Hello! I have a 1982 Scamp that has some bad water damage to the subfloor. I plan to replace the whole subfloor and would love to get tips and advice from other folks who have experience with this.
Additionally, I am going to paint the exterior. I plan to use marine paint. Do I need to sand the whole trailer down before priming/painting? Please feel free to share your process and what steps you took, tips, etc.
Thanks in advance!
Good luck in replacing the floor. To do it correctly, it would require taking the body off the frame. The body is bonded to the floor, all around except at the door. Then the unit (Body with floor attached) is screwed onto the frame through the floor. The factory uses fiberglass and resin on the top and bottom of the floor to bond it to the body. Replacing the whole floor, one would need to remove at least the top layer of that bonding, remove the floor, then bond the new floor on top of the bottom part of the bonding, then lay up the top part. A daunting task.
There are videos, of YouTube showing how Scamp builds their trailers. Installing the floor is one of the earliest steps in constructing it. I think I would try to find a way to repair the floor that is in it, or find another Scamp if it is very bad. The floor is what holds the body to the frame.
A DIY scamp floor replacement is not that expensive, less than $200-$250 before plywood went out of sight. It is a dirty job with a lot of waiting for things to dry. But most sections can be replaced in 4-5 4 hour sessions. Scamps have 4 upper floor sections and two-three lower floor sections. The lower floors rarely go bad except the small piece by the door. The issues are usually with the larger front and rear sections from window seal leaks. The whole front section is usually replaced in one piece. The rear section can be replaced in sections from side to side or in one piece it just depends on your situation. I recommend changing out only one section of the four upper main floor sections at a time for the shell to hold it's shape. There are two hidden pieces of wood by the door frame that attach the shell to the walkway supports that may also need to be replaced. PM me if you have any questions.
Eddie
We have a 1974 13' SCAMP. For reasons stated by benjschneider,I suggest removing the subfloor only as a last resort. I suggest installing new plywood over the existing subfloor, separating the two with a vinyl and/or felt barrier...while also adding a layer of resin or undercoating to the underside of the existing floor.
My floor plywood was becoming delaminated under the fridge, inside the outside louvers. I glued it all back together using T-88 epoxy resin without taking it apart. I put many coats on thinned with acetone; allowing it to soak into the wood. It took many applications, the wood soaking it up and wicking it back inside. I kept adding the T-88 until it pooled on the surface. I am hoping that this will be more permanent then the factory sprayed polyester resin. T-88 is slow curing and will soak into the pours of the wood, stopping any rot and adding strength. To be sure the resin gets inside, drill some small, 1/8", holes, partway into the wood so the resin can enter the core of the wood.