The Garage is getting a make over.

[lappir]

I cannot believe it's been almost 11 years since I took possession of my "Home on Wheels" in 2013. 

It's not been trouble free, but I'm pretty sure this thing will outlast me, so it's time for some upgrades and fixes. 

As I was loading my Jeep after the 2023 HDT Rally I found a very soft spot in the garage floor where the two doors come together. I'd known that there was significant "Condensation" that would gather on the metal around and between the doors and I'd wipe it off as often as I could, but apparently not enough to prevent the plywood to become very soft. Have yet to decide what will happen with the door. It won't be the same I know that for sure. Stopped by the "Factory" on my way to my current location and discussed the fix, haven't heard back yet on my ideas. So I'm starting to tear things apart to see how extensive the fix might be. 

The last of the E-Track was taken up and oops also came a section of the floor covering. (not the first). 

Planning on doing an Epoxy cover this time. Should have done it the first time and maybe the floor wouldn't have rotted. The E-Track is gone forever. It's in the way in way too many areas and only a small portion of it was ever used. Plan to put heavy rings in the floor in 4  locations and will use axle straps unless someone can offer and convince another option. Lots of screws removed. 

 

 

So now do I completely remove the flooring? Do I need to put something over it after removal and before the final fix? 

Heading out to shop for floor covering. 

Rod

[HERO Maker]

Good luck bro.

[Chad Heiser]

I prefer wheel bonnets to axle straps, but I guess it would depend on the vehicle and the access to install one over the other.

[lappir]

15 hours ago, Chad Heiser said:

I prefer wheel bonnets to axle straps, but I guess it would depend on the vehicle and the access to install one over the other.

It's getting tougher to crawl beside the Jeep in the Garage to put the strap over the wheel a bonnet would be worse I imagine.

I'd love to have the old J hook's I used when I operated a "Tow Truck" back in the 70's and 80's, but they don't seem to be used any more. 

I have the axle straps and will see how they do. 

Thanks for your comment Chad. 

 

 

Rod

[palmeris]

Thought the "factory " used a resin process that encased the sub flooring completely making it impossible to absorb any moisture .At least that's what was shown to us in 2022. Was another deciding factor for us that set them apart from the other custom builder. 

 

[lappir]

Latest update. 

Found that the "Torginol" company still is in business, but only to provide the "Paint Chips". The person I spoke with probably wasn't born when I first learned about the flooring and said they never did the epoxy. Suggested a local "Sherwin Williams" who would be able to provide the products necessary. 

Placed a call to a store in the city I'm currently parked in and sure enough, they have either a DYI product or a "Better" product that only professionals are allowed to purchase and a "Painter" who has been recommended to my by several friends and relatives was one of those professionals. 

Gave him a call, sent a couple photos and he gave me a price I could accept. Hope it doesn't change after he actually sees the space. 

I felt confident enough and actually had to remove the existing floor covering. It started out easy, got quite a bit more difficult (to the point where I contacted the installer if they could just apply the epoxy over the tiles). Nope, but after I got through what I assume was a seam where they used some sort of leveler or additional adhesive a good portion of the tiles came out almost whole. A few though has some good chunks of plywood on them. 

Here is what the entry door looks like. Some staining to the right of the door, but the wood seems good. The furnace register is no longer used and will be removed. I am thinking about putting a section of electric floor heating under the epoxy from the door to the wall across and another section maybe under the plywood I remove from the garage door area. 

The hole. I think I will cut out about 24 inches across the area from the door forward to replace. 

The other corner with the rusty hardware from condensation from the metal fasteners going through the entire door. A bit of staining and the screws holding the aluminum "Threshold" were not very secure. 

Sorry about the awful camera work. I don't record things very often and I don't do retakes, what you see is what you get. 

Comments on the electric heat pads appreciated. I hope the "Painter" either calls or emails me about my questions and I can see if it's ever been done by their company.  So far it's only Texting and I'm not a fan of typing on my phone. 

Rod

 

[Chalkie]

1 hour ago, lappir said:

Hope it doesn't change after he actually sees the space. 

Does he know that it is in an RV? I just had an interesting delivery experience where they almost did not deliver when they found out it was an RV.

