plywood floor in my camper

[donw]

I have a plywood floor in my camper that has become soft due to water damage.I was wondering if the flexible epoxy 100 would work in this application to stiffen the floor.

[Paul Marlowe]

donw,
I don't know the extent of the decay.  Remember the floor carries a live load.  Inspect the area as completely as possible.  Try to look at the underside and decide if laminating plywood with epoxy and SS screws will also be necessary.  Drilling 1/8" - 3/16" diam. holes approx 1/8" deep might be helpful.  Space them approx. 1" - 2" apart and allow the epoxy to soak in.  This usually requires filling the holes with 200 patch by forcing it into the holes.  It can also be caulked in by filling the empty caulk tubes 900-16 or 900-32 with 200.  A second coat might be needed if the floor absorbs enough epoxy resin so that the 200 is displaced or voided.

Another option is to use the 600 as a consolidant then thicken some into a paste if there are holes or voids to fill.  The 600 has more oder but is stronger.  The extra strength may or may not be necessary for this application. 

Whichever epoxy consolidant you choose, make sure it is not oozing out below the floor.  Place a polyethylene drop cloth below for protection.  You can top the poly with newspaper or another absorbent material for extra protection and visibility of excess liquid.       

As always, for good quality results you need to follow basic procedures.
1. Normally this type of repair will be prepared by removing any or most of the soft decay.  Inspect thoroughly.  Consider applying borate preservative such as our 700-BD.  This will penetrate deep and help to kill decay fungi.  Drill well holes if necessary.  Dry the plywood to below 20% moisture prior to applying the epoxy.  A hair dryer can help to dry the wood in wet humid conditions.
2. Read our epoxy instruction and technical data sheets to familiarize yourself with the general wood rot repair process.
3. Be patient and follow the directions closely.   

[donw]

The plywood is only a1/4"thick with 1/8"luan on top.Underneath the plywood is 2"thick foam and under that is a corrugated plastic that seals the underneath of the trailer.I removed the luan and the plywood is spongy but not black or rotted looking it is starting to delaminate. thanX,                                                                                                                                                                                     Don

[Paul Marlowe]

Don,
The thin plywood means the pressure is on, in more ways than one.  The specifications and techniques you will need are more critical because there is minimal fabric to work with.  You probably want to use the 600 to initially consolidate with then thicken some with 200-1D so you can make a paste to fill voids and use it as an adhesive.  In order to re-glue the de-laminating plywood, you will need to get epoxy between the laminations.  Press down or apply weight on the epoxied substrate during the curing process (1 - 2 days).  This is so you can maintain the original plane of the plywood and keep the laminations together.  Use polyethylene or another release agent between the weight and the epoxied plywood.

See if there is some way to add extra support to the foam or plastic from below. 

[donw]

Do I have to wait for the first coat of epoxy to fully cure before I put on the second coat that is mixed with the 200-1D?

[Paul Marlowe]

Don,
No, there is no need to wait.  It is actually best to apply the thickened paste wet on wet over the consolidant.  This will give you the best chemical bond.

Also, if the plywood is very porous and the 600 consolidant soaks in quickly (approx. within 15 - 30 min.) it is best to apply more coats.  Make sure the epoxy is being contained in the plywood and not oozing out and around the repair.