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[GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84151]

Tue, 11 May 2010 21:41

kenneth hugelier

Messages: 89
Registered: August 2008

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While in the middle of some renovations (you know, one thing leading to another), I removed carpeting in the front dinette area to repair a soft spot in the floor only to discover poorly repaired fire damage. There is a hole in the floor with a piece of tin screwed over it.
It looks to me like hot muffler damage. There was even some white powder in evidence, indicating fire extinguisher use.�The hole is about four inches in diameter.
The question; any tips about partial� or spot floor board replacement? The damage is old as is the repair. The entire exhaust system has been replaced with headers and dual front mufflers along with three inch pipes. �Aluminum heat shields have been added. An apparent case of closing the barn doors after the horse has escaped.

�
ken hugelier
77 PB
Det. Mich.
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84152 is a reply to message #84151]

Tue, 11 May 2010 21:46

emerystora

Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004

Karma: 13

Senior Member

On May 11, 2010, at 8:41 PM, ken hugelier wrote:

> While in the middle of some renovations (you know, one thing leading to another), I removed carpeting in the front dinette area to repair a soft spot in the floor only to discover poorly repaired fire damage. There is a hole in the floor with a piece of tin screwed over it.
> It looks to me like hot muffler damage. There was even some white powder in evidence, indicating fire extinguisher use. The hole is about four inches in diameter.
> The question; any tips about partial or spot floor board replacement? The damage is old as is the repair. The entire exhaust system has been replaced with headers and dual front mufflers along with three inch pipes. Aluminum heat shields have been added. An apparent case of closing the barn doors after the horse has escaped.
>
>
> ken hugelier
> 77 PB
> Det. Mich.

Ken --

cut a square hole until you have good wood on all four sides. Then take a router and cut the edge of the hole so that you have a bottom lip about 1/2 the thickness of the floor board.

Then cut a patch that is the size of the top opening. Router the bottom of the patch so that you leave a top edge that matches the hole in the floor.

Then glue it in place with some polyurethane glus such as Gorilla glue. Wet the edges swith water before applying the glue. Insert the patch and weigh it down so that it is tight until the glue drives. Scrape or sand the glue off the top that expands and you will have a good strong watertight seal.

I haven't done this in a motorhome but I did it in a cottage once and it worked great.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84153 is a reply to message #84151]

Tue, 11 May 2010 21:54

Henry Davis

Messages: 9
Registered: January 2004

Karma: 0

Junior Member

--On Tuesday, May 11, 2010 7:41 PM -0700 ken hugelier
<kahugelier@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>
> While in the middle of some renovations (you know, one thing leading to
> another), I removed carpeting in the front dinette area to repair a soft
> spot in the floor only to discover poorly repaired fire damage. There is
> a hole in the floor with a piece of tin screwed over it. It looks to me
> like hot muffler damage. There was even some white powder in evidence,
> indicating fire extinguisher use. The hole is about four inches in
> diameter. The question; any tips about partial or spot floor board
> replacement? The damage is old as is the repair. The entire exhaust
> system has been replaced with headers and dual front mufflers along with
> three inch pipes. Aluminum heat shields have been added. An apparent
> case of closing the barn doors after the horse has escaped.
>

Ken,

Emery gives some pretty detailed instructions. I patched my Palm Beach when
restoring it some years ago. I used a similar approach to what Emery
suggested. But, I added stainless screws to hold the patch while curing.
You can also epoxy the patch after the glue cures to add more strength if
you think it's necessary - or if you want to improve water resistance.

Henry
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84156 is a reply to message #84151]

Tue, 11 May 2010 23:01

GeorgeRud

Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL

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Senior Member

I also replaced some floorboards, and used the West Marine Epoxy system to seal the entire floor before recarpeting. It seemed like a good way to try to waterproof the new floor before going any further.

Emery's repair technique sounds perfect!

George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84168 is a reply to message #84151]

Wed, 12 May 2010 05:43

Gary Casey

Messages: 448
Registered: September 2009

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Senior Member

Yours seems to be a carbon (sic) copy of mine. I discovered a burn hole in the floor above a muffler, covered with an aluminum plate. Not to say that my fix was the right one, but I took a saber saw and cut back to real wood at an angle - the hole was an irregular cone then. I cut a piece of new 3/4 plywood (slightly thinner than the original) in the same shape with a matching angle. Then some construction adhesive glued it in. That made it smooth enough to put vinyl tile over it. Not as much work as it sounds and works just fine. Just like on yours, the PO had put some heat shields under the floor.
Gary
'73 23

While in the middle of some renovations (you know, one thing leading to another), I removed carpeting in the front dinette area to repair a soft spot in the floor only to discover poorly repaired fire damage. There is a hole in the floor with a piece of tin screwed over it.
It looks to me like hot muffler damage. There was even some white powder in evidence, indicating fire extinguisher use.?The hole is about four inches in diameter.
The question; any tips about partial? or spot floor board replacement? The damage is old as is the repair. The entire exhaust system has been replaced with headers and dual front mufflers along with three inch pipes. ?Aluminum heat shields have been added. An apparent case of closing the barn doors after the horse has escaped.

?
ken hugelier
77 PB
Det. Mich.

