worked there for a bit, and she always went on and on (and on) about how in these presentations the wipes would remove anything and everything. I thought it was just silly until I had to take about 10 years of grime off the top of some rental home cabinets, and voila! I seriously couldn't believe it. They were the only thing out of all the cleaning products I tried that made a dint, and they cleaned the old grease and dirt like magic. They also don't smell like anything and are gentle on skin. They seriously just work.

Anyway. Check out Big Wipes. You can order them online and they are supposed to handle adhesives, too. As a crafty person, I identify with adhesive woe! Best of luck.

[frjeff]

Removed all the old stick down vinyl strips. The adhesive under what I removed yesterday had actually dried and was not tacky today.
But, I covered the bare subflooring with 15# felt and am ready for the finish flooring job.

SmartCore "cottage to be picked up at Lowes tomorrow.

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by HowieE

Consider #15 pound roofing felt. It will keep any glue from adhering to the new floor, not that thick, will have some leveling effect on high spots , and easy o install.

But the trailer will end up smelling like asphalt!

There is a very similar product that they sell at Home Depot. It's a red(usually color I've seen) heavy felt paper for putting down under laminate flooring. Would work great in this case, easy to trim.
Google Home Depot floor underlaymant, lots of options.

[raymac]

Floor underlayment is a good idea - comes in rolls, is lightweight & inexpensive, and would isolate the new floating floor from the sticky OSB.

[frjeff]

Pulled out the roofing felt and put down the kraft paper. No smell!

[HiJoeSilver]

Originally Posted by frjeff

Pulled out the roofing felt and put down the kraft paper. No smell!

Inexpensive kraft paper is a good option as well.

[frjeff]

Picked up the Smartcore yesterday.

My preliminary attempts looks as though I can connect this flooring working from the center our on each side. Seemk to go together on both the tongue and groove side.

With no really straight walls in forward part of trailer, if I snap a dead center chalk line, I can get equal edge pieces on each side of trailer.

Any contrary comments in this regard?

[Iansk]

I started where the floor was most visible, at the door, and worked out from there. Most of the street side is covered in cabinets and furniture. It would've bugged me to no end to have un-parallel lines when I enter the trailer. No matter how slight, but I'm weird like that.

ian

[frjeff]

Began yesterday. A bit at a time.....