Replacing the downstairs floor system...

[Brantime]

Greeting...2011 Forest River with rear kitchen.
I have several soft spots in my floors and need to replace the laminate system that is used. The main question I have is, should I remove the cabinets to do under these? how about under the exterior walls? Thanks to any constructive help!

[Dayle1]

newman fulltimer wrote:
If it is a foam laminatefloor the foam has broken down.I just repaired a trailer floor similar to get rot out you will have to sandwich it from under

I agree, with a laminated foam type of sub floor, soft spots are generally at the joints in the plywood panels. Since the plywood is too thin for tongue and groove, the joints depend on a good adhesive bond between the plywood and the foam in order to resist flexing. Any failure in the adhesive and the structure looses it's rigidity. Anyway, if the actually floor covering is in good condition, then rather than fix the problem from above, it is better to fix it from below by adding extra bracing between cross members directly under the soft spots.

However, if you want to repair it from above, then no need to remove cabinets. Since you aren't walking where the cabinets are located, then you won't notice any weakness there. But you do have to remove all of the exposed floor covering and spot repairs are not likely to be successful. If you cut out a section of the existing plywood and try glueing a patch, then frequently the newly created joints will soon fail. Also any adhesive you use must be compatible with the foam, bonding to it without dissolving the foam. Instead a second layer of plywood should be glued directly to the existing plywood with staggered joints, then new floor covering installed.

[azrving]

My sons TT has that problem. I wondered about a way to inject small amounts of spray foam from underneath. Perhaps use a piece of plywood on the floor and a good amount of weight on it to keep the foam from expanding up as it dries? Maybe test it out in a more out of the way area first?

[newman_fulltime]

If it is a foam laminatefloor the foam has broken down.I just repaired a trailer floor similar to get rot out you will have to sandwich it from under

[Brantime]

Kind of my thoughts also. Trying to strip it down far enough so as to not effect the slideouts operation, lol! As we are FTmers, did not want to go through the "Send it to a dealer, let them check for leaks, let FR decide what to do, them ship it from Texas to Indiana", again, lol! Talking months to get this done, so....guess I am thinking of tackling this job!

[gbopp]

Okay, I was thinking S&B type construction. I wouldn't remove the cabinets. Even if the floor under the cabinets is springy, it won't hurt anything. It's not wet is it?
Assuming it's not soft from moisture, I would just cut out and replace the accessible area of the floor.

[Brantime]

I think that I wasn't clear, lol! I meant that the laminate floor system as they call it at FR. 3/8 ply, foam, 3/8 ply vaccuum sealed...The floor bounces up and down in several spots. This unit was sent back to the factory once for "repair", but it was the same when it came back!

[gbopp]

Are you sure the soft spots are just the laminate, or is it the subfloor?

[Bumpyroad]

under exterior walls seems to me to be an impossible task. If there is good support under the flooring and it is only the flooring that is soft, I don't think you would have to remove the cabinets. if the floor joists or whatever are weak then it would be a different story. JMHO
bumpy