Remove Factory Dinette For a Few Years Then Put It Back?

[Jedidad]

Looking at getting a Class C rig and will be solo'ing so I really don't need a dinette set. I'd rather remove it and put in a standard computer desk and chair. I'd eat my meals at the desk.

However, should I ever decide to sell the rig I'd want to look at putting the dinette back in.

My question is how sturdy are these things. Will they stand up to being removed and put back in?

My experience with "modern" furniture is some are pretty flimsy. Once you get them put together if you try to move them or take them apart the wood just busts. (particle board crap).

[Almot]

Flimsy 1" frame is screwed to the floor and to one wall, the rest of the bench is stapled around. So - yes, be careful when taking it to your garage or wherever you keep your garbage 🙂 as it will be rather shaky.

I don't think anybody in his sound mind would want it back though. Used trailer will sell without benches, put the original table back and throw in a pair of folding chairs around. Will be more space, and more flexibility. There could be an idi.ot buyer, of course - things happen.

The floor (usually) is not plywood but a particle board. When you take the screw out and then drive it back in, don't count on it holding same as before. The hole should be filled with small wood shavings or toothpics with a drop of carpenter's glue, let it cure, and then drive the screw in.

As noted, there can be LP sensor and 12V cig ligther receptacle on at least one of the benches, so you would have to relocate those onto the wall.

[RVcircus]

Ours is a few pieces of fiber board screwed into scrap wood on the floors and wall. When we rebuilt out trailer parts of the dinette weren't salvageable and I just made new ones.

You shouldn't have a problem removing and reinstalling it down the road.

[MagillaGorilla]

I have been thinking about doing the same thing to my MH. We would prefer wood chairs to the bench seats that came in the MH.

[TxTwoSome]

I just removed the L shaped dinette we had and replaced it with two swivel rockers.

I was amazed how easy the L shaped dinette was to remove just screwed down no glue. Came apart in two pieces easy peasy!

The hardest thing to do was relocate the electric outlet and Propane sensor.

I wrapped all the L dinette pieces and screws then put in attic if I ever want to go back to original setup.

Total job took all of about 4 hours start to finish.

[camper19709]

I took mine out and did not keep the parts. I am going fulltime and do not plan on trading/selling until the RV is wore out. At that point who cares 🙂

[Jedidad]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

[DrewE]

If you do mess it up taking it out, it shouldn't be too hard to construct something equivalent if you're reasonably handy. A wood framed box isn't exactly rocket science to build. At least on my dinette, there aren't even any angles other than right angles.

Make sure that you don't have anything hiding under the benches that can't be moved, like batteries or LP tanks or outside storage compartments—or, if you do happen to have them, that you're taking them into account when you design your desk setup.

[wanderingbob]

Yea, It will come out and go back easy . We remove all of ours and put a table and two chairs in . Put it back before we trade .

[Margos_]

We just removed our dinette and it came out easily. Putting it up in the attic, covered so if we sell the trailer, will be able to put it back in. Not hard. Go for it!

[DutchmenSport]

Dinettes are usually put together with a small wood frame. The sides are then glued and stapled. Every camper I've had, they were screwed to the floor, screwed and glued to the walls, and were never meant to be removed.

One travel trailer I had, one dinette side pulled loose from the floor. The screws ripped out. The trailer must have done a hard flex at one time or another. I though it would be just a simple matter to drill new holes the frame that touched the floor (so the wood would not split) and simply screw back to the floor. Nope! Found it it also was connected at the walls, the back of the kitchen sink cabinet, even the wheel well was connected with glue and staples. In order to fix properly, I had to loosen everything, break all that glue out to provide the flexibility so the screws would actually reattach to the floor. They did, then I re-glued everything else.

What I'm saying is, if you have a dinette and attempt to remove it, you might just consider never re-installing it back. Chances are you'll destroy it getting it out.

[Campfire_Time]

Should be real easy if you are handy. It's just some plywood and screws. Keep the parts in cool dry place. Just mark everything where it came from and you should be fine.