2004 Starcraft TravelStar w/ soft floor
Hello! I'm looking at potentially buying my first RV. A local dealer has a 2004 Starcraft 18SB for sale $2-$3k under 'normal' retail due to a soft floor in it. I'm attaching a copy of the floor...
Forum Discussion
@DutchmenSport:
Well, it's a hybrid, so the construction is quite a bit different from what you would see in a 'typical' hardwall RV.
The floor is basically a single laminated unit with the following layers:
Linoleum
1/4" Luan
1.5" Polystyrene embedded in a square-tube aluminum frame with supports on wide centers (I think 40" in this model)
1/4" Luan
Moisture barrier
The layers were all glued together and put through rollers at the factory, then laid on the frame in one piece before the walls were put on. From what I've read, it's a very strong, lightweight construction as long as it isn't compromised. The poly used has good compression strength, and the Luan did enough to spread the weight suitably to allow for a good load rating with the wider joist spacing.
You can't really probe the bottom without puncturing the moisture barrier, which introduces new problems.
The problem is that if moisture gets into the floor, it is essentially locked between the linoleum above and the moisture barrier below where it just sits. It doesn't take very long for the top and bottom luan to rot into wet cardboard consistency, at which point the now-unsupported polystyrene starts to break down from compression and wear.
I think I have a good handle on the repair process:
The typical repair process is to remove the interior fixtures around the rotted area, pull up the linoleum, and remove the layers of rotten luan and styrofoam down to the moisture barrier. You need to do this so that you got back to supports on either side of the repair area.
You then start to build the floor back up. Because it's not really practical to replicate the original well-bonded 'styrofoam sandwich' construction that gave the original floor it's strength, you need to create new supports in the now vacant area. Most people seem to do this by framing in 2x2" joists attached to the original aluminum supports.
The most practical way seems to be build a frame with joists, attach a layer of luan to the bottom, then drop it into the cavity between the existing supports, then attach it to the existing frame.
Fill the spaces between the 2x2 joists with closed-cell polystyrene, bonded as well as possible to the below luan and joists with a suitable adhesive. Apply a new layer of luan to the top, again with a good layer of adhesive.
If done right, this should be the same thickness as the original floor. You can then finish it off with new floor covering - I'd probably be thinking of a Vinyl Plank flooring. Then re-install the fixtures you took out at the beginning. The weight of the trailer will be up by the weight of the extra lumber you used to support the repaired area, but that shouldn't bee too bad.
I feel like this can all be done in a few Saturdays... however, I can also see where it can get cost prohibitive when you are paying $105 / hour at the local trailer dealership.
Well, it's a hybrid, so the construction is quite a bit different from what you would see in a 'typical' hardwall RV.
The floor is basically a single laminated unit with the following layers:
Linoleum
1/4" Luan
1.5" Polystyrene embedded in a square-tube aluminum frame with supports on wide centers (I think 40" in this model)
1/4" Luan
Moisture barrier
The layers were all glued together and put through rollers at the factory, then laid on the frame in one piece before the walls were put on. From what I've read, it's a very strong, lightweight construction as long as it isn't compromised. The poly used has good compression strength, and the Luan did enough to spread the weight suitably to allow for a good load rating with the wider joist spacing.
You can't really probe the bottom without puncturing the moisture barrier, which introduces new problems.
The problem is that if moisture gets into the floor, it is essentially locked between the linoleum above and the moisture barrier below where it just sits. It doesn't take very long for the top and bottom luan to rot into wet cardboard consistency, at which point the now-unsupported polystyrene starts to break down from compression and wear.
I think I have a good handle on the repair process:
The typical repair process is to remove the interior fixtures around the rotted area, pull up the linoleum, and remove the layers of rotten luan and styrofoam down to the moisture barrier. You need to do this so that you got back to supports on either side of the repair area.
You then start to build the floor back up. Because it's not really practical to replicate the original well-bonded 'styrofoam sandwich' construction that gave the original floor it's strength, you need to create new supports in the now vacant area. Most people seem to do this by framing in 2x2" joists attached to the original aluminum supports.
The most practical way seems to be build a frame with joists, attach a layer of luan to the bottom, then drop it into the cavity between the existing supports, then attach it to the existing frame.
Fill the spaces between the 2x2 joists with closed-cell polystyrene, bonded as well as possible to the below luan and joists with a suitable adhesive. Apply a new layer of luan to the top, again with a good layer of adhesive.
If done right, this should be the same thickness as the original floor. You can then finish it off with new floor covering - I'd probably be thinking of a Vinyl Plank flooring. Then re-install the fixtures you took out at the beginning. The weight of the trailer will be up by the weight of the extra lumber you used to support the repaired area, but that shouldn't bee too bad.
I feel like this can all be done in a few Saturdays... however, I can also see where it can get cost prohibitive when you are paying $105 / hour at the local trailer dealership.
