Floor construction

[johnc3211]

We just purchasec a 2017 Hideout 38FQTS in November. It has rotten floors in 2 of the slideouts and a soft area in the front bedroom. Can anyone tell me what the floor construction is in the front bedroom. Is it the thin ply/styrofoam/thin ply floor or just some kind of plywood. The camper is set up in a seasonal campground 2 hours away, and I cannot work on it off season. Just trying to get an idea what I can expect when I can get to it next spring.

 

[wiredgeorge]

We just purchasec a 2017 Hideout 38FQTS in November. It has rotten floors in 2 of the slideouts and a soft area in the front bedroom. Can anyone tell me what the floor construction is in the front bedroom. Is it the thin ply/styrofoam/thin ply floor or just some kind of plywood. The camper is set up in a seasonal campground 2 hours away, and I cannot work on it off season. Just trying to get an idea what I can expect when I can get to it next spring.

At one point, Keystone would put construction details in their model brochures. They have 2018 brochures on their site for your model but don't give a hint as far as floor construction. You would do well to pull a floor vent and see what materials are used. Perhaps another Hideout owner could chime in but it seems you have a 40' bumper pull so the smaller models may be constructed differently? Good luck. If the trailer were mine, I would consider waiting for a nice day and inspecting the roof penetrations as water leaks are what cause flooring issues; perhaps even areas around windows. Sealing would be my first step.

 

[JRTJH]

The Hideout line is one of two lines that Keystone builds using "conventional, wood wall construction". I don't believe I've seen any "construction details" in the 2017 and up Hideout brochures but usually Keystone will highlight significant construction changes with at least a comment in the new brochure.

Since there are no comments about a flooring change in the 2017 brochure, I'd think the floor construction is similar to the 2016 floor construction. Fortunately, the 2016 brochure does detail the main floor construction and states the floor decking is 5/8" seamless floor decking. The usual brand of seamless floor decking is Dynaspan wood composite built similar to OSB decking with a waterproof adhesive to hold it together.

As for the slide flooring, usually it is similar. Mine is a 5/8" plywood floor with carpet on top and DARCO (think blue plastic tarp material) below to waterproof the underside. If your DARCO is torn/worn that may be the source of moisture entry, especially if the trailer is set up with skirting around it which restricts ventilation. If the DARCO is intact, then as George recommended, look seriously at the slide roof for leaks in the sealant, the windows for cracks/dried sealant around the flange and also along the slide sides where you'll find a 1.5" aluminum molding along the bottom of each side. That molding has caused more than a few slide floors to get wet.

Here's a clip from the 2016 Hideout brochure showing the trailer construction. I'd suspect the 2017 is very similar.

 

[johnc3211]

Thanks very much. That is what I am hoping the floor is. I think it will be much easier to repair that kind of floor. My plan is to cut the linoleum around the edges and carefully fold it back out of the way and then relay it after the repair.

 

[JRTJH]

... My plan is to cut the linoleum around the edges and carefully fold it back out of the way and then relay it after the repair.

On a previously owned trailer, anything is possible, but on every Keystone product that I've seen, when they leave the factory, the vinyl flooring is only glued along the edges where it meets the sidewall and around the heat registers in the floor (so the vinyl won't billow if there's a hot air leak)...

It should be fairly easy to cut the vinyl along the baseboard, roll/lay it back, do the repairs and then relay it with a thin line of adhesive to keep it in place. I wouldn't glue the entire vinyl area, chances are very good that if you own the trailer long enough, you'll be pulling it back again during your ownership.....

There are several threads on the forum that document with repairs and photos of the damage/repair on conventional "solid decking" as well as "foam core decking"... Do a forum search for "floor repair" and they should be in the results.

 

[wiredgeorge]

Not really to the point of this thread but my old 2002 Cougar had linoleum under the carpet on the floor and there was no glue whatsoever. They used staples to hold it in place.... a lot of staples. Under was plywood (I forget how thick).

 

[johnc3211]

Finally got back to camper this month. Removed baseboard trim around walls and cut the vinyl flooring around the perimeter so I could roll it back to see the floor damage. Luckly the rot didn't extrend but about 10 inches from wall at the worst place but it extended about 7 feet in length from front wall. There was a 2x floor joist about a foot from wall, so I cut it that wide and about 9 feet. Since it extended all the way to front wall into the front storage pass through I ended up taking all the front of the camper apart. The outside 2x joist is rotten and actually broken, as is the wall bottom plate and lower 2 inches of wall studs. Cut the inside wall panel the same height as bed over to door jamb so I can hide the seam with a flat piece of trim on wall and trim that was there for jamb. I may staple the vinyl along the wall and cover staples with baseboard. I can attest that the factory staples the vinyl all around the edges under the wall, at least a dozen per foot. The worst of the rot was under a corner of the front window so will try to find leak, I assume either window or roof.

 

[johnc3211]

Finally finished with floor repair. I ended up putting in a 9 foot by 1 foot patch. I replaced about 8 feet of outer rim joist and sistered that and about 6 feet of wall plate. The frame has angle brackets about every 4 feet that the outer joist is bolted to. The factory staples the osb floor to joists and uses carriage bolts to bolt to the brackets. The heads are under the wall plate so they have to be cut out. I used 3/4 plywood which I had laying around. Unfortunately the plywood was a little thicker so I had to use a filler to feather out the differences. I stapled the flooring down around the wall. The vinyl is woodgrain textured and not shinny so it doesn't show imperfections. The wall panel I cut out was reused and I was able to use the trim strip from the front storage pass through, that covered the staples in the floor. It was a 1 1/2" strip with the same wall paper as the walls, so it looked like it was made that way. I put a small baseboard all around the wall where the flooring was stapled and in the front storage compartment. I also put some 2x4 stiffeners on the 1/2 osb bed frame lid. It had abouit an inch of sag in the middle. After I was all done I resealed the window above that area. When I took the inside frame off you could see daylight in the upper corners. Pretty confident that was where the water was coming from. I wonder if over time the window slid down as there is at least a 1/4 inch gap all around inside. I shimmed the window to keep it in place untill I got the inside frame tightened, it's at least 1/8 higher now. I am planning to reseal all the windows.

 

[wiredgeorge]

Great job... you now have RV repairman job skills and do this stuff every day at a very high pay rate! Don't forget to seal the roof penetrations and seams on the roof as well.... Sounds like you have some time invested in the Hideout! Happy camping now!

 

[johnc3211]

Thanks. I still have soft spots in the corners of 2 slides.

 

[GordKey22]

Damn! That is, IMHO, a lot of water damage awfully quick. Specially since I own a 2018.

I have been feeling 'soft' areas as I walk around inside but have written it off to thinner floor material, insufficient floor support and my 275 pounds.
Now I am frightened to investigate further!!

 

[johnc3211]

The actual hole in the floor was about 3 feet by 8 inches against to outside wall. The outer floor joist and wall plate were probably 6 feet at least. I went well beyond where it was bad just to make it easy for me. There was a joist about 12 inches in from the outer wall that I cut the old floor to so I had a place to support the new piece. I believe the PO didn't do or maybe didn't know to do maintenance. All the windows look like they need butyl tape replaced. The factory floor is 3/4 OSB and I am big also, so it feels a little springy to me also. Especially down the middle where the heating duct runs.

 

[GordKey22]

When I was in my late teens, early twenties, my Dad and I built a couple of trailers. I remember how much time and effort we put into them. Picked out clear fir for the framing, all of the joints were dadoed, glued, clamped and screwed. 3/4" ply for the floor, etc.
It was a good thing that we did not go into building trailers as a business!!!