Trillium floor replacement

[chemong]

Hi,
I am the proud new owner of a 79 Trillium 1300. Today while cleaning I discovered the wooden floor under the dinette is rotten. Since the wood is covered by the interior formed fiberglass floor and benches above and the exterior shell below, I have no idea how to get at/tackle this problem.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Carl

[kathie and larry f]

Hi,
I am the proud new owner of a 79 Trillium 1300. Today while cleaning I discovered the wooden floor under the dinette is rotten. Since the wood is covered by the interior formed fiberglass floor and benches above and the exterior shell below, I have no idea how to get at/tackle this problem.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Carl

Hi Carl,
We just acquired a 78 Trillium and discovered the same problem with the wooden floor under the dinette. The fiberglass floor was cracked on one side and we have peeled some of it off only to find very soggy wood. Can't figure out where the water came from, much less what to do next. I see that you posted your question on June 7. Maybe someone has come to the rescue.
Would appreciate any help out there.
Thanks kathie

[D Shubel]

I have a Burro and have done a complete off the frame, off the egg, floor replacement because our floor was so rotten it was basically wood chips encased in fiberglass. I would not suggest this to anyone. Not sure if it is difficult because of the size (17" widebody) or if any size egg would be this trying. Unless you have a hoist, a garage with paved floor, and lots of fiberglass materials...a complete off the frame floor removal is not for you.

With that being said, several members have cut out the rotten areas and patched in good solid flooring. My floor is marine-grade plywood encased on both sides with fiberglass. It is about 5/8" thick. Are you able to patch in some areas? If not, some people have recommended a hardening chemical that you can purchase at a home improvement store that turns water damaged wood into a solid surface. Probably have to dry the wood out before using this hardening resin.

If you search on the topic of floor you should get several hits with pictures and drawings.

[Joe MacDonald]

The water most likely came in around the window above the dinette.
If the wood is only wet, it may dry out if exposed to air, as long as you stop the leak.
The window should probably be removed, all the old caulk cleaned off, and new butyl tape installed, then re-install the window. The wood that the window screws into may also be shot, this would be a good time to check it and if necessary, replace it.
I have never done any floor work on my Trilliums, but if you use the search function and look for floor, you'll probably find lots of tips

[TomA]

Hi Carl:

Sorry to hear about your 'surprise' in the floor.

This is not a repair for the novice, or faint of heart.

First, is the floor really spongy under the dinette table? Remove the table, and walk on the floor. It may be that the wood is only wet in the storage compartments.
The critical area that needs to be solid is around the bolts that go through the wood into the frame underneath. The other areas could be dried out and resealed.

If you really have a mess, please email me, and I'll give you some detailed direction on how to perform this repair. You'll need to know how to mix and work with fiberglass, and have no fear of cutting the fiberglass on the inside of the trailer.


Tom

TrilliumRV.com

[Kevin W]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading your posts with great interest. Thanks everyone for your great information.

I pulled the one piece flooring out of my '79 surfside yesterday. My floor is structurally sound, but I need to make some locallized repairs. The floor under the dinette is approx 3" higher than the floor in the rest of the trailer. I assume that this is normal. At the "step" where it goes up a previous owner used some sort of floor leveler at that edge. It has all broken up and needs to be removed and repaired. I also found that at my entrance door there has been work done. A previous owner added some floor leveler covered with 2 pieces of aluminum sheet thats bent 90 degrees and riveted to the floor right at the entrance. I will take this all off this weekend and redo everything with some fiberglass.

I have recently purchased the trailer and have a countdown of July 3rd to have my renovations complete so that we can go camping. I don't want to go cheap, but I am trying to do things quickly and do major renovations in the off season.

By the way, my rubber trim that runs around the inside of the door frame on the trailer side of the door way is missing. Does anyone know where I can buy some replacement rubber. I asked at Canadian Tire and they dont carry anything. I was thinking that it looks similar to the trunk seal of a car. I am contemplating going to an auto wreckers and pulling the seal out of a few junkers and glueing in place.

