[p]With the onset of frosty nights I started doing the floor in the trailer. We use this trailer year round. The floor gets colder than a (you fill in the blanks here). :D[/p][p]
[/p][p]Dreamt this scheme up over the summer. Some R 3.3 and some 4mm vinyl plank flooring to protect it. Wasn't sure it would support weight until today. Got about half the trailer done now. Here is a picture midstream.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Notching around the screw heads is a PITB.. Doing under the Queen bed was a "Royal" PITB..lol [/p][p]
[/p][p]With this mod I should be able to heat the trailer at ambient 0F to 65F with 11k BTU's without beating on things. Also won't have to worry about the dogs tongue freezing to the floor.
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(http://i1312.photobucket.com/albums/t521/minuteman1965/IMAG0141_zpsphcyj3xi.jpg"%20style=")
Very nice work!
When I first saw your picture on my cell phone, I couldn't visually see your floor assembly. But when I got home and viewed your post on my computer, I could see the poly-iso insulation board projecting out from the vinyl flooring. That type of insulation has very good compressive strength.
I bet it does provide a great benefit in keeping your trailer warm and cozy.
Thanks!
We will see how it holds up over time as far as compressing the insulation goes. I hope for the best at this point. when you press your thumb into it, it puckers real easy. When you spread out the weight with a plank or luan it seems to fair quite well. So here's hoping!
Need to work a complete section at a time and use luan as a base to kneel on while laying the vinyl. Also, it is suggested that a 1/4" space be left on all sides near the wall to allow for expansion of the vinyl planks. This is not reality for sections that are a mere 50" or less so a tight fit that needs no baseboard or cove base is AOK. Might still caulk though.
Best of all the components contain no food for mold and mildew.. Any water intrusion from the aluminum subfloor planks and/or the wheel wells will simply drain and dry out. Also, having lived through a traumatic house fire, the face-up is resistant to taking a flame.
Nice work, it really dresses up the industrial aluminum, do you have any concerns about condensation under the foam once the heater is going? has anyone else had issues with condensation under their flooring?
just thought to ask as I was also going to tackle this this week...prior to heading out for a week long hunting trip...
Quote from: @scout" source="/post/16407/thread" timestamp="1446487097Nice work, it really dresses up the industrial aluminum, do you have any concerns about condensation under the foam once the heater is going? has anyone else had issues with condensation under their flooring?
just thought to ask as I was also going to tackle this this week...prior to heading out for a week long hunting trip...
[p]Thanks. It's not really the color my wife wanted but we didn't want to wait for orders so I won.[/p][p]
[/p][p]The condensation happens anyway even without the insulation. We have had our carpet corners nearest the door frozen to the floor at times. I would contend there will be less condensation on the aluminum plank with the insulation fitted. First, there will be less moisture to condense. Less air less moisture content. Second, I feel the dewpoint is more likely going to be outside the trailer now. I cannot back that up other than tenting/tarping experiences. [/p][p]
[/p][p]I still suspect there will be plenty of condensation in the trailer as a whole especially at the wall studs and windows as usual. Any condensation on the floor will of no concern as this is a floating floor (pun intended) and the water will drain/evaporate like it does now.
[/p]
Very nice job. I'm sure you will enjoy your new floor. Just one question though....with all the talk about condensation and sealing the underside of the trailer, why did't you install some type of waterproof membrane, like they use in houses, or tar paper, as first layer??
Thanks. It ought to be done by the weekend cruise.
It was never my intent to seal the aluminum planks. Quite the opposite really. I want anything down there to drain right through. Not that it matters though. None of these components are affected by water. Plus the insulation board is reflective foil backed both sides already.
[p]I guess it is safe to say this is very much like what LivinLite is doing with their new truck campers except I am using more robust materials like the full-on aluminum deck and a thicker, more durable top surface. As I understand it they are using an Azdel block foam sandwich for their new floor in the TC's.
The aluminum can sweat but it is OK. Let's face it, the aluminum decks leak in the opposite direction anyways. Camplite, the only brand impervious to water damage.... ;)[/p][p]
[/p][p]The only problem I have been able to imagines is if someone has the spray on insulation as offered by the factory and it effectively seals the underside blocking off the cracks that would let the water drain through. And this is an if or maybe.[/p][p]
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makes sense. I guess it's all about venting the inside as well to get the moisture out...
