Maintenance

[mjcook]

Has anyone painted there bottom floor boards , the underside of a214hw?

[rsdata]

I have a Shamrock/Roo. I started on the underside by dressing wires to the electric brakes and tank sensors and covering them with split plastic wire loom (from Harbor Freight) to protect the wires and tied them up with nylon ties. I then took 4 or 5 cans of rubberized undercoating paint from auto parts store and started spraying wherever I thought I could do some good, including the wheel wells, axle tubes, anything metal, anything exposed to road hazards/rain.

Paint is good to use on new trailers... little to no cleaning necessary.

Have fun in that new camper

[Jaydubya81]

You will void the warranty if you cover/paint the OSB plywood on your A frame

[mjcook]

Ugh seems there should be some type of protection

[Jaydubya81]

It has been treated, it's not normal OSB, there's info on it in your owners packet

[backpacker3]

OSB plywood is a marine grade plywood and is already treated for weather protection. Painting it will actually cause more harm than good, OSB plywood can no longer breath and expel moisture when painted.

[Alben]

If was marine grade OSB, then it would not support fungal growth. That, or Forest River stuck regular OSB in my trailer. I actually have tiny mushroom growth on the underside of my trailer and my trailer is only in its second season.

What I have discovered, is that I could feel that the edges of the OSB were damp after when I crawled under the trailer after a rain. I looked at the bottom trim piece that goes all around the bottom edge of the sides of the trailer. In many places there was either no calk, or very little calk. Rain water running down the side of the trailer would get funneled under the trim which would lead right to the edges of the OSB on the underside. I have now liberally calked all around the top edge of the bottom edge trim. We will see if that stems the dampness and the mushroom growth.

Somehow I really am not believing the fable that it is marine grade OSB being put into these trailers.

Here is a thread, with pictures, I started regarding fungal growth:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...us-137991.html

[rsdata]

OSB plywood is a marine grade plywood and is already treated for weather protection. Painting it will actually cause more harm than good, OSB plywood can no longer breath and expel moisture when painted.

all of that very well may be true... BUT if I saw fungal growth on the bottom of my trailer, I sure would be concerned.

I would put some gentle heating elements with some air movement under the trailer to dry it out and kill any growth... I would then spray it with an anti-fungal agent... I have gotten some of that and added it to paint before... I think I got it at Home D... I would THEN PAINT the heck out of the bottom of my now DRY OSB decking so that it would NOT pick up any moisture/road grime/whatever that caused the fungal growth in the first place.

I really don't believe it is that important to have my OSB FLOOR breathe... do YOU?

[D-mo]

Yes.....talk to us if you own an a liner or chalet....my friends chalet was sold as an ice fishing shack, due to this issue.

[Jaydubya81]

The word (marine grade) isn't in my paperwork, maybe that brochure is missing?

[old40ford]

Originally Posted by rsdata

all of that very well may be true... BUT if I saw fungal growth on the bottom of my trailer, I sure would be concerned.

I would put some gentle heating elements with some air movement under the trailer to dry it out and kill any growth... I would then spray it with an anti-fungal agent... I have gotten some of that and added it to paint before... I think I got it at Home D... I would THEN PAINT the heck out of the bottom of my now DRY OSB decking so that it would NOT pick up any moisture/road grime/whatever that caused the fungal growth in the first place.

I really don't believe it is that important to have my OSB FLOOR breathe... do YOU?

X2, it should not be growing anything but memories. I would also have dried it very well before I caulked it, if not, you are just trapping water for another problem.

[old40ford]

Originally Posted by Alben

If was marine grade OSB, then it would not support fungal growth. That, or Forest River stuck regular OSB in my trailer. I actually have tiny mushroom growth on the underside of my trailer and my trailer is only in its second season.

What I have discovered, is that I could feel that the edges of the OSB were damp after when I crawled under the trailer after a rain. I looked at the bottom trim piece that goes all around the bottom edge of the sides of the trailer. In many places there was either no calk, or very little calk. Rain water running down the side of the trailer would get funneled under the trim which would lead right to the edges of the OSB on the underside. I have now liberally calked all around the top edge of the bottom edge trim. We will see if that stems the dampness and the mushroom growth.

Somehow I really am not believing the fable that it is marine grade OSB being put into these trailers.

Here is a thread, with pictures, I started regarding fungal growth:
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...us-137991.html

This should be sent back to the factory. I have seen this before a few years ago on another camper and the wood is ruined/no good now, your selling dealer can petition the factory for you as that is what I did for our customer back then. They may tell you they can't convince the powers that be, but, they can if they try. OSB is junk and they know better.