How to fix soft spots in a mobile home floor
- Dealing with your floor covering and trim. First, you’ll need to clear away whatever is covering your floor. ...
- Taking out your subfloor. Your second step is to cut the subflooring away from the outer edges of the room. ...
- Part 2 of taking out your subfloor. ...
- Check your joists. ...
- The new floor. ...
- Covering your floor. ...
Can you repair a soft floor in an RV or camper?
Most often, it requires the old soft flooring to be removed, then a piece of new flooring put in its place. But the job can have some hidden surprises, and covering the old floor with thicker plywood may be the easiest answer. To learn more about repairing a soft floor in your camper or RV, just continue to read our article.
How do you replace a rotten camper floor?
Replace Rotten Camper Floor. 1 Step 1: What the Old Floor Looked Like. The floor was covered with roll vinyl. The most noticeable soft spot was in the back, not a big problem since ... 2 Step 2: Out With the Old. 3 Step 3: New Floor Framing. 4 Step 4: Galvanized Under Belly. 5 Step 5: Styrofoam Insulation. More items
Why do I have soft spots in my RV floor?
Why do campers get soft spots in the floor? A spongy RV floor indicates rot in the subflooring — usually the plywood underneath the laminate, tile, or carpet. This is most often caused by water damage, which may be only one small part of larger damages caused by water.
Should I Cover my camper or RV floor with plywood?
But the job can have some hidden surprises, and covering the old floor with thicker plywood may be the easiest answer. To learn more about repairing a soft floor in your camper or RV, just continue to read our article.
Can you fix a soft floor in a camper?
Fixing a spongy RV floor is a big job. You must replace the rotted subfloor in your RV. It's best done by a professional, and depending on the extent of the damage, it can be costly. As a result, many RVers choose to try DIY.
How do you fix a spongy floor in a camper?
How to Replace Rotted Wood Flooring in a Travel Trailer: 6 StepsDiscover the full extent of the damage. ... Remove the areas that are badly damaged. ... Dry out the wood framing. ... Apply a product that kills mold. ... Seal the wood with diluted epoxy resin. ... Add or replace the wood frame and flooring.
How do you fix a weak spot on the floor of a camper?
0:3113:01Soft spots in a RV/motorhome floor Bonded or sandwich floor fixYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipI'm already started injecting epoxy into a portion of the floor. As you can see there I've thoseMoreI'm already started injecting epoxy into a portion of the floor. As you can see there I've those squares are 6 inches square. And then I've drilled the holes into the soft portions of it.
How do you fix soft spots on a trailer floor?
0:598:37Mobile Home Soft Floor Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWith I use a multi-purpose wood cutting blade. Some kind of chisel that one there I believe is aMoreWith I use a multi-purpose wood cutting blade. Some kind of chisel that one there I believe is a vital if it isn't inch chisel inch nap chisel hammer screws and a couple scrap pieces of 2x4.
What causes soft spots in floor?
Three major causes of soft spots include excessive moisture, an expansion gap, an unbalanced subfloor, and pests.
How much does it cost to replace a floor in a camper?
If you want to replace your RV flooring, you could spend between $600 to $6,000 for the job. There are plenty of flooring options for you to consider. Some are cheaper, knocking the total project price down to less than $1k.
What kind of plywood do you use for camper floors?
Recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturers use APA trademarked plywood and OSB (oriented strand board) structural panels in motor homes and mini-homes, in travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers and tent trailers, in vans, pickup campers and all kinds of special-order, custom-made and converted units.
How do you fix water damaged subfloor?
How to Fix a Water-Damaged Subfloor: Your 8-Step DIY GuideStart by Stopping the Water. ... Expose the Subflooring. ... Make Your Mark. ... Carefully Cut Subflooring. ... Remove Damaged Materials. ... Speed Up the Drying Process. ... Reinforce Floor Joists. ... Install Your New Subflooring.
How do you redo a camper floor?
6:5910:23RV REMODEL - Water Damage Floor Repair - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe top off and cutting it off and then banging it through and I'm gonna replace them with some niceMoreThe top off and cutting it off and then banging it through and I'm gonna replace them with some nice stainless steel love carriage bolts. Now the last thing I did was to take a grinder.
What causes soft spots in trailer floors?
They occur when the subfloor gets wet, causing the sub floor material to fail. Soft spots frequently occur in bathrooms, under flower pots, below windows, and behind washing machines. Soft spots are less common in newer homes that have plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board) subfloors.
How do I fix my soft spot?
0:188:54How To Fix A Rotten Soft Spot In Your Boat's Floor - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWherever you have solid floors you may have to use a tool to cut with make sure you don't cut allMoreWherever you have solid floors you may have to use a tool to cut with make sure you don't cut all the way through the hole through the floor of the boat.
What is the best flooring to put in a RV?
vinylWhat Is the Best Type of Flooring for an RV? The best replacement flooring for RV is vinyl. It's a versatile material, and you can find vinyl tiles, sheets, and planks with simple installation systems. Vinyl is durable and water-resistant.
How do you fix a soft spot on a camper ceiling?
How To Fix Major Soft Spot DamageStep 1: Inspect your RV roof thoroughly. ... Step 2: Remove all roof vents and fixtures. ... Step 3: Remove top layer and insulation. ... Step 4: Replace rotted/damaged wooden beams and identify the source of the leaks. ... Step 5: Install new roof and insulation.More items...
Can you replace a spot in the floor?
Replacing a bad spot in the floor is challenging, but not impossible for the do-it-yourselfer . It takes time and patience, and at times a bit of imagination. We’ll walk you through the process.
Can you use dimensional lumber to replace plywood?
You’ll need to create a new base of support for your replacement plywood. In some cases, you may be able to use suitably sized dimensional lumber to create new floor joists, but there will be areas where you can’t run and attach them to the existing joist system.
