How to Replace the Floor in an RV Travel Trailer
Replacing the floor in an RV travel trailer requires carpentry skill and knowledge. Appliances and furniture will need to be removed, and plumbing lines and electricity will need to be disconnected as well. Asking a friend or a qualified person to help would be a great asset in completing this task.
Things You'll Need
- 1/4-inch exterior plywood
- safety googles
- floor scraper
- pry bar
- hammer
- measuring tape
- table saw
- cordless drill
- vacuum
- chalk line
- tile knife
- peel and stick vinyl floor tiles
- Disconnect all propane tanks and electricity. Also disconnect all gas lines.
- Disconnect your water lines to your sink and drains from the wall or floor.
- Move all appliances out of the room you are working on.
- Remove any base cabinets. They will be connected to the wall or floor by screws. Unscrew all screws anchoring the cabinet then lift the cabinet up and out.
- Remove any other furniture in the room.
- Put your safety goggles on.
- Starting at the furthest end from the door, scrape the floor tiles off the floor with a floor scraper. Work your way toward the door.
- Remove the wood flooring under the tiles with a hammer and pry bar. Wedge your pry bar under a bad piece of wood and hit it with your hammer to loosen it. Pull the wood up from the floor. Work your way toward the door as you did in removing the floor tile.
- Measure the damaged sub-floor pieces that need to be replaced.
- Use these measurements to cut the appropriate size of replacement flooring from the exterior plywood. Use your table saw for accurate and clean cutting.
- Lay the new plywood in the place where the damaged wood was. Make sure it's a good solid fit.
- Using your cordless drill, screw the new sub-flooring into the floor joist beneath it.
- Use your level to check that the floor is plumb.
- Vacuum the floor to remove all dust particles.
- Using your chalk line, snap two chalk lines in the center of the floor forming a +.
- Start with this mark and peel the back off of one peel-and-stick tile.
- Lay this piece down and work from this point out to the outer sides of the room.
- Mark any irregular pieces with a pencil and cut them with the tile knife.
- Reinstall the cabinets.
- Replace furniture and appliances.
- Reconnect the water lines and drains.
- Reconnect the gas lines, propane tank and electricity.