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Replacing entire subfloor one piece at a time.

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
'06 Cavalier. Starting total remodel/rebuild. Starting from the bottom up and thinking about the sub-floor. It has some patches but in 2 places. Factory floor is particle board and the dealer replaced the rot with OSB that has swollen in couple places. I was thinking of replacing it all with 4X8 sheets of 5/8" or 3/4" marine grade plywood one sheet at a time so not to disturb the wall framing. Once cut, knocking the old sub-floor out shouldn't be that hard. Should only take 7 or 8 sheets. I also am replacing the undercarriage sheeting with "plastic cardboard" and thinking of sistering 2X4s on both sides of the factory floor studs with either 1/2" bolts with washers through them at set intervals or screwing them together to mount the plastic board and add strength. This is about a month or two in the future but it has been bugging me and I can't find much online about it. Not too worried about cost as I am doing it right the first time to last a long time. Once this trailer is done, It will basically be a park model. I do know that pulling the sub-floor will be a pain but it will be worth it. Thanks.
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."
23 REPLIES 23

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
Sorry to hear that. At least your knowledge and pictures still live on. Right now, my wife and I are downsizing by the extremes by putting everything in storage and moving into another FEMA unit. Cost of housing in this area has gotten outrageous. This on top of me changing jobs and her possibly being pregnant. So basically, when I said I hardly have time, I'm changing jobs, putting the cash together for another unit, getting my current one ready for transport, putting everything in storage, and helping her. Current one needs tires, temp permit, brakes rewired, and lights. Trying to figure out the best way to tackle the floor joists, undercarriage, and subfloor first. Glad to find out about the luan providing structure integrity before I got to far. The siding is nothing more than scrap honestly.
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."

Cruiseomatic wrote:
I read what I could but they left off the end. After reading that, I THOUGHT I had an idea of how to do this, lol.

Actually this was all they had. There is no end to it. What you see on the last page is basically how the trailer sat in my driveway for many years.
The shame of it is that I never finished the project.
I did put all new siding on it and an all new aluminum roof but then it sat.
Years later my marriage broke up, I lost my house and more.
I sold the Citation for $1700. unfinished. I gave the buyer everything I had for it and he said he will finish the job.
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ Dmax/Allison - 2007 Pacific Coachworks Tango 306RLSS
RV Rebuild Website - Site launched Aug 22, 2021 - www.rv-rebuild.com

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
I read what I could but they left off the end. After reading that, I THOUGHT I had an idea of how to do this, lol.
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."

Cruiseomatic wrote:
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Gee I sure wish my old website was still up.

I had completely and totally documented the total rebuild of my old Citation.

Website went down in 2012 amidst many struggles with me trying to keep it going. It was hard to keep going on a home connection.

I still have all the pictures and the website on a computer that has not been running in 3 years now.

I keep wanting to hook it up and pull stuff off it but with a loss of nearly everything I had, a marriage breakup and move to another province, the chance to get this info out and available for folks like you just has not been there.

It would sure be helpful


Talking about this?
Citation


Yes actually I am. Thanks for the link.
I had totally forgotten that I gave permission to those guys to copy all that material off my website. I haven't seen that in years.

Good post, that's all my work.
Thanks again
Bob
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ Dmax/Allison - 2007 Pacific Coachworks Tango 306RLSS
RV Rebuild Website - Site launched Aug 22, 2021 - www.rv-rebuild.com

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Gee I sure wish my old website was still up.

I had completely and totally documented the total rebuild of my old Citation.

Website went down in 2012 amidst many struggles with me trying to keep it going. It was hard to keep going on a home connection.

I still have all the pictures and the website on a computer that has not been running in 3 years now.

I keep wanting to hook it up and pull stuff off it but with a loss of nearly everything I had, a marriage breakup and move to another province, the chance to get this info out and available for folks like you just has not been there.

It would sure be helpful


Talking about this?
Citation
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."

westend wrote:
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Gee I sure wish my old website was still up.

I had completely and totally documented the total rebuild of my old Citation.

Website went down in 2012 amidst many struggles with me trying to keep it going. It was hard to keep going on a home connection.

I still have all the pictures and the website on a computer that has not been running in 3 years now.

I keep wanting to hook it up and pull stuff off it but with a loss of nearly everything I had, a marriage breakup and move to another province, the chance to get this info out and available for folks like you just has not been there.

It would sure be helpful

It sure would. I remember going through all the pages on your website when I was launching on my restoration. Everything you had done was well organized and informative. There were a lot of good pictures and the processes were all covered. I gained a lot from it and thank you much for hosting it then.

I think the largest part of reaching a successful conclusion with my restoration (I'll really never be done) was dedicating the time to it and carrying on until it was pretty much done. It's tough to keep going in the middle when you realize there is still tons to do. The two weeks of cutting and installing foam board almost did me in.


Thanks for the comment.
I appreciate the positive feedback.
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ Dmax/Allison - 2007 Pacific Coachworks Tango 306RLSS
RV Rebuild Website - Site launched Aug 22, 2021 - www.rv-rebuild.com

seaeagle2
Explorer
Explorer
CDX has waterproof glue, 3 or 5 cores, voids allowed in cores, voids allowed in surface panels C grade on one side, D on the other. Marine has same glue, 5 or 7 cores, no voids allowed in cores, A grade on one side, A or B on other side. For something that orginally used fiberboard or wafer board, CDX should be fine.
2014 F 250 Gasser
2019 Outdoors RV 21RD
"one life, don't blow it", Kona Brewing
"If people concentrated on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles" Doug Larson

westend
Explorer
Explorer
BobsYourUncle wrote:
Gee I sure wish my old website was still up.

