Rotted floor

[katmeador]

So excited to get my new-to-me 1998 Scamp 13'. Started to rip out carpet to add Vinyl, only to find a rotten floor. Thoughts or suggestions for replacement. I'm in Minneapolis so if anyone has a resource near by that would help too.
While I'm venting, the gentleman who had this Scamp drilled a number of holes in the cabinets for his do-hickies. Can and with what can I fill the holes so they match.
In my excitement of purchase I missed a whole bunch of gerry rigged gems! Bummer.... I'm staying positive and still excited!

[LyleB]

I have nothing specific to offer you, other than encouragement. After being on this forum for about 9 months now, I am AMAZED at how these trailers, some in horrendous condition, can be made as good as new with patience and hard work. Lots of folks have had to replace all or part of their floor, so they will be along to help you out. Won't be easy, but can definitely be done.

In the mean time, did you try searching the site? Toward the top of the page, in the blue band, hit search. Use the search field at the bottom of the drop down list - Google Search, it will give you the best, most useful results. Just search for "Scamp floor replacement" or something similar.

Good luck, and Welcome - great folks here who will go out of their way to help you out.

[KevinScamps]

First figure out where the leak was and fix it before you get any more damage. Generally a window or roof vent. Can often follow a trail of dirt or moisture behind the insulation against the fiberglass wall of the camper.

Only thing to be done is cut out the rotten part and replace. There are plenty of people here who have post about replacing small sections to complete floor of the scamp. Hope you have enough good wood around it so you can simply patch a small section. A complete replacement is a MAJOR job. Do a serious check on the frame while you are at it.

[katmeador]

The wood is rotten under one of the bench seats (both removed). We're thinking that it is from a water tank that leaked enough to rot out a large section, about a 3rd +. Not sure whether it goes all the way to the wall. If I were able to replace approximately half of the floor, can I do that with the walls intact and how do I re- attach the flooring?

[bpfick]

That's a common area. Many things can contribute so I'll just tick them. Check them all. It may well be more than one thing, but let's hope not.

1. Tank, fittings, filler neck, water lines.
2. waist band
3. rear window
4. tail light screws through the hull
5. spare tire/table "block".

The rear benches can be removed easily enough. Just a few screws holding them in. Remove tank, filler, lines, etc.
Open up the rat fur. Our 2002 was seamed in the center and we just pulled back the requiste side like a swagged back curtain. Ditto with the bubble wrap insulation.

Now, look for a dark stain trail. Water coming down from the window or tail light or spare tire block of wood, or from a belly band leak will often leave a tel tale trail of dark "tracking"
. If all this area is clean and shows no black tracks or trails, it is possible that your suspicion of the tank being the sole culprit may be right. But while the area is opened up surgically, test everything. A nice heavy rain works best. A strong flash light will help you detect any trickling water. There is no sense in tackling the floor cut out and replacement until the leak(s) have been identified and repaired with 100% certainty.

[Bill Nolen]

Plugging holes!

As for drilled holes in the cabinets. my Scamp had it's share of holes! Someone on this forum suggested using a two-part epoxy stick putty made by PC.

It comes in a two-part roll and you just cut off a small part and mix the two parts together. I bought a tube of PC-White Epoxy Putty at a hardware store.

The color does a good job of matching the faded fiberglass cabinets and seats in my old Scamp. It's easy to plug a drill hole. If there is any excess showing after the putty cures, it can be removed with a sharp chisel.

Good luck,

Bill

[bpfick]

If the raised portion of the rear of your Scamp is rotted in over 25% of the area, I'd likely just pull both rear bases and re-deck the raised level area. I had to replace about 20% of the raised deck. In retrospect, it might have been easier to just replace the entire deck over the raised portion.

I found this photo on a blog of a Scamp rebuild. There was no photo without the rear benches already re-installed. Too bad. It would have been neat to see the area earlier in the process, but it doesn't take much imagination to envision it.

[Keith2000]

As others have said, first find the cause and then worry about the floor.

Our leak was at the front and the rot extended down that side. We ended up replacing all along the street side. In contrast to bpfick, I felt like the good wood we removed caused more problems. It is much harder to remove solid wood that is well attached to the walls with fiberglass than it is to remove rotted wood. Maybe the grass is just always greener, but I wish we had left more of the good wood as it was.

I also think the rear will be easier than the side was because we had to deal with a bathroom and kitchen counter. By contrast the rear benches pop right out. Ours took a few days with one skilled handyman and one unskilled owner trying not to freak out about the fact that the floor was missing from his trailer. It is tough, but doable and you will learn a lot about fiberglass in the process.

[katmeador]

Thanks so much.

[katmeador]

If you pull the carpet from the walls con you lay it back down and use it again?

[Keith2000]

yes. but if you cut it you may have an ugly seam to deal with

[BillE]

It is important to check you camper for leaks and keep up with leak prevention before it gets this bad.

For myself.... if I ever had to do a floor....I would take the extra time ti remove ALL of the floor and replace it. For the hassel I would only want to do it once.