[Darryl&Rita]

Electric floor heating pads need a subfloor on top of them. The elements will telegraph through the epoxy.

[lappir]

2 hours ago, Chalkie said:

Does he know that it is in an RV? I just had an interesting delivery experience where they almost did not deliver when they found out it was an RV.

Yes he is aware. 

 

[lappir]

1 hour ago, Darryl&Rita said:

telegraph

 

1 hour ago, Darryl&Rita said:

The elements will telegraph through the epoxy.

Not sure what that means. 

 

Rod

[Darryl&Rita]

7 hours ago, lappir said:

 

Not sure what that means. 

 

Rod

It means the epoxy isn't thick enough to hide the matt/grid. You'll see/feel them. They'll fail from being walked on.

[lappir]

14 hours ago, Darryl&Rita said:

It means the epoxy isn't thick enough to hide the matt/grid. You'll see/feel them. They'll fail from being walked on.

Now I get it. 

What I'm planning to use is a epoxy product that has paint flecks scattered on the first layer and allowed to dry into that layer. another layer is then placed on top of that. From my memory it's almost 3/8s of an inch thick. I will have to see if the current application is as thick as I remember. A trip to Sherwin Williams may give me that answer next week. 

 

Rod

[lappir]

Good Independence Day Eve. 

Making some progress. Have the piece cut out and the new one sized. Wanted to find "Flush" mounted D Rings, but apparently they don't exist, so I've decided to mount them to a block of plywood that I will cut the hole into for the recess. I plan to remove the rings when I'm parked for more than a few days and only have 8 small holes I will have to plug. 

 

Above is the mock up of where I thought I'd put the rings with the larger than necessary blocks. 

Below is where I really think I will put them. I had two metal backing plates made to go under the new flooring I'm placing. I will weld nuts to the backing plates and will secure them to the underside of the patch and hopefully do a test load before actually securing the new "Patch". Of course I will have to trim down the mounting blocks, drill a big hole into them to mount the rings into the block. 

Once that is all done I have met with the epoxy applicator and hopefully in the next week or two I will have some new flooring to show off. 

 

Rod

[Kirk W]

Looking good.

[Danfreda1]

Like these

[lappir]

8 hours ago, Danfreda1 said:

Like these

Those are the style I had to settle for. I wanted something with the ring on top and not having to cut a hole in the floor to install. Modified to have a piece of 3/4" plywood with the hole cut in it and have welded nuts  on a metal plate that I will install and secure under the flooring. Will only have 4 bolt hole for each when I take the block off with the ring in it. 

Rod

[lappir]

Patch is in, D-Rings mounted into 3/4 inch plywood, metal placed on the underside of the patch with nut's welded on and the bolts extend through the ring, two layers of 3/4 underlayment should be as strong or stronger than cutting the hole for the recess into the actual floor. Plan to remove the rings when parked for an extended period giving me full use of the floor without the E-Track in the way all the time. 

 

With the Jeep this far in I could barely squeeze past the spare tire into the living area. I cheated to the passenger side to make exiting easier. Using a loading dock for this load. I did back the Isuzu into the trailer once using the ramps, but had a helper, not sure if I will try it with the Jeep. It is easier getting out for sure. Too bad the window is so big. I'd almost have both of them removed and replaced with doors to make it easier to exit on both types of loading. 

Rod

[lappir]

So here is the finished product. I give the installers credit for the color scheme, Told them what ever they had left from prior jobs. They hadn't viewed the rig before coming the first day. They prepped the floor, applied a base coat and then tossed on the "paint chips". That sat for a day and they came back very early (thankfully) the next day to apply the top coat of "Epoxy". Had several Thunderstorms roll through just after they completed it and the first was was starting when I came out to pick up the keys and a couple other pieces they covered just as it started to rain. 

 

Here is a more close up look. It's rougher than I expected, but it's been 50 years since I last saw it just after it was put down. Has to cure for another several days before I can load up the Jeep for the first trip with the new flooring. It was rather odoriferous  when I just opened the door the day it was done. I was able to walk on it today and put together some chicken that I brought back to my AirBnB to cook. Had planned on smoking it, but not sure the Thunderstorms are over yet. 

 

Rod

[Kirk W]

Looking good!