Starcraft Travel Star Restoration

Ok an attempt to post the photo

This was my 2nd try at a floor fix. First was using Luan and I still had leaks and it fell apart fast (2 seasons and almost unusable). With this it feels solid under my size 15 feet

It looks like you have some aluminum joists running across your trailer. Mine has none in the original floor!

I ended up gluing and then screwing the luan to the bottom of 1" aluminum channel. I had riveted L brackets to the ends. I put down 6 mil supersix sheeting and slipped the luan section under the front of the trailer (I had jacked up the sides).



I then lay the section in then loose laid the 1/2" ply over top and stood on the frame in the section where there is 5' x5.5' unsupported. It flexed quite a bit. I was really disappointed. I woke up the next morning rather sick to my stomach thinking this wasn't going to work and the trailer would be worthless. However I convinced myself that once I riveted the aluminum bars to the sides, glued in the polystyr sheets and screwed the 1/2 ply down to the aluminum channels it might work.

At this stage I dry fitted the styrofoam panels. (Photo needs to be rotated)



And here it is with the channels riveted to the outside, the polysty glued down and the 1/2" ply screwed into the aluminum channels.



And it worked! It stiffened up a lot, and this morning after having the glue dry a bit more it hardly flexes. The floor is now to the top of the aluminum outside frame. I'll add another layer of 1/4" luan ply to the outside walls and then install vinyl plank flooring. I also need to tackle the area up to the door.

However the weather has turned cold so I might not do much more until spring. The front of the trailer is now waterproof- I put on some 2" angle flashing, butyl putty and butyl compound sealant to make sure. It's predicted to rain or snow this evening and Friday so it will be a good test

You will find out the extent of the damage after you have walls opened and floor uncovered.

FWIW, I restored a '71 Wanderstar, full gut out and rebuild. It too, had framing and floor damage from water leaks. It took me 6 mos. of nearly full-time work to get it all done right.

My flooring is 5/8" CDX plywood attached to wood joists. I'm not sure about Starcraft's construction material evolution. You will find out what you have when uncovered.

If you need process-specific answers, PM me with details or post in this thread. FWIW, I'm a semi-retired Residential Building Contractor.

Most restorations involve tedium. That is the sweat-equity payment you make. Commit to a longer than anticipated work schedule and don't lose momentum. There are a lot of gutted and never completed project trailers out there. Good luck!

ive replaced major sections of floor in two trailers(no wall damage)
its not difficult.

start by removing all of the appliances and cabinetry. some plumbing may have to be cut and rejoined later. upper cabinets can stay but its easier to wrestle large sheets of plywood in there if the're gone

remember the interior and exterior walls are built on top of the plywood floor you are replacing and if the subfloor is rotten under the walls it must be replaced

stevemorris wrote:
ive replaced major sections of floor in two trailers(no wall damage)
its not difficult.

start by removing all of the appliances and cabinetry. some plumbing may have to be cut and rejoined later. upper cabinets can stay but its easier to wrestle large sheets of plywood in there if the're gone

remember the interior and exterior walls are built on top of the plywood floor you are replacing and if the subfloor is rotten under the walls it must be replaced

I had two bad spots in the original floor. I was able to cut or grind any fasteners that secured the floor sheet underneath the walls. I cut new pieces of plywood and slid them back underneath the wall frame. I also relocated the toilet in the bathroom so that flooring sheet was replaced, as well.

That's one of the really nice things about restoration, a guy can move things around so that the trailer better fits the owner's needs.

take lots of pictures

Thank you for your info, all is helpful.. It came in the yard Friday night, and won't even be able to get into it till Monday. I'm hoping the floor damage is only under the front, seating/sofa area, but since the walls and ceiling also have water damaged I'm expecting the worse. The running lights are also running intermittently, on off, might be a bad wire or the plug itself, no way to tell yet. Have no idea if any of the appliances are working, A/C, heater, etc. So, on a wing and a prayer, hoping we can get it done by next years(2019) Sept. vacation. Hope we haven't bitten off more than we can chew..

A 2004 Travel Star is laminated panel construction including the floor, and dealing with the laminated construction is not anywhere close to being simple as just replacing "sheets" of plywood. It can be done, and has been done, but it's not exactly easy and involves adding a lot of additional supports, as the aluminum structural supports in the panels are placed far apart. The top layer of the floor under the vinyl flooring will be nominal 1/4" (around 3/16") and the bottom layer 1/8" with 1x1-1/2" aluminum tube on 32" or wider centers with nothing between but 1-1/2" beaded foam. On the wall panels they'll have 1/8" plywood inner and outer with 1" tubes and foam between, those tubes could be 4' apart or further with no framing whatsoever around openings.

Good to know. Thank you. It lets me know that I should expect frustrations!!