Toilet Upgrade on Laminated Floor

FeatherFam wrote:

Thank you, I am aware of this. My question is about the integrity of the laminated floor which is substantially less capable of weight bearing versus a 5/8 plywood floor. I want to know if anyone has experience with adding the weight of a porcelain toilet to a laminated foam floor. Will a foam floor handle the added weight? The porcelain toilets weigh a lot more. I am concerned about how easily these floors bow, divot, and flex. The laminated floor is not a substantial design for weight bearing.

Like countless others, we have already had to take measures to mitigate the floor's deterioration caused by normal use. Actually, we baby our TT, and the floor still presents all of the tell-tale deficiencies common to laminate floors.

Do manufacturers put these nothing plastic toilets in for overall gross weight objectives, or do they use them because the floor will not handle the weight of a heavier porcelain toilet?

Maybe I don't understand your issue, exactly.

I have the type of floor in my TT that you have and I have a factory installed porcelain toilet.

So is the answer yes?

Thank you, campigloo and #1nobby. I am proceeding with caution and asking because the laminated/composite floors are well-known for their bowing, excessive flexing, luan splintering, and foam crushing failures. We have had other issues with it that we have addressed. I am simply doing my homework in advance of pulling the toilet to inspect the flange and its mounting/assembly and substructure. I hope to find some plywood. I cannot imagine that the flange is set in the foam sandwich floor.

However, after years of experience with RVs, nothing will surprise me. Some campers with laminated floors may have the porcelain toilets with a reinforced substructure around the toilet. I take nothing for granted, nor do I assume that anything was done right in the RV's design and assembly.

The floor around the toilet is becoming soft and flexing as it did throughout the coach. So I will reinforce the bath area as I previously did the galley and living areas. Thanks again!

I received my floor diagrams from Jayco. Reading Jayco's floorplan design, parts, and assembly diagrams for our 23RBM, it looks like they used an 11.75" x 11.75" piece "plylam" under the toilet. The detail states: .5" ply and 1" foam. I guess that means there is an 11.75" laminated square comprised of .5" plywood and 1" of foam under the toilet.

The second stage of the floor drawing shows the main floor laminated foam sheets, and the toilet area 11.75" square is cut-out in this drawing; the space is blank. I would assume this means that the toilet area was designed with a reinforced square for mounting the toilet flange and supporting user weight.

That's what it looks like. There are also metal frame pieces in front of the toilet and to its sides. I will try to determine if the 11.75" "plylam" material is fastened to these supports. That would be good. If so, that should be a decent enough design. So now I need to find out if the floor was assembled as designed - Assume nothing, maybe assume that it was not. That's what I have learned.

FeatherFam wrote:
I received my floor diagrams from Jayco. Reading Jayco's floorplan design, parts, and assembly diagrams for our 23RBM, it looks like they used an 11.75" x 11.75" piece "plylam" under the toilet. The detail states: .5" ply and 1" foam. I guess that means there is an 11.75" laminated square comprised of .5" plywood and 1" of foam under the toilet.

The second stage of the floor drawing shows the main floor laminated foam sheets, and the toilet area 11.75" square is cut-out in this drawing; the space is blank. I would assume this means that the toilet area was designed with a reinforced square for mounting the toilet flange and supporting user weight.

That's what it looks like. There are also metal frame pieces in front of the toilet and to its sides. I will try to determine if the 11.75" "plylam" material is fastened to these supports. That would be good. If so, that should be a decent enough design. So now I need to find out if the floor was assembled as designed - Assume nothing, maybe assume that it was not. That's what I have learned.

Members here tried to help you. Realistically, the only info that would give you an answer is from someone who has the exact same make, model and year that you have. Your Jayco is different than my Skyline, so if I had replaced the toilet, my experience would really have no value to you.
Since you have experience repairing other areas, why not just take the toilet up and put in whatever you feel necessary to take the extra weight?

Lol, would you floor crush if someone 20lbs heavier than you sat on the toilet? That is the question. Maybe fill your pockets with rocks, have a seat on the existing throne and see if it fails? Don't forget your pants are still up if you get the urge to purge when you sit down!

Was the toilet removed when the flooring was installed? Or was the flooring cut around the existing toilet?

As someone noted, the difference in weight of the two toilets is 13 lbs. You have much greater problems if the flooring is incapable of withstanding this insignificant difference in weight.

The all plastic toilets are installed by the OEM's for both cost and weight reasons, a few dollars on several thousand units adds up fast.

Charles