Update time!
Window: I got the window installed - yay! :)
The window frame had to be cleaned: I used both mineral spirits as well as methyl hydrate (wasn't sure which would get rid of the rubbery-clear glue that was there (I found out later it was equal to Lepage's Quad: very weird stuff to use).
Taking this stuff off means getting some paint off as well, so the end result looks messy:
In this picture, you can see a couple blobs of this sealant on the upper edge.
this picture shows lots of sealant to take off.
I never took a final "after" picture, but you get the idea: clean it up real good: always giver your projects the best chances they have to succeed. Taking shortcuts only gives you a shortcut to failure.
I had to keep the original glass in as intact a shape as possible: thank you Gorilla brand DUCT TAPE (it's REALLY good, for those that haven't tried it. I compared it to Duck brand duct tape, and it won hands down). I then taped it to a piece of chip board for safe travel:
And after I dropped it off and paid the $25.00 bucks plus tax price, I was on my way!
Now here comes the hard part, if you have never used this Lepage's Quad sealant: you can't tool it. It's not like regular silicone where you can spit on your finger tip, and smooth it out: this stuff kinda stays as it's applied. So, the best way I found to make a regular seam, was to angle the tip in the direction you are applying the sealant on the frame (not the glass pane), and the keep the tip very close to the metal, without actually touching it. It sounds weird, but you just have to try it to see what I'm talking about.
Once it's applied, it starts to react to the air, and starts to set quickly. The neat thing about this stuff, is that it is more like a gasket than a silicone seal. So by having a layer under compression, it appears to be enough for the seal to hold (not like with silicone, where it has to "glue" itself to both surfaces in order to keep water out).
Make some shims so you can temporarily apply pressure to the glass surface. You will only need these for the clean-up phase.
You will undoubtedly end up with some material that oozes out onto the glass surface: let it set a bit (5 - 10 minutes), then go at it with the following tools: a GOOD condition small putty knife/scraper, a utility knife with a fresh blade, TWO clean rags, and some mineral spirits. This stuff is sticky as well as elastic. You think you have removed a piece of it, and then it sticks to something else. Clean you tools often with a soaked (mineral spirits) rag, and never use that rag on the window. Once you have all the blobs and chunks removed, switch to your other rag, and used it to wipe any smears on the glass. Now comes the fun part: you will pull up little pieces of sealant, and you will need to use your tools to pick them off.
Note: clean the inside first, then remove the shims and place the gasketting, then clean the outside. I didn't do it in that order, but I think this is the best way to go about it.
At least, that's how it was for me. :D
Once you have the bits out, then put the rubber window gasket back on. This is important to do pretty quickly after the application, as it applies pressure on the glass surface to make the seal.
Funny thing about this picture: my driveway's poor condition makes my window look like it's still broken! :D
Flooring: I finished the bathroom floor raising (adding 1/2" plywood). The toilet floor flange spacer kit had a different hole pattern than the existing one. Funny: I thought it was universal (according to the guy at Home Depot). Didn't matter: I just drilled new holes through the old and new flanges and counter sunk them and screwed all the way through to the 1/4" plywood... Man, I hate these types of floors...
If you've ever tried to lay plywood in rooms and spaces, the shapes can become a bit complex. If EVERY angle was 90 degrees, and thus all edges are either parallel or perpendicular, then it would be very easy with a bit of patience with a tape measure to do a perfect job every time. IF every angle was 90 degrees... Since humans being paid close to minimum wage working as fast as their "masters" can make them work put this trailer together, you can predict that finding near perfect 90 degree angles will be difficult. This means you will undoubtedly have pieces of plywood that don't line up perfectly. When this was the case, I would always select the lesser of 2 evils, and make the seams where you walk be the ones that lined up. But even that wasn't possible.
So I had a dilemma: what to fill in the seams so that I can lay the vinyl flooring? It has to be strong enough to not cave in, but also be flexible because the floor is always flexing when walked on. So the usual stuff we use (skim coat) can't be used because it cracks easily. I thought in the other direction: silicone sealant. I didn't like that because it doesn't stick to wood very well, and I wasn't sure about shrinkage, etc...
I settled on construction adhesive (I used Lepage's Premium Plus 3X). You apply generous amounts on the crack, and let it overflow a bit. Let it set overnight, and the next day trim off any excess. I used a sharp chisel.
Vinyl flooring: We were at first looking at what was cheap and on special at the usual places. We settled on Lowes: they had better pricing than Home Depot and all the other flooring places in town. We found some at under 9 bucks a linear foot: that's 12 square feet of flooring for under 9 bucks!
When I went to the store to check it out, I saw that it was a good product, but was considerably thinner than some other ones. So I grabbed some samples, and went home to discuss with my wife: should we spend more and get a better product? The answer was "yes": we decided to go with some stuff that costs around $400.00 instead of the $200.00 option. The thickness of the pricier stuff was more than double what I took out and would hide any imperfections in my flooring (hehe!). Also, I noticed that the original stuff had paper fibres in the backing, which if food for mould!!! I'm spraying this stuff on the plywood before I lay my vinyl flooring. I may even spray it on the back of the vinyl as well: I want to be sure that I fight mould as much as possible!
So, today's job s to fill in the heads of all the wood screws that are in foot traffic areas (I'm using silicone for this since it's just filling in a small hole), and then off to Lowe's to pick up some flooring! If all goes well, I'll have the flooring in tonight: pictures to follow!!!
BTW, found some more water damage": this time under the cabinet in the bathroom. The damage was so minimal, all I did was remove the old vinyl flooring, and treat the mould. I REALLY don't like the guy that sold me this trailer. But I can tell you this: I now know a LOT more about trailers than I did before. Nothing like ripping something apart to learn how it's made, right? :)
