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fixing water damage

jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
in Trailer & Towing
what's the best way to replace floorboards on a teardrop?
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  • NomadNomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Jackson - Could you be a little more specific - flooring or underlayment?, how extensive? Got a pic?
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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    underlayment is the problem. leaky window over the trailer hitch eventually led to water damage to the flooring under the bed. the ends of the boards of the underlayment are now damaged. they seem to be attached to the under-carriage by large, flat-headed bolts. before i take a sawzall to them, i thought i'd ask for soe blog wisdom. pics wouldn't show the damage very well; it really hasn't started to rot out yet

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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    this is on a 2010 T@da that spent its early life in Florida
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    Jackson, there aren't many T@DA owners here.

     I know there is a T@DA and T@B owners Facebook page. I don't know if they can help you better over there.

    Maybe an RV repair place would have some advice...not the big guys, but a smaller family owned type of business.  Or maybe a T@DA owner will speak up with suggestions.

    Lisa33 owns one and knows a lot about hers. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    Post up some photos as that will help.  We have had members install flooring in their T@B's and there is some nice engineered laminates out there that might work.  But with photos it would help to see your issues and help with some alternatives.   
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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  • LARKLARK Member Posts: 146
    Jackson- First things first. You need to stop the leak at the source (i.e. front window), unless the window was accidentally left open. Next, if the floor is not rotted you should place dehumidifiers in the rv and remove any moist or wet carpet or laminate and let it dry out. After that find a good wood sealer and treat the areas that were exposed. Then again, if the flooring is buckled and plywood has separated it will probably need replacing. Hard to say without seeing the flooring.
    M@rk and Donn@ : 2015 T@B S Max, Silver/Black, 2008 Toyota Beef Taco DC
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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    I've now pulled up the linoleuam as far back as the wheel wells. it would appear that the damage stops there. the bottom edges of the cabinetwork to that point will have to be replaced; it's rotting. the subfloor along the outside walls and under where the heat pump and the water heater lived is also rotting. so my plan at this point is to replace at least that much flooring. i haven't gotten at the wall at the front of the trailer yet. the interior is covered with a carpet that is showing mold at the bottom edge. anyone know what's under that carpet?


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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    oh...and there was a dessicated cockroach body inside the enclosure for the heat pump. it was over an inch long. they grow them big down in Florida. I didn't take a pic of that; but tomorrow i'll post pics of the water damage to the cabinet bottoms


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  • LARKLARK Member Posts: 146
    Yeah, those palmetto bugs can get large. Sounds like the extent of damage was worse than you thought. Sorry man, looks like you have some work ahead. At least you can put it back the way you want it to be.
    M@rk and Donn@ : 2015 T@B S Max, Silver/Black, 2008 Toyota Beef Taco DC
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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    before i break out the sawzall, the question is how is the sub floor attached? there are some round, metal pieces that are almost flush with the subfloor that seem to be holding it down. haven't figured out how to extract them. i've attached some sketchy iphone pics of the plugs and the floor and cabinet damage. they don't really show the extent of the water damage along the edges of the floor.  the damage to the bottoms of cabinetry will have to be in a later post. it's pretty extensive, with rot extending 1/2 to 1 inch up the sides, under the veneer
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  • LARKLARK Member Posts: 146
    Looks like you need to crawl underneath and see if there are nuts on the bottom of those flat bolts. I can still see what looks like moisture on the bad wood areas that need to dry out. If you find that it must be removed, try and get it out in one piece so you can use as a template. Follow steps on Doityourselfrv.com for "How to replace rotted wood flooring in a travel trailer". I can't see what you can see but I would be hesitant to rip out unless it is very rotted. Once dry, try and probe it for depth of damage.
    M@rk and Donn@ : 2015 T@B S Max, Silver/Black, 2008 Toyota Beef Taco DC
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  • LARKLARK Member Posts: 146
    On second examination of the pictures, the floor doesn't look that bad. Maybe all you need to replace is the wall. The wall probably took most of the damage due to being above the floor.
    M@rk and Donn@ : 2015 T@B S Max, Silver/Black, 2008 Toyota Beef Taco DC
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  • jacksonjackson Member Posts: 7
    thanks for all of those comments. based on the probing i've done, it would appear that all the flooring ahead of the wheels needs to go. the rest of the damage can be pieced. i still have to dig into the area where the roof meets the bottom. i suspect that seam is part of the problem. but i'm doing the work outside and it's been very wet in alaska for the last week or so. so as soon as the weather breaks, i have to rip into the exterior in that area

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  • BAFernsBAFerns Member Posts: 1
    I am getting ready to repair a water damaged floor in my T@da.  It was due to a roof seal that came off.  The only site I have seen regarding repair is a blog where a delaminated wall and roof are being replaced on a T@b.  The site has good details, great photos and parts info.  Her blog can be found at:  http:/tabtrailer.blogspot.com/2012/03/repairing-delaminated-side-wall.html
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