Can you use vinyl flooring as a template?
If at all possible, it’s best to leave the old plywood intact, as opposed to beating it into little pieces. This can give you a template to use in cutting the replacement wood. However, in our case, the vinyl flooring was only fastened to the plywood around the borders, so we were able to use the cutout flooring as our template piece.
Can you leave old plywood out of a hole?
From there it was a matter of using a pry bar and hammer to wrench the old plywood out of the hole, as the manufacturer had used plenty of long staples to install the original plywood decking. If at all possible, it’s best to leave the old plywood intact, as opposed to beating it into little pieces.
Step 1: What the Old Floor Looked Like
The floor was covered with roll vinyl. The most noticeable soft spot was in the back, not a big problem since it was under the bed. The white corner under the bench seat shows you the type of rot the camper had. The sub-floor was particle board that had been wet too long.
Step 2: Out With the Old
So I was able to pull the camper into the garage and open it up. Then I used hydraulic jacks to raise it up on jack stands. Please use proper jack stands and NEVER work under the trailer with only jacks holding it up. Once up on the stands I pulled up the old vinyl roll flooring. Underneath I found a mix of plywood and the original particle board.
Step 3: New Floor Framing
At the edges I screwed 4" wide plywood to form "tabs" that the new sub floor could fasten to. Also I planned to insulate the floor with 3" of Styrofoam. I had a big stack of 3" mahogany strips, but any solid wood should work.
Step 4: Galvanized Under Belly
To protect the Styrofoam from the road a friend helped me cut and bend sheets of galvanized sheet metal. This is the type of metal used for heating ducts and is fairly easy to work with. Do wear gloves, the edges can cut you when you least expect it.
Step 5: Styrofoam Insulation
With all the sheet metal panels in place I cut the Styrofoam on the table saw to fit. The foam is easy to cut, but be careful, the saw blade can grab it away from you, keep your fingers safe! Can you believe it, 3" of empty space and the trailer company never thought to fill it with insulation??
Step 6: New Sub Floor
I used 6mm ( 1/4" ) plywood meant for tile under layment for the new sub floor. I used construction glue everywhere and lots of screws. Be sure to counter sink for the flat head screws so they don't stick up where the new bamboo floor needs to lay flat.
Step 7: New Bamboo Flooring
So starting on the left side of the camper I snapped a chalk line to have a straight line for reference. Then I trimmed the bamboo strips to fit against the cabinets and match the straight chalk line. I used screws to hold the flooring down. I used #2 x 3/4" stainless steel flat head wood screws and pre drilled all the holes on the drill press.
What type of flooring is best for an RV?
It is durable, easy to clean, and water-resistant. Given the purpose of an RV, these are must-haves in a replacement flooring. Linoleum is traditionally a more affordable option and is relatively easy to install, but it may suffer water damage. The carpet can get stained but gives the RV a homier feeling. Hardwood flooring is an option, but it requires more maintenance and is heavy, which is not desirable for an RV.
What to do if water damage to wood framing?
If the water badly damaged your wood framing and drying it out won’t cut it, you’ll need to add or replace the wood framing. This is an important step because the framing provides structural support. If you don’t need to replace it, you can also add some epoxy to prevent mold from growing.
How long does it take for wood to dry out before installing new flooring?
Dry out the wood framing. After you have cut out and removed all the damaged wood, you need to wait up to a week to allow the wood framing to dry out completely. You need to ensure this is totally dry before installing the new wood flooring or you risk more rotting and structural damage.
What happens if you leak a floor?
If a leak went on for many months and your floor has turned to mush, you have major damage.
Can you cut off a finger in an RV?
An RV floor repair becomes a lot more expensive and involved if you cut off a finger. Be smart, careful, and cautious with your tools so you don’t get hurt. If in doubt… consider hiring a professional: Hiring a professional to do an RV floor repair will cost more, but this ensures the job is done right.
Can you repair a floor in an RV?
It’s every RV owner’s worst nightmare. Water damage. If you notice water pooling on the floor, here are the steps you can take to complete a thorough RV floor repair. If you don’t feel comfortable completing these tasks yourself, you can always have a professional repair your floor. But it will cost a lot more than a do-it-yourself job.
Can you replace rotted wood with plywood?
Once you have cut out all the rotted wood, allowed the wood framing to dry, and added more support or epoxy if needed, it is time to replace the flooring. You’ll want to use sturdy plywood the same width as your existing flooring to get a smooth finish.
What to do if you have a not so stable floor in your RV?
Unless you’ve got a really good deal on your hands, it’s likely going to be more work to fix the floor than it’s worth.
Why is my RV floor spongy?
A spongy RV floor signals that there’s damage that has led to rotting, which may be due to a water leak or other mechanical failure. Your RV’s floor quite literally holds you up while you walk around inside the rig, not to mention all those heavy pieces of furniture and appliances.
What type of flooring is best for an RV?
Replacing your RV’s flooring can be a great opportunity to upgrade to a different material. But which type of flooring is best?
How much does it cost to replace RV flooring?
It all depends on the extent of your damage, the quality of your materials, and how much of the project you do yourself.
What is the best way to seal rotted wood?
To create a strong, waterproof bond, epoxy resin is combined with a hardener. This allows the epoxy to seal the area against water and to strengthen the rotted wood. It also discourages mold from growing on the surface of the wood.
How to thin epoxy?
The first thing that you will have to do is combine the hardener and the epoxy resin. After this is completed, you can start stirring in the thinning agent. For his repair, Doug thinned the epoxy by 50% using the xylene.
How many steps does it take to replace rotted wood in a travel trailer?
The information he got there, as well as other sites, led him to determine that he could replace the rotted wood flooring in his travel trailer in six steps.