Undercoating Alternative (No more sticky black stuff!)

[2bits]

Those of you who have used this stuff, did you paint it or cover it in any way? I was trying to decide if it needed any protection...

I can't imagine that you would need to protect the protection. This is meant to patch roof leaks that are open to the elements, I think once this is on, you should be good!

[Rhino Ray]

I don't know what the major concern is, we are talking about an area that doesn't get direct sunlight, it only get's wet if we drive in the rain and when we stop it doesn't get wet any further. I have a house that gets worse treatment than that and it holds up very well so I sealed up all the seams, cracks and knots with painters seal, put on three coats of a good primer then two coats of flat black exterior paint. I bet I won't have any problems.

[2bits]

I don't know what the major concern is, we are talking about an area that doesn't get direct sunlight, it only get's wet if we drive in the rain and when we stop it doesn't get wet any further. I have a house that gets worse treatment than that and it holds up very well so I sealed up all the seams, cracks and knots with painters seal, put on three coats of a good primer then two coats of flat black exterior paint. I bet I won't have any problems.

We're a positive board here. No major concern, just a general topic to discuss for those who aren't sure about such stuff. I am sure your method will be taken by others as well as you make some good points.

[txcamper]

Those of you who have used this stuff, did you paint it or cover it in any way? I was trying to decide if it needed any protection...

I can't imagine that you would need to protect the protection. This is meant to patch roof leaks that are open to the elements, I think once this is on, you should be good!

X2 on 2bits' comment - Once this stuff was attached, I was confident just to flip it, bolt it down and move on with the project. It was very easy to apply and sticks to itself well if you have an intricate area to deal with (inside my fender area).

[parnold]

I recently demo'd a 1974 Skamper Pop-Up that had exposed 3/4 plywood flooring. There was perhaps some type of sealant, but definitely not goo. You could easily see the grain. I smashed at that darned floor with a 14lb sledge hammer until my arms felt like they would fall off. I managed to break off the screws holding it down, only actually broke through the plywood in one spot.

Personally I use automotive undercoating or automotive chip guard (free), but I do have to agree somewhat with what Rhino said. Our floors are one more example of the teardrop mindset of overbuilding.

[Rhino Ray]

I'm not planning to keep it parked outside, it should last for at lest the rest of my lifetime.

[skline25]

Another alternative is to use Herculiner, It is a DIY bed liner in a can. You can roll it on and once it dries it is real tough and holds up to the elements real well. We used it at work to cover a plywood platform that we used to hold heavy pelican cases and tough maid totes, pulling them in and out all day long. About 2 years ago, we bought a new truck with a roller bed system and the old plywood platform has been sitting out in the yard and still looks good, 3-6 feet of snow in the winter and 90 degree days in the summer and a bunch of rain in-between (Oregon).

[Constrictor]

I have a 6x12 box trailer that came with 3\4" chip board floor and ive hauled it coast to coast for 8 years.
I was up under it last summer to bolt some tie downs for motorcycles and i was surprised to find bare unpainted chip board in perfect shape! Is it possible a simple paint job would be actually better than undercoating? Perhaps letting it breath better?

[cuyeda]

yup, it is very similar to some actual car audio sound deadener I have. The sound deadener is supposed to be butyl rubber or something whereas this is asphalt, but the effect is the same. Black sticky stuff on a roll.
I will note that there were a few times that I wanted to adjust it slightly after laying it down and that wasn't happening... it was definitely stuck. The only way to move it would have destroyed it.

Sound deadener for the car! Marvelous! Can anyone tell us if this product gives off any asphalt odor. I wonder if it heats up a little with car mufflers under a floor pan if the product would be prone to an asphalt smell? I have a 65 Mustang 2+2 project, but that real stuff cost quite a bit more. Don't want to hijack the thread, just a quick comment.

[2bits]

yup, it is very similar to some actual car audio sound deadener I have. The sound deadener is supposed to be butyl rubber or something whereas this is asphalt, but the effect is the same. Black sticky stuff on a roll.
I will note that there were a few times that I wanted to adjust it slightly after laying it down and that wasn't happening... it was definitely stuck. The only way to move it would have destroyed it.

Sound deadener for the car! Marvelous! Can anyone tell us if this product gives off any asphalt odor. I wonder if it heats up a little with car mufflers under a floor pan if the product would be prone to an asphalt smell? I have a 65 Mustang 2+2 project, but that real stuff cost quite a bit more. Don't want to hijack the thread, just a quick comment.

I never noticed any odor when using it on my truck or my Monte Carlo. I used the generic stuff from home depot for my mobile home and it smelled fine too. Looks to be made of different stuff.

[Gadget Man]

I'm glad I found this post.
I've been living in the "Cargo Trailer Conversion" section for the past 8 months. check out Gadget Mans Adventure Trailer.
I'm doing a 7x14 cargo trailer conversion and the floor is one of my next projects, right now the bottom is bare 3/4 inch dense chip press board.
The problem is, that what ever I do will have to be applied from the bottom up, since the trailer is already built.
I thought of some type of spray or roll on "black Stuff" ...??? yuck.
But I like Martaingod's idea of using the plastic sign board cardboard and screwing it to the bottom frame, but I'm sure it's pretty expensive for over 100 sq feet.

But I also liked Constrictor's story about how after 8 years, he see's no excessive wear to the underside of his wooden floor. ?. I've always wondered.???
Right now, I think I'll just paint the wood with some quality house paint. I'm sure I have a gallon or two laying around. who cares what color it is....

Gadget Man

[2bits]

I agree with the house paint concept to a point. Your house will get hit with 60 MPH rain but the trailer will be traveling at 60 MPH and getting hit with rocks. Just a thought, not trying to start a argument

[PcHistorian]

This is IT!!! I found you guys!!! Right topic. Ok, Trailer is built, came with particle (chip compressed) floor and nothing I could tell on the bottom. About 5/8" from the looks of it. I guess it was made in the 1980's. (I will get some under pictures up here today, if I can...) I have put on one layer of thompson's deck water seal, last year. (this was before I found you guys). Now this last winter it got cold and I threw some piece of 1/2 blue insulation on the floor and man that was a great help. But NOW I want to put that insulation, attached, underneath. So I want a good sealing of the wood, then stick up the insulation, probably short deck screws with disks to attach. I am going to do some other stuff under there like water tanks of PVC TUBES. But those I'll attach to the frame. What's a good way to seal and then stick the insul. up, just prior to the screws? At 5/8" I think it will be tight to screw for hold and not come through with the tip of the screw.... (that's be an owie) I do plan to lay carpet inside, after I'm done doing the work. while I'm doing the work to finish it, I'd hate to get stuck with screw tips. So maybe 1" screws and the disk will help for the final spacing? I had been considering just the spray can tar stuff to undercoat... (plus I need to go back through here and take notes... :-)

foam to transfer

current under

tanks to add
design

locations



I've gone through the thompsons water seal with paint brush underneath and some oil stain inside under the roof and I'm pretty much done with getting dripped on.

[Scouterjan]

foam board adhesive should work fine, its 1 of the PL\s in a calking tube, it won't melt the foam then a tar emulsion to seal it up, especially where the foam joins the frame, you don't want to trap any water in there
Jan

[PcHistorian]

Gadget Man, home depot does have a black spray stuff for sealing leaks in things, like seals up a colander. I am thinking about using that, depending upon how long it takes to dry, to seal up my floor as well as stick on the insulation. I still have to think about more cross braces underneath. Anyone here have trouble with 2' x 4' spans in the under frame for 5/8" chip board? (I do tend to load up rather heavy at times... stumps for cutting up for fire wood, etc... )