Painting subfloor???

[kdenault]

Ok...this idea may be a bit adverse to some folks, however: bear with me, it may be palatable to those considering alternative finishes to their AS floors.
Has anyone considered simply painting the subfloor? With a tough marine paint or epoxy and then a several coats of clear coat.
We would like a no-nonsense approach to redoing our 65 Overlander. Industrial, utilitarian...are descriptors we are comfortable with. We are down to the original subfloor and, surprisingly, it's not too bad. Some patches are needed however nothing major. I am thinking about skinning the subfloor with 1/4" or 3/8" inch ply glued down generously with construction adhesive or Liquid Nails to avoid screw heads. I was thinking of painting the ply on both sides (before installation) and using paper templates patterned from the trailer floor to cut and shape the ply skins outside the trailer. The skin edges would be varnished or varathaned before installation for added protection.

This idea seems to eliminate many of the issues associated with VCT, laminate, wood, carpet, etc. Albeit, it may be a bit of a spartan approach to floor finishing...but with enough clear coat, spills are easy to take care of and dirt/sanded can be easily swept.
The only issue I see would be the visible seams of the ply skins. But a splatter Jackson Pollock paint technique would conceal the seams at least a bit! And it would work with the industrial vibe!

[InsideOut]

One word...resale.

That being said, it's your trailer to do with as you please...

Shari

[Toddzilla]

I thought of this but my wife wanted vinyl tiles.

As for the industrial look, paint the wood first, then using adhesives screw it down with brass wood screws, then clear coat. It would be solid with some nice brass accents.

Todd

The Dog House - http://www.airforums.com/forums/f104...-111301-5.html

[kdenault]

Yeah...resale...that's always there, however: a painted floor could easily be covered over with a different flooring material at another time (or by another owner). Besides that, part of the fun of owning these beauties is the design freedom one can exercise!

Todd... I actually like the look of screw heads, bolts, washers, etc when used purposefully as a design element. I would think that countersinking the screw heads would be necessary to avoid an unpleasant walking experience especially when barefoot. Could the countersunk screw heads be filled in with some type of clear acrylic (like that pourable stuff foun in craft stores), then the entire painted floor surface clear coated?

[Toddzilla]

If I was doing it I'd countersink to flush, then use a few layers of polyurethane, which would mostly fill the Phillips head and keep the brass shiny.

[msmcv51]

Some years ago a coworker painted her kitchen floor to look like brick, mortar joints and all. She first painted the entire floor a darker gray then with painters tape laid out a brick pattern. With brick red she painted again, after removing the tape she went over it all with clear. It looked very nice. Her home was an old country farm house.

[reinergirl]

Why not just level the floor with some type of product and just paint?

Personally I wouldn't worry about resale. I'd rather see the original floor if I was looking at a trailer than a floor covered up with vinyl, laminate..... Flooring hides rot!

There are fantastic stencils, faux wood grain...all for just the cost of paint and your time.

My sis and hubby painted her floor, later added flor carpet squares. I like it! They also left floor not seen bare and are much better able to monitor/see leaks when they occur. Which they will. Their bare wood has the ability to dry out. Wood getting wet isn't a big deal. Wood getting wet and staying wet IS A BIG DEAL. Consider not painting the unseen areas.

[Britbat]

Hi All we just got back from looking at deck restoration paints at home depot and lowes as we removed the carpet from our '75 overlander. Has anyone used these products before ( Behr deck over or Olympic restore ) and with any success ? They both look like they would fill any rough spots, be easy to clean up as is and brighten the place up.
Thanks
Vic

[SeeMore]

My experience with the restoration paints is limited to outdoor decks. There is a difference between their intended uses which is dependent on the condition of the surface to be covered. For example, RestoreX fills cracks and screw/nail heads much better than Behr's DeckOver. DeckOver works best on new or fairly recently installed surfaces. If you use one of these products, i suggest you use a filler for cracks and attachment points before application so there is no telegraphing through the final finish. Just my opinion, but don't expect a nice looking surface if you skip the surface prep step before application. The 'paint' is thinner than a layer of vinyl so the surface preparation needs to match or exceed the smoothing that would be done for vinyl to ensure an appealing outcome.

[Britbat]

Thanks, the one product we looked at was super thick and only covered 25sq ft plus had bad reviews regarding application but the Olympic and Behr had much lighter texture. We will read up more on reviews and comments before making a decision but we like the idea of painting the exposed subfloor in the traffic areas and maybe stencils for decoration as it helps keep the over all weight down too.

[fairtheewell]

I know this is an older thread. But did you do this and amy I ask how it worked out?

[Barbieri]

I enjoy reading all the ideas presented for flooring. I removed the carpeting in the bedrooms of a 2004 classic. Except for the staples it looked like redwood. The screw heads were countersink and I started to put the staples flush with the floor using a two hammer combination. The linoleum was just stapled to the wood at the entrance to the bedroom and is thinner than the vinyl tile I was looking at. The wood below the hot water heater was wet, and I suspect this was due to condensation and lack of proper ventilation. The wire running from the cable/tv hookup was open to the outside. This was another source of water getting the flooring wet while driving.
After reading all the posts I am seriously considering making the floor like a piece of furniture. Use a stain that would enhance the wood floor or using an oil stain. The idea of keeping the floor bare is compelling considering what people are writing about floor root in another section.

As you can see from the picture. I just started. Hope to post more pictures as I go along.

[slowmover]

IIRC, I've seen some sanded/painted plywood with area rugs.

The last TT we went a couple of months on ply before having a cork floor installed. Big difference by all measures.


1990 35' Silver Streak
2004 555 Cummins

[Bill M.]

My opinion is that the face ply is too soft and too thin to hold up long on a floor. Almost any flooring product over top of the subfloor would be better.

[Barbieri]

I have been reading about wood rot and the problems that go along with it. I picture the commode going through the floor. It seems to me that flooring of any type masks water damage and makes it more difficult to detect. Who would of thought that condensation from the water heater would lead to a potential floor problem, but it almost happened to me. So why not stain and put polyurethane on top. Almost like furniture. My floor appears to be red wood in nature. Still thinking so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I don't mind the work.

[Barbieri]

I am thinking of light sanding after filling a few imperfections with stainable wood filling. Lay down a wood stain and then using wood epoxy to reinforce the plywood. After that a few coats of polyurethane varnish. Unless somebody comes up with a good suggestion.

In some places you can see water stains. This from the commode and the bidet hose attached to it. It likes to drip water.

[Barbieri]

Originally Posted by Barbieri

I am thinking of light sanding after filling a few imperfections with stainable wood filling. Lay down a wood stain and then using wood epoxy to reinforce the plywood. After that a few coats of polyurethane varnish. Unless somebody comes up with a good suggestion.Attachment 275106Attachment 275107Attachment 275108Attachment 275109

In some places you can see water stains. This from the commode and the bidet hose attached to it. It likes to drip water.

And the adventure continues. Broken battery box on right along with water stains in floor thanks to open port for battery cables not being sealed. Cracked battery box on right. Plywood sheet stapled. The area around the restroom starting to dry out. I honestly believe that the only way to keep on top of water entering the trailer is to remove the flooring.

[Barbieri]

Surprised. Not really. Wet floor behind the toilet. The black pipe seems to be the gray water tank and I think insulated. If I am correct I poked my finger into the hole and the insulation is wet.

[Barbieri]

Completed the stain. Letting it dry using a dehumidifier.

[Barbieri]

Finally finished.