Alright, let me walk you through my little adventure – or misadventure, depending on how you look at it – with our RV slide-out floor. It started, as these things often do, with that tell-tale squishiness. You know the one. That feeling underfoot that just screams “Houston, we have a problem.” My heart sank a bit, gotta admit. We love our RV, but repairs? Not always my favorite part.
The Discovery and Uh-Oh Moment
So, I started poking around. Pulled back a corner of the carpet in the slide, and yup, there it was. Dark stains, damp wood. Classic water damage. Turns out, a seal along the top edge of the slide had seen better days, and water had been slowly, sneakily, doing its dirty work. The floor wasn’t just soft; in a couple of spots, it was practically mush. No way around it, the whole darn thing, or at least a big chunk of it, had to come out.
Figuring Out the “How Much” Part
First thing I did was what any sensible fella would do: panic a little, then hit the internet. I searched around, looked at forums, trying to get a ballpark figure. Then I called a couple of RV repair shops. Let me tell you, those initial quotes nearly made me spill my coffee. They were talking numbers like $2,000, some even up to $3,500 or $4,000, especially if the damage was extensive and they had to rebuild part of the underlying structure. They talked about labor hours, special materials… you know the drill. For our fairly standard-sized slide, it was looking like a hefty bill if I went the pro route.
Deciding to Dive In Myself
Now, I’m reasonably handy. I’ve tackled my share of home projects, and I thought, “Heck, it’s just wood and screws, right?” The potential savings were just too tempting to ignore. So, I decided to make it my next big project. My wife gave me that look – the one that says “you better know what you’re doing” – but she was supportive. Bless her.
The Nitty-Gritty: Getting My Hands Dirty
The first step was demolition. This was the messy part. Ripping out the old, waterlogged plywood was a real chore. That stuff is heavy and falls apart when it’s rotten. I wore a mask, gloves, the whole shebang. Once the old floor was out, I could see the full extent of the damage. Luckily, the aluminum frame of the slide itself was mostly okay, just needed a good cleaning. The wooden support battens underneath, though? Some of those were goners too.
Then came the material run. I headed down to the local big-box hardware store. Here’s a rough idea of what I picked up:
- A sheet of 3/4 inch marine-grade plywood. Didn’t want to mess around with anything less, given the history.
- Good quality construction adhesive and a couple of tubes of serious waterproof sealant. Don’t skimp here! This is your first line of defense against future problems.
- New vinyl flooring. We picked something that looked decent and was rated for durability.
- A box of stainless steel screws. Again, no rust wanted.
- Some treated 2x2s to replace the rotten battens.
The actual replacement took me a solid weekend, plus a few evenings after work. Cutting the plywood to the exact shape of the slide-out was tricky. Lots of measuring, re-measuring, and careful cutting with my jigsaw. I replaced the bad battens first, then laid down a moisture barrier. Glued and screwed the new plywood down, making sure everything was super solid. Then came the new vinyl flooring. That was probably the easiest part, relatively speaking.
The biggest headache? Getting the slide to operate smoothly with the new floor. The thickness had to be just right. Had a bit of binding at first, had to do some fine-tuning with the placement and make sure no screw heads were proud. My buddy Tom came over to help me muscle a few things and for moral support, which was a lifesaver.
So, What Did It Actually Cost Me?
This is what you really want to know, right? Here’s my breakdown, as best as I can remember:
- Marine-grade Plywood: About $90 (It was a half-sheet for my repair size after I trimmed it, but a full sheet was around this, and I used most of it.)
- Sealants and Adhesives: Around $45 for the good stuff.
- Vinyl Flooring: We got a nice remnant piece for $70.
- Screws & a couple of new saw blades: Maybe $25.
- Treated Lumber for battens: $20.
- Pizza and a six-pack for Tom: Let’s call it $30. Can’t forget that!
Grand Total: Roughly $280.
Now, compare that to the thousands the shops were quoting! Of course, that doesn’t count my time. And believe me, I put in some serious hours. Probably a good 20-25 hours all told, between the demo, the cleaning, the cutting, the fitting, and the cussing.
Was It Worth It?
You bet it was. Financially, absolutely. But more than that, there’s a satisfaction in fixing something yourself. Knowing every inch of that repair. That said, it was a tough job. If I didn’t have the tools, or the inclination to get dirty and frustrated at times, I would have paid a pro. My back was definitely sore for a few days after all that crawling around.
The most important thing I learned? Find and fix the leak FIRST. Replacing the floor is pointless if water just keeps getting in. I spent a whole afternoon re-sealing every seam on that slide-out before I even thought about putting the new floor in.
So, if you’re facing a rotted slide-out floor, you’ve got options. It can be a big hit to the wallet, or a big hit to your weekend (or two). For me, saving that much cash made the sweat and sore muscles totally worth it. The floor is solid as a rock now, and we’re ready for more adventures.
