2003 Aerolite Cub Hybrid Flooring

[cdnred]

I just bought a 2003 Aerolite Cub Hybrid C195. I'm aware that Hybrids are known for water issues resulting in spongy floors. The floor throughout the trailer is solid but after getting it home I noticed that a small area of the floor in front of the shower/tub was a bit spongy. Reading about floor construction in some of the posts that a foam was used between the two wood layers that would in time disintegrate creating the spongy action in the floor has me wondering. I'm not sure if that type of construction was used back in 2003..?

For the size of the bathroom, I'm thinking that the easiest and cheapest fix would be to just cut some 1/2" marine plywood, lay it over the exist floor and then lay new tile down. Not sure if that would be a total or temp fix to the problem. From what I've read floor repairs could become a can of worms once you start tearing up the floor..

Anyone have any thoughts on my approach to this..?

[persistent]

The collapse you read about is usually the foam failing from foot traffic. At the edge of the shower, it may be the plywood on top of the foam that is failing from water infiltration.

In either case the soft material must be replaced and glued to adjacent layers. The replaced ply must be supported around its edges. Taking it off back to supports can make it a big job.

Attaching the new ply to adjacent thin ply may not hold for long. Inserting new wood support into the foam and gluing all together can provide the necessary support.

Easy for me to say. I have never actually done this.

[cdnred]

I was hoping to avoid the intense labor of having to rip out the exist ply but to do things right that may be the best bet. Mind you the area isn't that big and I was planning to re-tile anyways. The issue isn't all that bad so I might leave it as is for another year or two then review it again. I didn't notice any water leaks so it must've been water run off from the shower curtains over time..

[dsol]

Shower leaks are rarely in the drain. No real water pressure there and not constantly under pressure like supply lines.

But water lines frequently leak and are very hard to see and get to, plus pex piping can be tricky.

I have had 3 trailers in 15 years and two of the three had shower leaks. One was where the pipe went into the faucet which is always under pressure when hooked up to city water or when the pump is on. That one ran down the water lines and out different sides of the shower depending on how I was leveled.

The other was an elbow fitting.

Both times I thought it was a crack in or a bad fitting enclosure but then eventually figured it out.

If my current shower ever develops a leak I know where to look!