Kevin

[Jeanne and Steve]

By the way, my rubber trim that runs around the inside of the door frame on the trailer side of the door way is missing. Does anyone know where I can buy some replacement rubber. I asked at Canadian Tire and they dont carry anything. I was thinking that it looks similar to the trunk seal of a car. I am contemplating going to an auto wreckers and pulling the seal out of a few junkers and glueing in place.

Kevin

Are you looking for trim seal? The only place I found that sells it by the foot is Austin Hardware, and they have a huge selection of sizes.

Jeanne

[Roy in TO]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading your posts with great interest. Thanks everyone for your great information.

I pulled the one piece flooring out of my '79 surfside yesterday. My floor is structurally sound, but I need to make some locallized repairs. The floor under the dinette is approx 3" higher than the floor in the rest of the trailer. I assume that this is normal. At the "step" where it goes up a previous owner used some sort of floor leveler at that edge. It has all broken up and needs to be removed and repaired. I also found that at my entrance door there has been work done. A previous owner added some floor leveler covered with 2 pieces of aluminum sheet thats bent 90 degrees and riveted to the floor right at the entrance. I will take this all off this weekend and redo everything with some fiberglass.

I have recently purchased the trailer and have a countdown of July 3rd to have my renovations complete so that we can go camping. I don't want to go cheap, but I am trying to do things quickly and do major renovations in the off season.

By the way, my rubber trim that runs around the inside of the door frame on the trailer side of the door way is missing. Does anyone know where I can buy some replacement rubber. I asked at Canadian Tire and they dont carry anything. I was thinking that it looks similar to the trunk seal of a car. I am contemplating going to an auto wreckers and pulling the seal out of a few junkers and glueing in place.

Kevin

The black foam peel and stick weather stripping from CDN tire or home depot will work till you get the right stuff. It comes in different widths and thicknesses. Have a look at the trim page in the helpful links to find the right one for your trailer.

Are you going to Emily July 7-9? you should get a lot of ideas and info from there.

Roy

Roy

[Kevin W]

Jeanne and Roy,

Thanks for your replies. I am going to use both suggestions. I will get some temporary seals from CTC and order some permanent seals from Austin Hardware.

Roy,

I unfortunately won't be going to Emily this year. My wife and I go on an annual trip to Ohio for a 4 day country music festival. We talked about the Emily get together and are sorry that we can’t attend. I looked for more fiberglass get togethers and I see there is one in Sept in NY state. I was going to sign up but I see its mid week. Unfortunately I am working out of town right now and cant take any extra time off for vacation until after November. I actually have the trailer with me at the cottage that I am renting where I am living Monday to Friday while I am working out of town.

We have actually gone from spending the last 10 summers in a 39' park model trailer in Sauble Beach, ON downsizing to a 26 year old 14 foot trailer....lol
It is going to take some adjustment, but we couldn't be more excited about travelling rather than spending ever weekend in the same park.

Kevin

[kathie and larry f]

I have a Burro and have done a complete off the frame, off the egg, floor replacement because our floor was so rotten it was basically wood chips encased in fiberglass. I would not suggest this to anyone. Not sure if it is difficult because of the size (17" widebody) or if any size egg would be this trying. Unless you have a hoist, a garage with paved floor, and lots of fiberglass materials...a complete off the frame floor removal is not for you.

With that being said, several members have cut out the rotten areas and patched in good solid flooring. My floor is marine-grade plywood encased on both sides with fiberglass. It is about 5/8" thick. Are you able to patch in some areas? If not, some people have recommended a hardening chemical that you can purchase at a home improvement store that turns water damaged wood into a solid surface. Probably have to dry the wood out before using this hardening resin.

If you search on the topic of floor you should get several hits with pictures and drawings.

