Floor Sag in 17 foot Boler - Fiberglass RV
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Old 01-09-2014, 09:41 PM   #1
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Name: Kees
Trailer: Boler 1700
British Columbia
Posts: 19
Floor Sag in 17 foot Boler

Hi all,

I'm at the point in my restoration where I have pulled everything out back to the bare bone shell. With all the cabinetry removed and the old flooring pulled up I can see that the floor (the floor is 3/4" plywood with a layer of fiberglass mat over top which is fiberglassed right into the shell) is far from level.

As you can see from the photo the floor undulates up and down along the trailers length. I have included a sketch of the floor set up to hopefully better explain my issue. The sketch shows the 3/4 inch plywood sheets that make up the floor of the trailer. These plywood sheets are covered in a layer of fiberglass mat which is also what connects them at the joints. The arrows in the sketch show the locations of the frame rails running side to side under the trailer which support the floor. As you can see the locations that the plywood sheets are joined are not located above frame rails. I see this as an area of weakness (I am not very experienced with fiberglass and don't know what kind of strength this type of join would withstand)? Also where the plywood has been joined it looks like the fiberglass was built up thicker (I'm guessing for strength) causing the floor to undulate up and down from joint to joint.

My questions are:

1. Is the floor strong enough as is or should more fiberglass mat be added to the joints?

2. In order to level the floor I see two possible options:
a. Add more fiberglass mat between the joints to build them up the the level of the joints
b. Use a pour able epoxy floor leveling material?

Rhino 9300 Novolac Self Leveling Compound | Rhino Linings Industrial
Attached Thumbnails
BolerFloorDiagram.jpg   IMG_2485.jpg  

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Old 01-10-2014, 01:34 PM   #2
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Name: Steve
Trailer: Scamp 13
California
Posts: 1,890
Coating the floor to level while it may work its very heavy about 10 lbs to the gallon.
For the support you are seeking welding in some new cross member would probably be a better fix. If you were planning to replace the floor, using a toungue and groove plywood decking would be a much better solution to the unsupported joint issue. The factory probably used foam back carpeting to hide all sins.
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Old 01-10-2014, 02:47 PM   #3
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Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
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Steve is right on.
If I were doing it, I would waterproof the underside of the wood also.
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Old 01-10-2014, 10:41 PM   #4
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Name: Kees
Trailer: Boler 1700
British Columbia
Posts: 19
Smile

I agree the best method would be to remove the shell from the frame and add some new framing in, however if I was to do that I think I'd just put in a new floor anyway, if I'm going to go that deep probably best to do a solid fix instead of building on the older floor.

However I was hoping to reinforce the floor without needing to remove the shell. Im a bit torn because while I'm not 100% satisfied with the strength of the floor and the uneven surface, I am also not convinced it isnt haha. Although the floor has a bit of flex it seems solid and there is no signs of rot underneath. I figure if the floor has lasted 30 odd years it is fairly well put together?

I think I'm hoping there's a fairly quick way to add some reinforcement that will also fix/help to level and give me piece of mind (I may be dreaming ) ................or someone to tell me everything's going to be alright and all bolers are that way and they can support an elephant
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Old 01-11-2014, 07:41 AM   #5
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Name: Jason
Trailer: 2007 Eggcamper & Homemade Tear Drop
New York
Posts: 663
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It it was me and the floor was not rotted (top and bottom) and as you said worked for 30 years. I would leave it alone. I could live with a small undulation you might not even see or feel it under you feet after you get new flooring on top of it. It all boils down to what you want and how much work you want to do!
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