Rockwood Roo Wet Floor

[andystandy]

Hello - We recently purchased a travel trailer and I have discovered that the subfloor is not only spongy, but wet to the touch. Obviously I need to address the source of the leak (which I have no clue where it is) and then I need to address the floor. Is there any way to fix this without pulling everything out of the camper or can I just replace the accessible locations? Is this even worth the effort or is it too far gone? Any advice would be much appreciated

[BurbMan]

Rot and mold are the enemies here...as Bob said it's possible to patch the floor, but you need to get back to dry wood. If you leave any dampness with an incomplete repair, it will continue to rot away unseen.

I would start by cutting away the vinyl floor covering throughout the trailer, that will give you a head start finding out how far the water has wicked.

[Lwiddis]

It’s unfortunate your prepurchase inspection didn’t discover this issue. Open it up and determine if it is reasonably repairable. Sorry.

[GrandpaKip]

Start with plumbing and check all that is visible, especially the hand tightened fittings.
Then the roof. Look for cracks in the caulk around fittings and the edges.
Check windows, door and the fold up ends.
Do a seal test. Basically forcing air in the unit while closed up and squirting soapy water all over to see where bubbles form.
Get a dehumidifier to dry it out.
Good luck.

[valhalla360]

Bob has it.

If it's a small spot that's accessible, you can patch it but if it's extensive, there is a very good chance it's not worth fixing.

How old is the trailer and what's it worth?

If it's a 10-15yr old trailer you picked up fro $4-5k, your best bet is to find a deer hunter and get what you can out of it.

[BobsYourUncle]

Oops, mis-posted this part, hit quote instead of edit

[BobsYourUncle]

Welcome to the forum 🙂

One of the challenges in fixing a soft wet floor is that the flooring wood, be it plywood or OSB, is one piece from one side to the other. To replace it as such requires complete dismantling of the unit to do it properly.

However, if it is confined to a small area, it is possible to patch it in, as long as steps are taken to ensure a solid connection between new and old. It can be done.

If the bad floor extends under cabinets and walls, then it is pretty much mandatory to move that stuff out of the way first. That in itself is a big task due to the way they build them.

The floor plays a huge part in the structural integrity of the overall trailer. They flex and bend a lot as you drive down the road.

I have done many repairs to a multitude of RV's, primarily TT's, and I worked at a trailer factory in the early 70's. I know and understand how these things are built.