Floor Construction?

sabel · May 2015

I'd like to install some eye bolts or pad eyes in the floor under the rear seating area for securing storage. Part of the floor is flat ( with vinyl floor finish ) but the rear section is sloped up and appears to have an exposed plywood finish. Is there plywood directly below the vinyl floor finish for screwing things? Is the slopes floor finish plywood? If so how thick?

Thanks

source3 · May 2015

Exploring the T@B website About Us>Literature>Construction.

http://www.tab-rv.com/construction-information

Rad · May 2015

The tear drop may well be plywood walls and floor as noted in the link; however the T@B is absolutely not. The walls are 1" foam core and I'm about 99% sure the floor is also foam. Mine sure was not plywood when I installed my table mount. As for the floor under the seating, I don't know.

sabel · May 2015

Rad,
What did you encounter when doing your table mount? How did you secure it? I'm sure it's the same under the seats.

Rad · May 2015

sabel said:

Rad,
What did you encounter when doing your table mount? How did you secure it? I'm sure it's the same under the seats.

I was very careful and predrilled small shallow holes, then ( to prevent any moisture from entering) I filled the holes with nonadhesive caulking and used fairly wide but very short stainless steel screws.

There must be aluminum braces in the floor much like in the sides and roof, or at least that would be my guess.

sabel · May 2015

So I've called the factory several times and no one's returned my call. Has anyone who visited the factory noticed how the floor is constructed? From what I have read it's 3/4" plywood bolted to the frame, then foam insulation. But what's on top of the foam? There must be something rigid on top of the foam for the finish flooring to glue to. I assume that if I bolt to the floor the bolts will have to go all the way threw to the 3/4" plywood to hold anything.

Verna · May 2015

The picture is the closest I can come to showing the construction of T@B during a factory tour at Tearstock, and yes, I know it's the front, not the back.

The best answer I can give, and I've already given this answer two other times this evening, is to call the factory and talk to whomever answers the phone. Be patient, yes, you have been patient, but the office personnel can't always get to the correct person with the answer you want when you call. Ask for any one who has knowledge of where you can put the bolts. I'm thinking there isn't 3/4" plywood in the T@B's, to keep the weight down.

Good luck, Sabel.

ChanW · May 2015

I screwed a bracket into the floor under the couch, and I don't recall any foam.

I don't see how the floor could be foam with all the stress it needs to handle, via the frame mounting & stabilizer mounting.

My dog'd like a little more insulation in the floor though.

Rad · May 2015

Does anyone else find it a bit frustrating that something as fundamental as a floor construction question can't get an answer from the factory? This has been asked before.

I have to say, I don't email questions to the factory anymore, they don't get answered.

Verna · May 2015

Rad, that's why I recommend calling and talking to whomever answers and asking to be transferred to someone there. Both Ed and Marvin are great sources of information, but that means that they have a lot of work in the factory--answering questions, helping with problems, trouble-shooting, etc. That's why I don't refer to anyone to specific people. Emails and returning phone calls are last on their list, unfortunately. Talk to a live body, if at all possible.

If you get the opportunity, take a factory tour. It's non-stop action, and no time for chit-chat.

Rad · May 2015

Verna said:

Rad, that's why I recommend calling and talking to whomever answers and asking to be transferred to someone there. Both Ed and Marvin are great sources of information, but that means that they have a lot of work in the factory--answering questions, helping with problems, trouble-shooting, etc. That's why I don't refer to anyone to specific people. Emails and returning phone calls are last on their list, unfortunately. Talk to a live body, if at all possible.
If you get the opportunity, take a factory tour. It's non-stop action, and no time for chit-chat.

I understand, sort of. I always found it much easier to give good customer service in my working days by email rather than phone. I could pick when I responded.

Nomad · May 2015

Verna - I'm with Rad on this - Email ... Can send photos and receive documents. - Voice is by far the least efficient. With email, everything's right there to study or pass on to whomever. You can time-shift email. Voice interrupts.
Also like Rad, I'm very hesitant to send one - the last time I did (had pictures enclosed), I'm convinced that the only reason Ed finally responded was because either you or Mike alerted him because I was keeping track of how long it was taking here on the forum.
Email should be easy - What would they do if we all used Twitter where the whole world sees your questions, complaints, as well as praise?

Verna · May 2015

I'm working on an answer......I've asked the question, so please be patient.....I know this answer won't come today.

Nomad · May 2015

Verna - We appreciate you and Mike - You're our most reliable channel to the factory.

Bentr · May 2015

According to this video of a T@B being constructed in Germany, the base is made of plywood. Pretty sure it would need to be something like that in order to be strong enough to walk on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbFV-b0drXA

Verna · May 2015

PXLated said:

Verna - We appreciate you and Mike - You're our most reliable channel to the factory.

Thank you. I try.....very trying at time

Obviously I enjoy this, lots of challenges, lots of learning, and I try to be as informative as I can. It's amazing what I have learned about T@B's and I have actually never set foot in one. I haven't checked one out for how much storage there is, but I can about tell you how everything works....except the Alde (I think that's a hands-on learning experience). All of the pictures obviously show me a lot--thanks for all of those. Soon, we'll even know how the floor is constructed--note, I said "we".

Verna · May 2015

Thank you, Sandra. I found the definition of "azdel" as being a composite being made since 2006 for the RV industry, but I was unable to find "miranti", but I would assume it is a composite also. So, not much to anchor to in the floor.

leenscottfl · May 2015

Unless you went through and through. Seeing the home construction materials being used now I guess that heavy wood products subject to rot are becoming a thing of the past.

