Toilet Upgrade on Laminated Floor

[FeatherFam]

Has anyone with laminated flooring (not plywood) upgraded their toilet from plastic to porcelain/ceramic? Our floor is a laminated product made of foam sandwiched between micro-thin luan sheets. It is extremely soft and prone to denting, bowing, and splitting.

I would love to ditch the cruddy plastic thing that somehow passes for a toilet. I am concerned about putting the weight of a porcelain toilet on the floor. Has anyone done this with this type of floor, and what were your results/experience(s)?

Thank You!

[CharlesinGA]

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

[Grit_dog]

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!

[GrandpaKip]

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?

[FeatherFam]

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]

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!

[_1nobby]

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?

[campigloo]

Mine has the laminate floor and came from the factory with a ceramic unit. No problem in 8 years and way more than average amount of use.

[SoundGuy]

WayneAt63044 wrote:
It would seem to me that the weight difference between toilets is minimal considering the weight applied when in use.

FeatherFam wrote:
The porcelain toilets weigh 30-40lbs more than the plastic which weighs about 3-5lbs.

A Dometic 310 with ceramic bowl weighs ~ 23 lbs, a Thetford AquaMagic V weight ~ 10 lbs, IMO an irrelevant difference.

WayneAt63044 wrote:
I would appreciate insight from those who have actually made this mod to a foam laminate floor. I do not value conjecture as experience has taught me to proceed cautiously with matters that involve the integral elements of a coach, like a floor (especially a floor that is prone to weight-related failures).

E-X-C-U-S-E us for trying to help. :R

[gbopp]

WayneAt63044 wrote:
It would seem to me that the weight difference between toilets is minimal considering the weight applied when in use. Just go on a diet and lose 10 lbs and you're good to go 🙂

:B

[FeatherFam]

SoundGuy wrote:

FeatherFam wrote:
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?

JMO but you're imagining an issue that isn't as the toilet is actually supported by the flange, not the floor itself. As mentioned by another poster just sitting on the toilet obviously increases the downward force far more than would the difference between an all plastic vs plastic / ceramic toilet.

What supports the flange?

[FeatherFam]

WayneAt63044 wrote:
It would seem to me that the weight difference between toilets is minimal considering the weight applied when in use. Just go on a diet and lose 10 lbs and you're good to go 🙂

The porcelain toilets weigh 30-40lbs more than the plastic which weighs about 3-5lbs. The added weight of the toilet will be on top of the user's weight. I do not know what the floor is designed for other than it is not designed for much.

I would appreciate insight from those who have actually made this mod to a foam laminate floor. I do not value conjecture as experience has taught me to proceed cautiously with matters that involve the integral elements of a coach, like a floor (especially a floor that is prone to weight-related failures).

[SoundGuy]

FeatherFam wrote:
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?

JMO but you're imagining an issue that isn't as the toilet is actually supported by the flange, not the floor itself. As mentioned by another poster just sitting on the toilet obviously increases the downward force far more than would the difference between an all plastic vs plastic / ceramic toilet.

[WayneAt63044]

It would seem to me that the weight difference between toilets is minimal considering the weight applied when in use. Just go on a diet and lose 10 lbs and you're good to go 🙂

[FeatherFam]

SoundGuy wrote:
RV toilets are available in all plastic or plastic with a ceramic bowl and are universally interchangeable. If you'd prefer the latter a model like the Dometic 310 would easily replace an all plastic model like the Thetford AquaMagic V and the kit includes a rubber seal that would allow for any differences in how the toilet sits atop the flange.

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?