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84182 is a reply to message #84151]

Wed, 12 May 2010 08:09

kenneth hugelier

Messages: 89
Registered: August 2008

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Emery,
�� Very good. Much more elegant than the convoluted idea I came up with while falling asleep last night. The project I was in the middle of when I discovered the floor problem requires use of my router any way, so this repair will be a snap. I'm glad I asked first.
Thanks again Emery.

ken hugelier
77 PB
Det. Mich.
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84193 is a reply to message #84152]

Wed, 12 May 2010 10:02

Matt Colie

Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan

Karma: 7

Senior Member

emerystora wrote on Tue, 11 May 2010 22:46

On May 11, 2010, at 8:41 PM, ken hugelier wrote:

> While in the middle of some renovations (you know, one thing leading to another), I removed carpeting in the front dinette area to repair a soft spot in the floor only to discover poorly repaired fire damage. There is a hole in the floor with a piece of tin screwed over it.
> It looks to me like hot muffler damage. There was even some white powder in evidence, indicating fire extinguisher use. The hole is about four inches in diameter.
> The question; any tips about partial or spot floor board replacement? The damage is old as is the repair. The entire exhaust system has been replaced with headers and dual front mufflers along with three inch pipes. Aluminum heat shields have been added. An apparent case of closing the barn doors after the horse has escaped.
>
>
> ken hugelier
> 77 PB
> Det. Mich.

Ken --

cut a square hole until you have good wood on all four sides. Then take a router and cut the edge of the hole so that you have a bottom lip about 1/2 the thickness of the floor board.

Then cut a patch that is the size of the top opening. Router the bottom of the patch so that you leave a top edge that matches the hole in the floor.

Then glue it in place with some polyurethane glue such as Gorilla glue. Wet the edges with water before applying the glue. Insert the patch and weigh it down so that it is tight until the glue drys. Scrape or sand the glue off the top that expands and you will have a good strong watertight seal.

I haven't done this in a motorhome but I did it in a cottage once and it worked great.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

Ken,

Just once I have to disagree with Emory on a very small point.

The foaming cure of a polyurethane makes it less than ideal for this application. For that reason, I would suggest you consider a wood working epoxy like the West System products. These are specifically designed for joining wood.

You do not need the level of fit that I would use at repairing a cold molded hull.

Matt

Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84222 is a reply to message #84151]

Wed, 12 May 2010 13:34

kenneth hugelier

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Registered: August 2008

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Matt,
�� Thanks for the suggestion. The routing method that Emery suggested precludes glue strength as the "patch" will be sitting�on a ledge in a recess in the floor.�My plan was�to use water-proof wood glue for initial gluing then mix some fine saw dust saved for just such a purpose,�with some more glue and use it for a filler. This just to�close the seem against vapors.�Sand a bit after drying then install the Pergo flooring. How does that sound?

ken hugelier
77 PB
Det. Mich.
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84226 is a reply to message #84222]

Wed, 12 May 2010 13:52

emerystora

Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004

Karma: 13

Senior Member

On May 12, 2010, at 12:34 PM, ken hugelier wrote:

> Matt,
> Thanks for the suggestion. The routing method that Emery suggested precludes glue strength as the "patch" will be sitting on a ledge in a recess in the floor. My plan was to use water-proof wood glue for initial gluing then mix some fine saw dust saved for just such a purpose, with some more glue and use it for a filler. This just to close the seem against vapors. Sand a bit after drying then install the Pergo flooring. How does that sound?
>
> ken hugelier
> 77 PB
> Det. Mich.

Ken
I did not expand on it in my suggestion, but the reason that I suggested using a polyurethane glue is because it "foams" when curing and will expand to fully fill the crack so I don't think that you will have to mix any sawdust into the glue to get a vapor and water tight seam.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84231 is a reply to message #84226]

Wed, 12 May 2010 14:51

WD0AFQ

Messages: 7111
Registered: November 2004
Location: Dexter, Mo.

Karma: 207

Senior Member

Ken, I am so glad that you found that hole and then got such a great response from Emery, and others. We have a hole from a fire from a hot muffler. Ours is larger than your's. Now I know how to fix it. Or, get Teri to fix it.
Dan

3 In Stainless Exhaust Headers One Ton All Discs/Reaction Arm 355 FD/Quad Bag/Alum Radiator Manny Tran/New eng. Holley EFI/10 Tire Air Monitoring System Solarized Coach/Upgraded Windows Satelite TV/On Demand Hot Water/3Way Refer

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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84246 is a reply to message #84151]

Wed, 12 May 2010 16:18

kenneth hugelier

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Registered: August 2008

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Member

Emery,
�� OK, I understand about the glue. Not sure why Matt didn't like it.
�
Dan: Glad I could be of help : )

ken hugelier
77 PB
Det. Mich.
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84248 is a reply to message #84231]

Wed, 12 May 2010 16:35

Larry C

Messages: 1168
Registered: July 2004
Location: NE Illinois by the Illino...

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We have a hole from a fire from a hot muffler. Ours is larger than your's. Now I know how to fix it.
______________________________________________________

Gee Dan, I was sure you were gonna install another Glass window in the floor for fire watch, Laughing

I like your idea of putting the glass over the engine but my engine is not pretty like yours. Very Happy

LarC ( Thinking of a water spray system but still in the design stage. )

Gatsbys' CRUISER

08-18-04
74 GLACIER X, 260/455-APC-4 Bagg'r
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Re: [GMCnet] Floor Repair [message #84266 is a reply to message #84151]

Wed, 12 May 2010 19:39

Gail Marks Cruiser

Messages: 125
Registered: August 2009
Location: Gold Coast, Australia

Karma: 0

Senior Member

G'day,
I repaired our floor, when I moved our bathroom and filled in the floor underneath were the generator was, in a similar way to Emery. My main problem was finding ply in imperial size, I found some in metric half what I wanted so I doubled it up. I made the top piece 1"larger than the bottom piece, so it would overlap, then glued and screwed it together. Good as new.

Mark Bennett Gail & Mark's Cruiser Gold Coast, Australia. Motorhoming Lifestyle.com

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