Boler floor preparations

[Butsky]

We are getting ready to lay peel-and-stick vinyl strip flooring to our 13' Boler and notice that the center of the main floor and the front 1/3 of dinette level both have some kind of screw fastener heads poking out, like the PO wanted extra secure attachments to frame. Are these floors supposed to have additional fasteners or are they to be completely flush, smooth and ready for floor coverings? For sure two little bumps will show up through the relatively soft vinyl. Grind 'em off...?

[Roy in TO]

Depends on what you mean by peel and stick. The whole strip or just the seams?

On my boler where the vinyl strip was laid the old fashioned way - notched trowel and glue, I laid a sub floor of 1/8" panel board from home depot. It is that dark brown stuff painted white on one side.

On my trillium where the vinyl strip is peel and stick for about a 1" overlap around the edges I laid some of that rubberized mesh you put under carpets first. I've noticed the vinyl strip has cupped a little over the years.

[Johnny M]

I would not recommend grinding them off. My Boler had screws from the factory and most were rusted to the point they were not securing much. I added some 6 inch bolts in strategic places along with some additional self tapping stainless steel screws to the floor/frame. I used screws with flat bevel heads so I could countersink them into the floor (except for the bolts which had rounded heads but are hidden underneath the dinette seats area). If the heads protrude up you could change them out for a different kind or put some underlayment on the floor but cut around the bolts so the new floor will go over them but remain flat, in other words letting the underlayment build up even with the top of the screw heads that are in place. The last thing you want to do is weaken anything that is holding your shell to the frame that could cause it to break loose during tow.

[Butsky]

These wood lookalike strips are about 36" long and about 4" wide. Total Peel-and-stick. I have the white glue-looking special primer ready also. Both Home Depot purchased. The screw heads on the lower and upper floors bother me. I don't know if they are original or installed later. I personally don't think they belong there. Any other 1974 Bolers have this?

[Johnny M]

Originally Posted by Butsky

The screw heads on the lower and upper floors bother me. I don't know if they are original or installed later. I personally don't think they belong there. Any other 1974 Bolers have this?

Would need to see pics to tell you if they are original, but it sounds like they may have been added for the same reasons I mentioned in my above post. If there was nothing securing the shell/floor to the frame it could potentially shift or lift up from the frame while in tow, this could prove to be very dangerous or even fatal for you and your Boler...

[Butsky]

I see your point. I could probably "kiss" ever so slightly, the head on the mid-floor fastener head with a grinder. The other fastener would have to be completely removed as it has the nut and exposed threads showing inside, as it appears it was installed from underneath! Yikes! I thought originally it was a stop/ lock/ positioner of some sort for table leg! Hmm... The plot thickens!! I shall try and post some pics in the next few days, for clarity.

[John in Michigan]

Originally Posted by Butsky

These wood lookalike strips are about 36" long and about 4" wide. Total Peel-and-stick. I have the white glue-looking special primer ready also. Both Home Depot purchased. The screw heads on the lower and upper floors bother me. I don't know if they are original or installed later. I personally don't think they belong there. Any other 1974 Bolers have this?

My 1974 Boler 13 had a fastener in the center of the main floor. The fastener appeared to be factory installed and matched the other 17 or so flat head, square drive screws screwed into the frame. Don't think there was a fastener in the dinette floor. There was definitely NO bolt thread or nut above the dinette floor. The entire camper floor was 100% single piece molded fiberglass with molded texture.

[bullfrogeh]

Our '73 Boler 13 had the floor hole centered under the dinette table, and was equipped with a bracket that held the single folding table leg sturdily in place. We also had the screw sized hole in the centre of the larger 'dance floor'. Neither hole would have held fasteners to attach the fiberglass 'shell' to any portion of the steel frame. We chose to remove the table-leg fastener; and will now merely seal both holes with plastic or fiberglass epoxy. We will be using some interlocking 2' X 2' dense sponge 'child play-squares' for flooring material for insulation and comfort.

[Butsky]

Thanks John and Dave. Been away for a few days so I thought I would respond back! My floors seem the same as Daves, with a rivet dead in the middle of the "dance floor" and the other poking up rather prominatly below the dinette leg area. So, I suppose I will buzz those puppies off, seal 'em, and lay down my peel-and-stick vinyl wood-like floor strips. Wonder what the main floor fastener was for? No frame under there, but some wood under the fiberglass floor skin. I can see a possible reason for the dinette screw, as an anchor-type device for the table leg that might move around or perhaps collapse! Your thoughts?