Good morning. The rains have finally abated. The TV weatherman just reported that 13 trillion gallons of rain have fallen over the State of California in only the first 10 days of January (who measures that?). While much of that water has already reached the ocean, that volume could theoretically provide for the needs of 143 million homes annually. Our major reservoirs are up to 120-180% of normal. Hmmm. Looking good.
Over this past weekend I continued my work on Sparta’s floors, turning my attention to the severely damaged flooring in the bathroom. This is where things got complicated. In addition to messy, crumbling wood, I had to contend with fresh water lines, waste pipes, water storage tanks, ducting and the feeble attempts or a prior owner to shore up the failing floor.
For this section, I will most likely cut out a large swath of flooring spanning the entire trailer width and linking both trailer wheel wells with new subfloor. Patching just won’t do here and furthermore I’ll probably have to pull out old water/waste tanks located in this area. I could do the tank and pipe work from below, but I would rather avoid removing any belly skin.
For the extraction of flooring, I first set my circular saw to the thickness of the floor, being careful not to overdo it and nick the steel cross beams beneath. I endeavored, wherever possible, to make cuts that followed the centerline of the beams so that my new patches have a resting place. Some cuts required a reciprocating saw (along the trailer walls) and a oscillating plunge-cut saw in those hard to reach crannies (like where the original flooring is tucked under the exterior walls). Pictured below are the tools used and the cuts I made on Sunday.

Tools of the trade for floor demolition – a hammer, oscillating plunge-cut saw, pry bar and circular saw set to proper depth. Note metal brackets in lower right indicating past, somewhat futile, attempts to save the floor. Oh, and of course a reciprocating saw pictured right.
As I cut into the floor, peeled away insulation and brushed aside debris, I got a clearer picture of what was going on beneath.
A number of decisions will have to be made before I put down a new floor. Are the fresh and waste water pipes salvageable? How about the fresh and waste water tanks (black and gray)? The furnace ducting? There are small gauge wires running beneath that complete the circuit to the rear navigation lights. So much to consider.

Shiny steel cross beam

Furnace duct and outlet
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