Liquid Floor Repair

[EllsworthToohey]

So here it is. The floor damage by the wicking of rain into the living room slide over the years. Hooray for the Blue tape prevention for pennies, but the damage was done. I cringed at the process of removing the floor for replacement or the complexity of cutting out portions of the plywood and installation of patches that have to have some method of strengthening the unsupported joint between the existing floor and the patches. I just did not like these choices. Here is what I chose to do, based on my experience in plastic resin composites.

I bought a gallon of epoxy resin for $59 that comes as 1/2 gal each of resin and hardener that is mixed 1:1 ratio. I started by scraping out the soft rotted wood and vacuumed up all the particles. There were 3 major areas of rot. At the front end of the slide the biggest was on the inboard side and another in the outboard corner. The 3rd are was the outboard corner of the rear end of the slide.

Beginning at the original spot I found, I dug out the most old wood, exposing the black woven plastic protective barrier about the size of a saucer. I put boards under the floor outside and held them firm to the floor with a bott;e jack. Then I poured the 1st layer about 1/8 inch deep to test the black plastic ability to contain the resin. No leaks observed. I let this cure for 2 days and repeated small pours. When cured this stuff is clear as glass and stronger than the plywood itself. I was not sure how well the liquid resin would absorb into the wood. Turns out it wicks deep into the wood fibers which is fantastic! I left the edges ragged to accommodate greater grip of the bonding.

Learning as my experiment goes, I did not dig out as much of the damaged wood from the other 2 spots. When you see the pics you will see random strips of a strong fiberous grass I have as well as one of the popsicle sticks used for mixing the resin. I did this as just a whim. In theory this strengthens the hardened resin but it is inconsequential but it shows how glassy this stuff is. This is the same stull people make counter tops or artsy coffee tables or bars. You can imbed anything in it. But imbedding is not the point. It was a LOT easier than removing the floor! I have one more pour in the original large spot that I will do tomorrow.

In 100 years when archeologists find the aluminum frame of this coach, there will be these glass like plastic pieces lying nearby that still look new!

Should you do this? That my friend is entirely up to you.