Rad · May 2015

Bentr said:

According to this video of a T@B being constructed in Germany, the base is made of plywood. Pretty sure it would need to be something like that in order to be strong enough to walk on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbFV-b0drXA

Makes sense, other than when I drilled my pilot holes for my table it sure did not respond or feel like wood. There was no resistance to the drill bit or any wood shavings or splinters that came up or stayed on the bit. Could be I was not paying attention, who knows. I look forward to the factory answer.

I'm m not upset with the factory, I like the products they produce. However, we all soon learn what companies we deal with have prompt customer service and what ones do not and we learn to just live with that.

My policy with all my staff during my many years in management was that every phone call or email was responded to by the end of that day, no exceptions. If a staff person did not have an answer yet, they called or emailed back that info and a specific time line when they would have the answer. It was very gratifying to hear just how happy people were to get a quick response even if the answer was not available.

Good prompt customer service is not an accident. It starts at the top.

Verna, you are a perfect example of good customer service. You responded quickly and keep us updated on a possible answer. Thank you, you ROCK!

Verna · May 2015

Thank you, Rad.

By the way, Scott is in the "factory", so Sandra's answer from Scott is the way the floor is constructed.

Rad · May 2015

Verna said:

Thank you, Rad.
By the way, Scott is in the "factory", so Sandra's answer from Scott is the way the floor is constructed.

Thanks, I missed that post....guess what, I'm not crazy, read the floor construction noted above in Sandra's post........no plywood. That does not make it a weak floor, the aluminum framed foam makes sense. Sounds even better for a wet bath rig. Less chance of a delaminating plywood floor like some of the Airstream Bambi's have been known to do.

jkjenn · May 2015

The Living Lite RV are aluminum, too, and they boast the lack of floor rot as a selling point. I am actually relieved to hear there is no plywood there.

Verna · May 2015

After personally seeing the damage to plywood in a 2007 LG 6-wide owned by Indycamper on the LG forum, I'm also glad the T@B's are going away from having wood as a structural member...says the woodworker here. Indycamper's 6-wide cabin's plywood floor and walls were disintegrating within the walls. Pleasant Valley replaced the entire cabin (for a very good price, of course) for a 2013 cabin on her 2007 frame.

So, if the composite floor is being used in the T@B's, I applaud them for their changes. I remembered that Cyclonic said that his T@B's floor was spongy (or something like that), so I figured there couldn't be plywood in the floor.

(And, by the way, the 2007 LG was made by the previous company, The Little Trailer Company out of Elkhart, Indiana, not the current manufacturer, Pleasant Valley Trailer Company.)

sabel · May 2015

Sandra,
Boy am I glad I check the forum, one last time, before drilling four worthless holes in the floor to secure a spare tire. Guess I'll go back to Plan B and secure it to the plywood and 2x4s with a net.
Just wanted to get the spare off of the roof rack and out of the weather.
Thanks

mawebb · May 2015

By the way. The Livin Lite RV's use an extruded aluminum box channel that are welded together to make the floor. You can see the aluminum construction both from the underside and inside. This is quite different than what has been described for the T@B. When I placed my battery switch, three out of 4 screws seemed to grab, but one did not. I tried to allow the screws to self tap, but a couple need the assistance of a pilot hole, as I seemed to have hit some metal of sorts. I wish to install a table pedestal, and am planning to use bolts through the floor, so hopefully it is substantial enough to take the bolts and hold the base secure. I will use large washers on the underside.

sabel · May 2015

Mawebb, Just make sure there's nothing under the floor at the pedestal. There's two big water tanks under my floor.

USWildflowers · May 2015

mawebb said:

I wish to install a table pedestal, and am planning to use bolts through the floor, so hopefully it is substantial enough to take the bolts and hold the base secure. I will use large washers on the underside.

Might consider a plywood (or other hard material) backing plate under the T@b floor to spread the load more than the washers will. Assuming the underside is clear where you need the backing plate, of course.

mawebb · May 2015

Great suggestions. I have been under the T@B and the grey water does run front to back. I will have to check exactly how far back. I was thinking of fabricating a heavy plastic backer using a material similar to that used for cutting boards to elimintate concerns of deterioration.

TaBFan · May 2015

Verna said:

Thank you, Sandra. I found the definition of "azdel" as being a composite being made since 2006 for the RV industry, but I was unable to find "miranti", but I would assume it is a composite also. So, not much to anchor to in the floor.

I wikied Meranti and it's Luan, so Azdel would be a far better choice for flooring.

TaBFan · May 2015

USWildflowers said:

mawebb said:

I wish to install a table pedestal, and am planning to use bolts through the floor, so hopefully it is substantial enough to take the bolts and hold the base secure. I will use large washers on the underside.

Might consider a plywood (or other hard material) backing plate under the T@b floor to spread the load more than the washers will. Assuming the underside is clear where you need the backing plate, of course.

Be sure to check out Fender Washers at Lowes, Home Depot, etc.....they are much bigger than an ordinary washer.

mawebb · May 2015

I checked under the T@B yesterday and the grey water tank extends under where the table mount would be bolted, so it's not looking like a viable option. Now I am thinking of placing a piece of 3/4" plywood, covered in carpet tiles in the area under the table and using it to screw the table base to. I would make it a snug fit and not fasten it in place. I will have to look again to see if this will work. I am going to use rails either way, it's just what to do about a table. I find the standard table heavy and it seems to get in the way, no matter what you do. This seems to be such a common issue, I would like to see what LG could come up with as a better solution for the table / bed.

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