Rotting Garage Floor - 2018 Reflection 337RLS

[LovingLife]

Well, I hope I have this in the right category. I've been very careful of water on roof and sides penetrating the surfaces but last fall I noticed my pass-through garage had a soft spot that was getting worse. So now that I pulled the unit out of winter storage, I went to examine it. I cut away the linoleum and wow it was so soft I could put my finger through it. Below is a picture. The center is wet and the portion going to the back is dry but rotted past the wall and I don't know yet how far. Maybe under the furnace or water heater. So, any ideas? I'm going to call Grand Design Service and maybe make an appointment for their service center, or try to hook up with an SRT down near Myrtle Beach.

[Yoda]

Well, I hope I have this in the right category. I've been very careful of water on roof and sides penetrating the surfaces but last fall I noticed my pass-through garage had a soft spot that was getting worse. So now that I pulled the unit out of winter storage, I went to examine it. I cut away the linoleum and wow it was so soft I could put my finger through it. Below is a picture. The center is wet and the portion going to the back is dry but rotted past the wall and I don't know yet how far. Maybe under the furnace or water heater. So, any ideas? I'm going to call Grand Design Service and maybe make an appointment for their service center, or try to hook up with an SRT down near Myrtle Beach.

Looks like a door seal leaked. Big dent in lower frame lip visible. How is the wall under the door frame/gasket. Also how is the fitment of the door. Can you get a picture from below showing any support members, especially the wings out from the frame.. Repair could be easy (just cut out and replace floor depending on the frame member below.

Trying to help
Keith

[Cate&Rob]

LovingLife

See this thread . . . https://gdrvowners.com/forum/interio...or-replacement

Rob

[LovingLife]

Cate, Rob & Keith, first of all I thank you. Sorry but I didn't hit this post when I wrote this on 3/31/23, "I wish I could have found the thread Rob sent. I had looked for over an hour but no luck. You guys are Rock Stars! I'm going to attack it as soon as the rain stops here. I'll send more pictures as I do."

Now I've done most of the work and it's looking good. The following pictures show how I cut the subfloor back to the midpoint of the first beam and took out all the rot, plus some. Had to take out the wall/floor trim on the front of the garage and move the Nautilus to do this efficiently. I then cut two pieces of 3/4" treated plywood to fit the space, screwed down into the I beam and up into the outer frame. Had to also cut out a hole in the plywood for the hose passthrough assembly then reinstalled the Nautilus. I was careful to keep the underbelly covering in tack to reuse it. I'm going to reuse the linoleum that I had carefully cut out by gluing it down then will use EternaBond tape and/or silicon caulk on all seams. Used a lot of silicon caulk to make sure everything stays watertight. It should come out good.



Oh yes Keith, per your comment: "Big dent in lower frame lip visible. How is the wall under the door frame/gasket. Also how is the fitment of the door. Can you get a picture from below showing any support members, especially the wings out from the frame."
1. On the dent, I thought that was a design bend as it seems to be needed for the latch on the drop-down door. But I could be wrong.
2. The door frame and gasket seem to be good, and the overlapping of material seem to be good to divert the water, but I can't think of anyplace else the water could have come from. I'm hoping with all the silicon caulk I added if there is a leak the water will be diverted to where I can see it.
3. The wings out to the frame are at the front end of the garage and at the back end of the Nautilus so I replace the entire section as shown.

[howson]

Cate&Rob and Yoda -- post 4 was directed at you. LovingLife -- if you'd like to get the most from your time here (like how to quote and tag), please check out the Welcome Letter linked on the home page.

Howard

[Country Campers]

LovingLife

Your "rot" issue may have been caused by the fresh water hose attaching method that you use. If you are connecting to the Nautilus panel for fresh water and black tank flushing every time you camp each time you disconnect you are allowing water to drop on the floor area, especially from the black tank flush. If you use a short hose from the Nautilus panel down thru the hose inlet hole in the floor and make your connections outside the RV you will save yourself from having the wood rot again. Just a little tip and you may be doing it that way already.

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

x2 on Country Campers Brian’s post (which agrees with the thread linked previously) . . . the water source is most likely the Nautilus panel . . . either how it is drained or a leaking fitting on the backside.

Rob

[Yoda]

Cate, Rob & Keith, first of all I thank you. Sorry but I didn't hit this post when I wrote this on 3/31/23, "I wish I could have found the thread Rob sent. I had looked for over an hour but no luck. You guys are Rock Stars! I'm going to attack it as soon as the rain stops here. I'll send more pictures as I do."

Now I've done most of the work and it's looking good. The following pictures show how I cut the subfloor back to the midpoint of the first beam and took out all the rot, plus some. Had to take out the wall/floor trim on the front of the garage and move the Nautilus to do this efficiently. I then cut two pieces of 3/4" treated plywood to fit the space, screwed down into the I beam and up into the outer frame. Had to also cut out a hole in the plywood for the hose passthrough assembly then reinstalled the Nautilus. I was careful to keep the underbelly covering in tack to reuse it. I'm going to reuse the linoleum that I had carefully cut out by gluing it down then will use EternaBond tape and/or silicon caulk on all seams. Used a lot of silicon caulk to make sure everything stays watertight. It should come out good.



Oh yes Keith, per your comment: "Big dent in lower frame lip visible. How is the wall under the door frame/gasket. Also how is the fitment of the door. Can you get a picture from below showing any support members, especially the wings out from the frame."
1. On the dent, I thought that was a design bend as it seems to be needed for the latch on the drop-down door. But I could be wrong.
2. The door frame and gasket seem to be good, and the overlapping of material seem to be good to divert the water, but I can't think of anyplace else the water could have come from. I'm hoping with all the silicon caulk I added if there is a leak the water will be diverted to where I can see it.
3. The wings out to the frame are at the front end of the garage and at the back end of the Nautilus so I replace the entire section as shown.

I know it's late now, but adding a saddle box would have been another option. However from what you wrote it sounds like you found a good solution.