Removing Dinette

[Timex]

I've search the forum over looking for any ideas about removing the dinette. Mine is the U-shaped variety and it is not really what we need at the moment. It is just the 2 of us now and we rarely if ever have ever had overnight guests to stay with us. I took the sofa/air bed out after about the first 6 months of ownership and replaced it with a 2nd recliner. So I guess what I'm getting at is that we are moving in a direction to making it less inviting for people to overnight with us. We don't need the dinette to sleep anyone but we still need a table. So I've been scratching my head on what to do with what I've got. Under the wall bench is 1 of my outside storage compartments so I can't lose that. The 2 side benches hold a drawer and the other half is open storage. As you can see in the pics, we don't keep much under the side benches other than bed things for the dinette. I would like advice on taking the side benches completely out and replacing them with dining chairs(of some sort), turning the table 90* and moving 1 pedestal(and base) on the floor and placing the other pedestal(and base) to a "platform" over the outside storage compartment. I'd shorten this pedestal and place the end of the table almost touching the wall. It looks like the benches are just screwed to the floor and exterior wall. Carpet is on the floor wall-wall. And this is in a slideout with .75" plywood underneath the carpet.

What is behind the backer boards on the walls behind the benches?
Is this just screwed into the wall?
Of course, the easiest way to know for sure is to take it all out to see but I'd rather not like surprises.

And the next question:

I don't look to sell this TT for quite awhile, but if I do, will what I'm wanting to do diminish the resale value to a future buyer?

And/or, would it be a good idea to keep the parts that I remove for future reinstallation in the event I don't like it or for future sale?

So, what say you? Let me hear what you think. I haven't gotten the BOSS's blessing on this project (yet) but I value other's opinions as well.

[fella10]

we also have no need for the bed available in our U shaped dinette, but we certainly do have use for the table,...... actually we wanted more table space, to accommodate two laptops, have eating space, and just more room,...... I capped the table to increase the size to how the photo shows it is now,...... we like the results

[gilwilliams101]

My wife and I did this exact thing to our 2016 Puma Unleashed 351THSS toy hauler right after we bought it. We wanted NICE recliners and I went to work removing the entire dinette and lame couch that came in the trailer. We have since added a 3rd matching single recliner.


The recliners are normal 'home' recliners that came from a furniture store that have the 0 wall clearance feature.


Simply remove all 8 million screws that the factory used to mount all the frame work and carry it out.


As for retail value minus the dinette? We really didn't care, but with 50.00 worth of 2x2 lumber from Lowe's, you can rebuild it with ease IMO. Our frame work was ALL 2x2 wood and a little bit of plywood. Add 1 qt of stain and you could build a much nicer dinette than they come with from the factory.

[Timex]

Alright those were good, keep'em coming.


Does anybody know what might be behind the wall backers?
Could it be the regular type wall paneling that is on all the walls?

[Timex]

Bumped.

[Timex]

Since nobody has posted back, I guess I will have to dig into it and do the deed.

And yes, I will take picks.

[gilwilliams101]

Originally Posted by Timex

Since nobody has posted back, I guess I will have to dig into it and do the deed.

And yes, I will take picks.

There really is nothing to it other than finding the 1,268,541 screws they used at the factory to install all the frame work for the dinette.

It sounds like y'all are in the same boat as my wife and I and have no use for the dinette and once you are done, you will love it. The ONLY trick to recliners is to make sure you buy 'wall huggers'. You can have them approx. 2" off the wall and they will fully extend without hitting the wall behind them.

Good luck and post pics!

[tragusa3]

I pulled the dinette out of ours this spring and put a reclining loveseat and end table. So far...much improved for the way we use things. I'll put a photo up if I get the chance.

[Timex]

I started on it this afternoon. I put 1 of our dining chairs from the house in the place where 1 of the chairs will go. The BOSS came to check on me and used the term HELLBENT. What could she possibly have meant by that? Taking pics as I go. Will post later.

[Timex]

I started on the project 5-10-16 and finished 5-31-16. No, I'm not that slow. Just an hour here and there is all I could do. I guess it turned out ok. We'll see as the miles pass how it holds up.

I really didn't find a whole lot of screws to remove, like a couple of you have said. There were quite a few staples though. On the wall nearest the vertical fascia of the slide(on both sides) there were a few screw/staple holes put in the paneling. I couldn't figure out a way to fill the holes in without it looking crappy and since there will be chairs in this area, I decided to protect the walls(and cover the hole scars) with 1/8" MDF paneling. Boy it was tough trying to find a match for the dark cherry that is in my TT. I thought that if I couldn't match the colors that I would go with something that might blend with the lighter paneling. So here is the progress and maybe in subsequent posts to come, the final project. I don't know why some of my pics have, all of a sudden, started posting sideways. Maybe you can turn your screen sideways to see them.

The BOSS didn't show much interest in what I was doing but did take a look when I added the chairs. I could tell by the look on her face that it didn't turn out as bad as she thought it would. I know it looks different but I was tired of the uncomfortable benches.

I have doubled that outside storage compartment or I can use the space under the "hatches" for inside storage. I'll still take the table top down when traveling.

I scavenged parts from the benches and what I had stored from previous projects around the house to use in this project so there wasn't much that I had to buy other than 2 sheets of the MDF paneling.

[Timex]

More pics.

I've got another remodeling project going on with my S/B home so the underside of the "hatches" will get painted then.

[Timex]

Just an accent lamp for now. Maybe something else in the future. We still have a little room around the chairs.

[fella10]

Originally Posted by Timex

I'll still take the table top down when traveling.

very nice work, but why remove the table for travel,...... we got tired of having to remove everything from the table top when traveling and came up with an idea that works great,.... we leave our laptops and everything else on the table, we don't remove anything,......actually, the table now is a place where we can sit things when we're getting ready to travel, ... the photos show what we do, just a simple little fence around the table when traveling,....the edge pieces are cut from a 5" vinyl post and held in place with binder clips, ...sure makes camping a little simpler

ps: our table without the fence is in post #2 of this thread

[Brazealnut4]

Great job! We want to do the same thing.

[Timex]

[QUOTE=fella10;1216471]very nice work, but why remove the table for travel,......

See pic of OEM table mechanism. I hated that thing from Day 1. Left it up on a trip and this happened. Plus the table top is probably a good 40 lbs and if the TT gets a rockin'..... who knows what might happen.

And lesson learned I guess.

Fella, your table turned out nice. Looks like a burger and fries could show up at any time!

[Timex]

Originally Posted by Brazealnut4

Great job! We want to do the same thing.

I'm for hire!

Not really.