rotting floors in old scamps?

[denny w]

thinking of buying a 2002 16 scamp. Are weakening floors commonly a problem? looks like wood on bottom....

[Jon in AZ]

Unlikely in a 13 year old trailer, unless it has been grossly neglected. In a 30 or 40 year old unit, it would be more likely. It's all about maintenance.

The fact that the wood is exposed underneath is not the issue. Scamp coats the underside with fiberglass resin. Almost all floor rot comes from above: neglected leaks from windows, vents, plumbing, and, to a much lesser extent, rivets.

But it always makes sense to check. Pay special attention around the outer edges under windows and inside cabinets. If there is a shower, feel for softness, and inspect underneath.

[Ken C]

There is also dryrot to look for

[Timber Wolf]

I crawled underneath my Scamp with a screwdriver and literally poked around. Finding nothing amiss I bought with confidence.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by denny w

thinking of buying a 2002 16 scamp. Are weakening floors commonly a problem? looks like wood on bottom....

I have a 92 Scamp with no signs of water damage on the floor. Whether or not you find a rotted floor on any brand of trailer depends greatly on the maintenance or lack of maintenance done by previous owner.

Scamp floors are 3/4" and they have a fiberglass resin on the underside and painted on top. So any rotting of the floors is normally going to be the result of a leak from above. Look under the trailer to check for black stains (signs of water damage) - then go inside the trailer and look in that area to see what caused it and how bad the floor is in that area inside. Open up all the hatches and doors inside and take a good look at the floor in them for signs of water stains/damage.

[capt211]

I have an 87' 16ft Scamp. In the process of restoring as we speak.Had rotted floors. Replaced with 3/4 Marine Plywood.Was not an easy project. when it was done coated it with fiberglass resin and sprayed undercoating as well. Maybe a little overkill. But i don't think it will ever rot again.

[War Eagle]

I have no personal experience with the problem, but I have heard (take hearsay for what it's worth) from other owners with this problem that long trips on rough, washboard dirt roads can eventually cause the wood floor to flex enough to crack the resin/paint seal. Once the seal is broken, moisture can start seeping in, and once in, can't easily get back out - so accumulates, and wood rot can develop over time. So, assuming these stories are true, if buying used, you might want to ask the sellers about where they've camped and what kind of roads they've traveled to get there - and hope they will be truthful with you.

[varmint]

We own a 1997 Scamp. It had water damage to the floor when I purchased it about 3 years ago. There were a couple of leaks that had caused the damage that I fixed. The total damaged area would have covered about 4 square feet. I have experience repairing soft spots on decks of boats.
Dry the floor as much as possible keeping it dry and using electric heaters. I drilled holes smaller than a straw about 3" - 4" apart and 1/2" deep on the top side of the damaged floor. Wrap some tape around a drill bit to establish depth. I then mix epoxy and add acetone to thin it until it is a little thicker than water. I then take a syringe, available at West Marine, and inject the thin epoxy into the holes. If the Floor has deteriorated to the point that the epoxy might run through the floor, it is helpful to tape the underside. Any larger dry rot holes may need some fiberglass mat. It may take a couple of days for the epoxy to cure and you want temperatures of 65 +. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the strength of the floor. To finish the job, brush the top and underside with a couple of coats of epoxy.
I did this about 3 years ago. I had damage under the sink, the adjacent cabinet and along the floor under the large rear window. It has been about 3 years and 12,000 miles and all seems OK.

[chse]

I have a 2002 13' and it had bad rot under the water tank when I bought it. The window above had clogged drains and during storage water must have constantly gotten in with the cold doing its part. Another one I looked at had rot under a 120v fridge that was put in by the owner, I believe it was from condensation.
Tap along the underside with a small hammer or screwdriver, rot sound hollow and most of the times you can feel it, too.

I fixed it similar to what varmint described- there is a commercial product called "git rot" but it's likely much more expensive than varmints method.

[Dan Meyer]

I bought my 2000 Scamp 16 new, and have had no trouble with floor rot.

If I ever have issues with the floor, I would expect the repair to be relatively simple.

Having said that, if you are shopping for a used Scamp, be sure to inspect the floor. If you find a problem, make sure the price you pay reflects the cost of the repair.

--Dan Meyer