I had completely and totally documented the total rebuild of my old Citation.

Website went down in 2012 amidst many struggles with me trying to keep it going. It was hard to keep going on a home connection.

I still have all the pictures and the website on a computer that has not been running in 3 years now.

I keep wanting to hook it up and pull stuff off it but with a loss of nearly everything I had, a marriage breakup and move to another province, the chance to get this info out and available for folks like you just has not been there.

It would sure be helpful

It sure would. I remember going through all the pages on your website when I was launching on my restoration. Everything you had done was well organized and informative. There were a lot of good pictures and the processes were all covered. I gained a lot from it and thank you much for hosting it then.

I think the largest part of reaching a successful conclusion with my restoration (I'll really never be done) was dedicating the time to it and carrying on until it was pretty much done. It's tough to keep going in the middle when you realize there is still tons to do. The two weeks of cutting and installing foam board almost did me in.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

Gee I sure wish my old website was still up.

I had completely and totally documented the total rebuild of my old Citation.

Website went down in 2012 amidst many struggles with me trying to keep it going. It was hard to keep going on a home connection.

I still have all the pictures and the website on a computer that has not been running in 3 years now.

I keep wanting to hook it up and pull stuff off it but with a loss of nearly everything I had, a marriage breakup and move to another province, the chance to get this info out and available for folks like you just has not been there.

It would sure be helpful
2007 GMC 3500 dually ext. cab 4X4 LBZ Dmax/Allison - 2007 Pacific Coachworks Tango 306RLSS
RV Rebuild Website - Site launched Aug 22, 2021 - www.rv-rebuild.com

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
Needs a new roof badly. The new lighting layout will require new ceiling panels also. Planned on adding sheathing yes. Same 1/8" luan as the inside. The demo plan was to remove everything and start fresh. Next chance I'll have to get pictures will be next weekend (hopefully). Been extremely busy with work. Never done a total gut a rebuild before. Done a couple patch jobs before on a '04 prowler and that was a pain. Especially since fleetwood screwed the furniture from the outside in.
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."

westend
Explorer
Explorer
Cruiseomatic wrote:
EVERYTHING is getting stripped off. New electrical, plumbing, etc... My concern is, The current floor is all one piece. How would 8 sheets be T&G or cut joint affect the structural integrity? Also, How could I "waterproof" all the wood so as to not worry about moisture, carpenter ants, termites, etc...? And what can I do about the oddball size floor studs? Is 2X3's a standard size? All of the siding is getting removed and recycled. Having vinyl siding installed. And does the wall paneling provide any structure support or can I tear it all out then move it? I've got some of the panels out already. Like I said, EVERYTHING is getting replaced. I haven't fully torn into it yet. Haven't had time.

This is where I suggested to come up with a plan of the different procedures. If you are going to gut and restore the whole thing, you'll only need to worry about the reconstruction schedule with minor support issues for the demolishing stage.

Yes, the inside paneling provides structural strength. I left the aluminum siding on throughout so didn't need to brace walls. If you remove the interior paneling and the siding at the same time, you'll need to brace walls. With vinyl on the outside, you'll be adding a sheathing panel to the exterior, correct?

Do the ceiling panels and roof stay on this while you're working or does that need some work, too? At some point, construction needs tend to tilt towards throwing it all away and starting with new.

The floor joists , if layed on 2' or 16" centers can be left as-is if they are pretty much undamaged. If you need new joist work or to sister in a new piece, you can go smaller than 2" x 3" Mine were 2" x 2" with a few 2" x 4" over the tanks.

If you can, take some pictures as you go and post them up for explicit advice. We have no idea what kind of condition you're working with.
'03 F-250 4x4 CC
'71 Starcraft Wanderstar -- The Cowboy/Hilton

azrving
Explorer
Explorer
The best wood sealer I have ever used is Rot Doctor 2 part epoxy.

CPES

Cruiseomatic
Explorer
Explorer
EVERYTHING is getting stripped off. New electrical, plumbing, etc... My concern is, The current floor is all one piece. How would 8 sheets be T&G or cut joint affect the structural integrity? Also, How could I "waterproof" all the wood so as to not worry about moisture, carpenter ants, termites, etc...? And what can I do about the oddball size floor studs? Is 2X3's a standard size? All of the siding is getting removed and recycled. Having vinyl siding installed. And does the wall paneling provide any structure support or can I tear it all out then move it? I've got some of the panels out already. Like I said, EVERYTHING is getting replaced. I haven't fully torn into it yet. Haven't had time.
"Most people live full time in an RV for fun. I do it to live debt free."

beemerphile1
Explorer
Explorer
Doable but difficult.

The floor is installed first and everything else is attached to floor. Most all plumbing (LPG and H2O), electric, and appliances will need removed and installed. You will need to saw off all the screws attaching cabinets and walls to floor. The bottom section of outside siding will need removed.
Build a life you don't need a vacation from.

2016 Silverado 3500HD DRW D/A 4x4
2018 Keystone Cougar 26RBS
2006 Weekend Warrior FK1900