How to Fix a Soft Camper Floor

If you notice that portions of the floor in your camper have become soft or unstable, it could be an indication the floor boards, or worse, the supporting floor joists, are rotting and need to be replaced. Like most other structural repairs, completing them when you first notice the problem will likely cost you less than if you leave the problem and let it get worse. Complete the repair as soon as possible after discovering the floor is weakened.

Things You'll Need

  • Drill and 1/4-inch drill bit
  • Crowbar or jig saw
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove furnishings and as many fixtures as you can from the interior of the camper. This may require unscrewing cabinets or drawers from the walls and taking them out. You want as much of the floor space exposed as possible.

    • 2

      Remove the carpet from inside the camper. Start at a wall or corner and begin peeling back the carpet. If the wood subfloor is rotten, the adhesive holding the carpet or vinyl flooring is often weakened, making it easier to remove.

    • 3

      Remove the affected area of the floor boards with a crowbar or cut it out using a jig saw. Inspect the joists under the subfloor. If they are solid then you do not need to repair them. If they feel soft or are black from moisture contamination, run two lengths of the same sized lumber on each side of the affected joist. Drill a hole through all three pieces of lumber in a solid part of the floor joist. Insert a bolt through the holes and attach a nut on the other side to hold the wood in place. Repeat this at the other end of the support lumber you are installing. The will firm up the floor joist and will give you a solid structure to screw the floor boards into.

    • 4

      Cut a piece of plywood that is the same thickness as the wood that was removed, positioning it into the gap left when you removed the rotten floor boards. Use wood screws to secure the new floor board in place.

    • 5

      Replace the carpeting or vinyl flooring with new carpet or vinyl and reinstall drawers or cabinets that were removed. Replace the furnishings, and your camper is ready to be used again.