FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Canvas covered foamies (Thrifty Alternatives...)

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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Sun Jun 10, 2018 5:39 am

Armed with Tac’s information we went to the Home depot website and looked up corner bead … Found the perfect stuff , 1.5”X 10’ long , and also looked up 3/8” stainless steel staples . The idea being we’d staple this corner bead to the floorboard (bottom ) flush with the edge , before we install it on the trailer making that job pretty easy . ( see drawing ) , then Gripper and paint over that to help lock it on , and then the canvas would go straight down the outer side and stop at the end of the beading … No way water can climb back up 1.5” to the floor … Thanks Tac !!!

I’m starting to think the best waterproofing is keeping the water AWAY from anything you want to protect . :thinking:

Ants , we’ll just have to stay vigilant … :frightened:
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby tony.latham » Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:22 am

Great diagram. What software did you use to draw it up?

What are your ribs made from?

Tony
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:29 am

Paintbrush for the drawing … for my Mac … ( probably long outdated )
The ribs were CNC cut from 3/4" ( or so) Birch plywood … and I forgot the stringer which connect the ribs like a skeleton

And it’s raining … :o
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Sun Jun 10, 2018 4:17 pm

Thanks to Steve and Tac , we have a really good solution to our drip edge problem and it’s going to be simple too … :thumbsup: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gibraltar-B ... /202093127
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby tomhawk » Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:40 pm

Even though we are not as damp as NOLA the dewpoint here today is pushing 70° and we had 2" of rain last night.
I am getting started on my trailer and am thinking about drip edges and all that. I have built a plywood/foam sandwich floor. I plan to use 2" foam for walls and Harbor Freight canvas.
Here is my plan for attachment of the walls to the floor.
154767

The edge canvas (colored red) will be glued to the floor with TBII before I cover with the black goop. Then when I attach the foam it will extend only a few inches up the wall. The wall canvas will be glued to cover the edge canvas and then extend below the wood floor level before it is folded back to create a drip edge. I have tested the bonding between the layers of canvas. That bonding is quite strong. Do you think this will let in water?

My question is where does "the mix" come into play here? I will be attaching the floor to the chassis with carriage bolts through holes in both. The hole in the wood floor ought to get "the mix". Where else would I use it?

I am using Inkscape for my diagrams. I think some others here use it. A bit klunky but it is open source, very flexible and is constantly being upgraded (usually improved).

Thanks,
Tom
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My build: https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=75248
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:49 am

Tom that looks good !!! Best use the Mix on everything that can absorb water and Rot … holes too … a simple recycled spray bottle with the Mix in it would be Handy while building , just so nothing gets missed …
One thing we just learned the hard way is if we wrap canvas under the floor , then it’d better be Waterproofed thouroughly .. As we found , without the drip edge , the daily morning dew alone would keep that wet , eventually softening the glue and keeping moisture next to our floor ( which rotted ) :o Ants only made the problem worse … likely attracted by the moist canvas and floor..

The drip edge , simple as it is prevents many potential problems from developing , and now we believe ( JMHO ) it’s Very Important to have them … on ALL trailers … :thumbsup:

We’re going to the Orange box store today to get ours … !!! Tac-style

Tom we see how you indicate the bottom of the canvas folded over to form a drip edge … Looks like that would work !!! Cool idea !!! Nice and simple ...
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:09 am

And just a quick heads up on the “board floor" thing …. Altghough those PT boards are really nice and flat with no twists , a couple do have a pronounced Crook to them , and without running these through a Jointer , installing them could be like “Spooning Bananas” … :lol: We’ll likely use these up front where they can be cut into shorter lengths , hopefully not using the crooked parts … schmaybe' ?
The idea is to attach the the outer edge boards First ( with attached drip edges) then work our way inward …ending up with a custom cut center floorboard to fit … That’s the plan ...
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby tony.latham » Mon Jun 11, 2018 9:32 am

Going through your post again...

...everything on the whole trailer/camper was fine except for the rotted Floor...


Was the OSB actually rotting or had it just gotten wet and was expanded mush?

Tony
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Mon Jun 11, 2018 5:20 pm

Tony , just mushy actually , I did have to physically tear it out …. it wasn’t falling off by itself … But I realized that it wasn’t going to get any better even in good weather … All my mistakes :
1. I didn’t paint the Mix on the OSB , which would probably have saved it … ???
2. Apparently I didn’t seal the canvas well enough as it wrapped around and under on the bottom … with the constant moisture on it all the time , that did Rot and just rubbed off , not to mention holding moisture against the OSB :frightened:
3. I saw the Ant holes but waited to do anything , thinking that it was insignificant … ( what a Fool ? ) :duh:
4. The drip edges were too late to save it …

I hope everyone learns from my mistakes … Don’t do that !!!

However , from mistakes comes progress… we got the recommended drywall bead , SS staples to hold it, another can of Gripper , and 5 cans of great stuff… and new chance to do it right , and a test of the “board floor” too …

One question, playing with the beading , which way should I mount it on the floor board ??? ( see sketch)
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby me&z » Mon Jun 11, 2018 6:59 pm

B. A is just going to provide a place for dust to collect and hold moisture.
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby tac422 » Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:11 pm

I think it's enough of a drip edge if you turn it upside down from where you show it on A.
And then run the canvas underneath :thinking:

. I------------------------------------------ I
I I-------------Wood...………………………...I
I L______________________________I
L________
Corner Bead

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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby OP827 » Mon Jun 11, 2018 8:19 pm

Option B is better with what you showed in the canvas-wall-drip edge arrangement sketch above.
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:03 am

Thanks Guys , I’ll get it started today … We’re really excited that we have the chance to improve the trailer .. It’s lasted four years now living outside in the weather … and the chance to make it last even longer is really a Big Deal around here… The floor has been the weak point in all my homemade trailers , so now we might have something that possibly can survive much better … Another Foamie Test !!!

Now let’s talk MONEY !!! This restoration ( ~ $450.00 materials ) now puts us right over the $1500.00 mark for the Foam Stream expense … For Four years , that averages out to about $ 375.00 a year now ,not including all the camping gear we have bought , that can be used in any trailer.. This figure seems pretty darn reasonable , especially compared to our " RV “ experience , where we spent overall ~ $ 8,000 + a year for something that was a "designed to Fail" monstrosity , and didn’t make it through the 2 year warranty period … :duh: At last we have a vehicle for when we need it , and one that doesn’t require constant expensive maintenance , or a covered area to keep it . Hopefully now , the new floor and drip edge will work out and protect us for some time to come … and by not having to mortgage the farm , we can think about building that New trailer … :thinking: :D I still have to pay my helper ( labor) , but the “house” has been paying that since we all may benefit …
Yesterday the Grocery , we got a BIG can of Ant spray …and that’s just the start … ;)
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Tue Jun 12, 2018 11:42 am

Got the bead/drip edge stapled to the outer floor boards , then we slobbered Gripper all over it filling the holes and really making it quite stiff when dried … I think this is going to work Great … :D
Naturally , I used the straightest board I could find … We haven’t primed the edges or the ends of the other boards as likely they will be cut to length , then primed and painted before installation … :thinking:

One tiny problem … It seems Stainless steel staples are great because they don’t rust , but they are quite soft and tend to deform when shot into hard surfaces… we had to go back with a small hammer and make sure they were in as far as they could go … :o Not really a problem , and that PT Pine is very hard …
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Re: FoamStream , the restoration … a lesson learned .

Postby GPW » Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:27 am

Got my floorboards all matched up and marked … Waiting for dry weather …
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