Floor out of square

[tawright915]

Not sure of my reasoning, except that there was space, I glued and screwed up my floor on a sloping driveway. Once I was done, I noticed that it had slipped. Is there a way that I can square up my floor so that I can continue building?

Thanks
Tom

[les45]

Pics would help so we can see what you are dealing with.

[tawright915]

I haven't gotten a picture of the floor yet, but I have measurements.

When looking from the back of the trailer to the front (to the tongue) on the left side from back to front it is 11' 1/8" on the right side from back to front it is 10' 12 3/4". So it seems that I am off by a 1/4" in the front from left to right.

Should I just measure down on the left side front 1/4" and set a mark, then snap a line from the right front corner to the left front mark and cut that, or is 1/4" well within the line of margin?

Tom

[Woodbutcher]

I would say a 1/4" in 11 feet should not create any problems. When questioning things like this as a youngster my Dad would always say "We're not building a watch" . So as I grew up I realized everything will not come out perfect. As an old guy I now adjust in the field when things don't go just right.

[MtnDon]

Is this discrepancy in a floor you have built on a frame or is the discrepancy in the frame?

Have you measured the two diagonals? Left front to right rear corner and right front to left rear corner. The ideal is to get those as close to equal as possible, resulting in a square structure. Square is easier to work with than un-square.

We all have different ways of looking at things. Myself, I think 1/4" in eleven feet is a large error. When you build on top of errors my experience has been that you are forever having to deal with this and it can affect other materials used for sides, top, etc.

[tawright915]

Is this discrepancy in a floor you have built on a frame or is the discrepancy in the frame?

Have you measured the two diagonals? Left front to right rear corner and right front to left rear corner. The ideal is to get those as close to equal as possible, resulting in a square structure. Square is easier to work with than un-square.

We all have different ways of looking at things. Myself, I think 1/4" in eleven feet is a large error. When you build on top of errors my experience has been that you are forever having to deal with this and it can affect other materials used for sides, top, etc.

Yes, from corner to corner it's the same, 1/4" out of square. So is my solution correct, measure down a 1/4" in on the long side and cut to the corner of the short side?

Tom

[working on it]

I would say a 1/4" in 11 feet should not create any problems. When questioning things like this as a youngster my Dad would always say "We're not building a watch" . So as I grew up I realized everything will not come out perfect. As an old guy I now adjust in the field when things don't go just right.

...Myself, I think 1/4" in eleven feet is a large error....

• Unless you compound the error, by adding to it or overcompensating for it, none will be the wiser.
• Have you ever re-built an American car from the 60's or 70's? The panel alignment and gaps between panels were sometimes atrocious; but, unless someone was trying to spot the differences from side-to-side of a car, or measuring the gaps, one side could have bigger gaps than the other. You really can't look at both sides at the same time! If each side was singularly symmetrical, then it was fine. And, as I always heard among the old guys: "if It was dark, and raining, and you drove past 50 yards away, at 50 mph, then just about anything looked good". My Chevelle was/is such a car, and maybe my TTT, but the little imperfections give them character, and make them unique.

• 

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