Suspect area - floor/skirt joint (1 Viewer)

[stevec]

2006 Autocruise Starfire. Possible purchase. Found this underneath just to the rear of the gas locker. It looks to possibly have had some sort of fungus growing there at some stage, looking at how the aluminium extrusion is coloured. Some evidence of water in the locker above at some stage but appears dry now. Last habitation check done 2012. Being looked at by someone with more knowledge than I (and a dampmeter!) later in the week. Small area probably 3 inches long.

 

[aba]

I have just had to repair a similar piece of floor on mine.
I noticed a mushroom type thing under the rubber mat in the corner of the rear storage area.

Once fungus has got hold the wood is as good as sawdust and will generate condensation which feeds the damp area. It will need cutting back to good wood and replacing.

 

[stevec]

Does anyone know what the construction of the floor is in that area (the floor edge). Is there a wooden frame or just the edge of the ply/foam/ply sandwich (assuming it is that construction)?

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[stevec]

Andy,
What was involved in the repair? I'm not sure of the makeup of the floor, especially the edges so can't gauge how much of a job it would be to fix. There is no evidence of fungus there now, just a scar. The top side of the floor has had a piece of it's vinyl covering replaced so this may have been a past repair. Closer inspection to follow.

 

[Taran_Las]

A very interesting thread. Please let us know how this progresses.:thumb:

 

[haganap]

It very much looks like to me that is ingress probbaly from the skirt seal.

As Andy says, I would be looking at replacing it, I would be cutting the peice out, matching it and cutting a new peice in.

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[stevec]

Is that just the layer of ply or the whole floor section. Thus the question about the makeup of the floor. I'll know more when I look in detail on Friday. I'm more than capable of doing the work. It's determining just what needs doing.

 

[haganap]

Will be a case of what's damp when you fully inspect it tbh.
Ive repaired by getting out the damp by taking off layers bit by bit using rot stop... drilling holes further away and injecting rot stop....
I've then filled and sanded and protected with a coat of special paint. No further problems but make sure you find where and why it has occurred.

In terms of construction ....2 bits of ply with wood sandwiched in between at a guess. ... But I'm no expert on wood.
I'm sure terry will be along soon with more advice

 

[stevec]

My gut feel at the moment is that it is a relic of a past problem. A section of the vinyl floor covering has been replaced over this area. I wasn't able to look under this but will on Friday. I hope the vendor doesn't mind me taking it up. It's in his interest for me to do so. They kept towels and bedding under that seat and if there was damp there from water ingress (power and water sockets) they would probably know of it.

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[Terry]

Will be a case of what's damp when you fully inspect it tbh.
Ive repaired by getting out the damp by taking off layers bit by bit using rot stop... drilling holes further away and injecting rot stop....
I've then filled and sanded and protected with a coat of special paint. No further problems but make sure you find where and why it has occurred.

In terms of construction ....2 bits of ply with wood sandwiched in between at a guess. ... But I'm no expert on wood.
I'm sure terry will be along soon with more advice

Cheers Paul Pretty certain floors are made of a sandwich of 6mm ply Styrofoam 6mm ply sprayed with bitumen on the starfire, and I have spoken to someone who thinks the same so if there is water damage it would not take long to soak into 6 mm ply and trash it but once it hit the Styrofoam it would hold water-chances are that it may have had a bad seal around a locker and got caught in time if not the ply will be pappy and if you stick a damp meter into the Styrofoam it will be holding water --I am afraid it's just a case of further investigations -if the seller does not like this then walk --if you find the ply is solid then they could well have caught the leak quickly before real damage is done --to kill the fungus spores give it a spray with bleach to stop any more growing and make sure its sealed after it has dried :thumb:
terry

 

[stevec]

Thanks Terry,
Would you know if there will be a frame at the outside edge of the floor or would it be the ply/styro/ply sandwich right up to the edge? It there is a frame and the wet got into that then that would be more difficult to repair.

 

[haganap]

My gut feel at the moment is that it is a relic of a past problem. A section of the vinyl floor covering has been replaced over this area. I wasn't able to look under this but will on Friday. I hope the vendor doesn't mind me taking it up. It's in his interest for me to do so. They kept towels and bedding under that seat and if there was damp there from water ingress (power and water sockets) they would probably know of it.

No thats not true. Damp in floors could come from many sources, especially in the rear corners that would not be attributed to the inside. It would be my susspicion that this is from a skirt seal or as said a locker.

Whatever you decide good luck, damp repairs are not too difficult but very very time consuming and very very messy so make sure you factor that in to the purchase price.

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[Minxy]

Unless this is a VERY good price I would say walk away as there are plenty more out there. If YOU are worried about a repair/damp think what would happen when you come to sell it in the future and what a potential purchaser thinks - no matter how good a repair you do it will always be obvious and without it being done by a 'recognised' dealer/repairer, you could find it devalues it quite a bit. :Sad:

 

[stevec]

If it has ANY damp present I'll walk away. It's my first motorhome and I don't want a "project".

 

[aba]

The repair on mine involved removing the locker door and frame then the section of side skirt to gain access to the floor, fortunately the floor in the locker in mine is a single piece of 15mm phenolic faced ply so I went along with a terminal screwdriver to the point where I couldn't push it through the panel and cut out the bad bit laid the cut out piece on a new piece of ply drew round it and cut to shape.
All remained was to fit this with sealant round all edges replace the side skirt and locker door frame and door.
All told it took around 4 hours 2 tubes of sealant and about a square foot of ply.

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[Terry]

Thanks Terry,
Would you know if there will be a frame at the outside edge of the floor or would it be the ply/styro/ply sandwich right up to the edge? It there is a frame and the wet got into that then that would be more difficult to repair.

Hi Steve I think the side walls simply sat on top of the floor --you have the right idea of walking/any signs of damp - seeing as it's your first van --- it's always a good starting point that it has been damp at some stage so look for a very big discount off the asking price
terry
edit damp is damp you simply have to cut out until you get to dry and replace what's been taken out -this could be a simple few hours job or a major cupboards out thing lasting a few days or over a week -only you can tell

 

[Techno]

From memory I believe my Starspirit was a solid ply floor. I seem to remember drilling the rear lounge floor for a Fiamma pedestal socket. The socket was the same depth as the ply so was visible under the van when I fitted it. I doubt that a foam filled construction would be strong enough for those vans.

 

[pneumatician]

Isn't there quite a long string on MHF about this problem some Autotrail or Swift not sure related ?

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[Terry]

Isn't there quite a long string on MHF about this problem some Autotrail or Swift not sure related ?

Yes the Swift soggy floor saga which also affected Autotrails --this one is a Autocruse before swift bought them
terry