[quote timestamp="1446507140" author="@whoofit" source="/post/16413/thread"]It was never my intent to seal the aluminum planks. Quite the opposite really. I want anything down there to drain right through.
[/quote][font size="3"]My thought exactly. I was going to comment, but you answered first. An example to point: We noticed water squeezing up between the installed rubber square flooring tiles one morning. We determined it was from the shower curtain being outside the pan during a morning shower. No problem. It drained/evaporated shortly and left no mold/rot/smell. Would not have happened had the floor planks been totally sealed. [/font]
[quote source="/post/16415/thread" timestamp="1446508488" author="@scout"]makes sense. I guess it's all about venting the inside as well to get the moisture out...[/quote]I agree and if anyone find a way to stop the walls from sweating please share it. I'm not sure it can be totally defeated without running a dehumidifier.
[quote timestamp="1446508758" author="@charliem" source="/post/16417/thread"][quote timestamp="1446507140" source="/post/16413/thread" author="@whoofit"]It was never my intent to seal the aluminum planks. Quite the opposite really. I want anything down there to drain right through.
[/quote][font size="3"]My thought exactly. I was going to comment, but you answered first. An example to point: We noticed water squeezing up between the installed rubber square flooring tiles one morning. We determined it was from the shower curtain being outside the pan during a morning shower. No problem. It drained/evaporated shortly and left no mold/rot/smell. Would not have happened had the floor planks been totally sealed. [/font]
[/quote]Yep Charlie it sure is a great feeling to be able to ignore water in our Camplites! I let a roof leak go for months because a proper repair could not be done in the winter. Zero damage or staining. No mold or mildew.
Quote from: @whoofit" source="/post/16418/thread" timestamp="1446508913[quote timestamp="1446508488" source="/post/16415/thread" author="@scout"]makes sense. I guess it's all about venting the inside as well to get the moisture out...
I agree and if anyone find a way to stop the walls from sweating please share it. I'm not sure it can be totally defeated without running a dehumidifier.
[/quote]Leave a couple windows cracked. Kinda defeats the whole point of the insulation, but it's the only solution I've found. It's surprising how much humidity can be created by a few people in a confined space.
This worked out real well. Two nights this weekend, one down to 34 and one down to 30. Huge improvement. A little close for comfort on the freezing temps but no frozen pipes. I figure another few weeks before we keep it winterized once and for all.
Only condensation was right where the floor is not yet finished. A 3" strip behind the toilet.
And for anyone wondering about the furnace run times at 30F and windy. A duty cycle of 32% was measured at 5am. This with 65F programmed into the Honeywell T-stat.
We use Dri-Z-Air in our camper in the winter to keep the humidity low. An article in the current issue of Trailer Life magazine (11-15) indicates it can be used while winter camping to stop the sweating of the walls. I have no experience with it while the camper is occupied, but it may be worth a try for those brave souls (or something like that) who camp in the cold.
http://www.amazon.com/Dri-Z-Air-DZA-U-Dri-Z-Air/dp/B000PDUV60/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447099457&sr=8-1&keywords=dri-z-air
And, as an aside, that same magazine issue has an article about a guy who camped all winter in an R-Pod in the Yukon. He survived. !
Quote from: @sandroad" source="/post/16545/thread" timestamp="1447099746We use Dri-Z-Air in our camper in the winter to keep the humidity low. An article in the current issue of Trailer Life magazine (11-15) indicates it can be used while winter camping to stop the sweating of the walls. I have no experience with it while the camper is occupied, but it may be worth a try for those brave souls (or something like that) who camp in the cold.
http://www.amazon.com/Dri-Z-Air-DZA-U-Dri-Z-Air/dp/B000PDUV60/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447099457&sr=8-1&keywords=dri-z-air
And, as an aside, that same magazine issue has an article about a guy who camped all winter in an R-Pod in the Yukon. He survived. !
Me instead of Dri-Z-Air I am using Damp Rid and it seem to work fine
Thanks for the desiccant ideas guys. I can imagine several of those placed around the trailer helping to beat back the moisture. If it gets too terrible I'll give it a shot. Last year in real cold temps it was bad enough to notice but not a soaking really. One thing is the thermal windows don't suffer nearly as bad as the single pane ones in our old trailer used to. Those you could scrape down and make Frosties from.