Thank you all for the info about the rotten floor! We just joined today and are overwhelmed by the help! So much good information! It is going to be interesting.......owning a 30 year old rv Thanks again!

[chemong]

Thank-you for the replys...
Here are a few pictures to show the repair. I cut the fiberglass with a grinder all around the area of the rotten floor.



All the wood/mush was scraped out from below the table area as well as in the bench holding areas.. very time consuming part.



I put a new floor board down and put .25" aluminium tracks underneath to raise it off the bottom in case water gets in again. The floor was then all re-fiberglassed... I didn't fiberglass inside the bench areas... and finished with some vinyl flooring.




The water was getting in from the back window, so that needed attention, plus new floor bolts, they were rusted and snapped off.
Glad this job is done! Hope to try camping this weekend!
As for the door seal, there is a new one on my trailer that the previous owner said he orderd from the new trillium factory.
Carl

[Maggie O.]

Wow! Great job!

[kathie and larry f]

Thank-you for the replys...
Here are a few pictures to show the repair. I cut the fiberglass with a grinder all around the area of the rotten floor.

Attachment 3632

All the wood/mush was scraped out from below the table area as well as in the bench holding areas.. very time consuming part.

Attachment 3633

I put a new floor board down and put .25" aluminium tracks underneath to raise it off the bottom in case water gets in again. The floor was then all re-fiberglassed... I didn't fiberglass inside the bench areas... and finished with some vinyl flooring.

Attachment 3634


The water was getting in from the back window, so that needed attention, plus new floor bolts, they were rusted and snapped off.
Glad this job is done! Hope to try camping this weekend!
As for the door seal, there is a new one on my trailer that the previous owner said he orderd from the new trillium factory.
Carl

Thanks Carl,
We will start the messy stuff tomorrow. Your idea of using the alum. tracks is really helpful as are the pictures. We are hoping our bolts are not so bad, sounds like a real pain to remove them.
kathie and larry

[Jane]

Thank-you for the replys...
Here are a few pictures to show the repair. I cut the fiberglass with a grinder all around the area of the rotten floor.

Attachment 3632

All the wood/mush was scraped out from below the table area as well as in the bench holding areas.. very time consuming part.

Attachment 3633

I put a new floor board down and put .25" aluminium tracks underneath to raise it off the bottom in case water gets in again. The floor was then all re-fiberglassed... I didn't fiberglass inside the bench areas... and finished with some vinyl flooring.

Attachment 3634


The water was getting in from the back window, so that needed attention, plus new floor bolts, they were rusted and snapped off.
Glad this job is done! Hope to try camping this weekend!
As for the door seal, there is a new one on my trailer that the previous owner said he orderd from the new trillium factory.
Carl

Hi Carl,
Good job on the floor and thanks for the pictures. I have a 'lino friend' coming over tomorrow to help lay a new floor in my 75 13' Trillium.

I can't blow up your picture too much to see what is going up the side of the dinette wall about an inch or so. Is it vinyl or some sort of edging?

How did you know the wooden floor was rotten? sagging?

Thank you!!
Jane in Victoria, BC

[chemong]

Hi Carl,
Good job on the floor and thanks for the pictures. I have a 'lino friend' coming over tomorrow to help lay a new floor in my 75 13' Trillium.

I can't blow up your picture too much to see what is going up the side of the dinette wall about an inch or so. Is it vinyl or some sort of edging?

How did you know the wooden floor was rotten? sagging?

Thank you!!
Jane in Victoria, BC

Hi Jane,
I was cleaning out the the storage areas for the first time under the benches and put my hand on a small area that was a bit soft. I then started poking around with a screwdriver and it went through the fiberglass coating and into the soft plywood floor. There was a bit of "give" in the dinette floor, but nothing to make me think it was completely rotten until I got into the repair. The darker part coming up the sides is from painting the floor which we really didn't like afterwards and decided to go with the vinyl flooring which I like alot better.
Good luck with your renovations,
Carl