How to Repair Mobile Home Floors
A mobile home needs occasional maintenance and repair like any other home. If you have noticed a soft spot in your floor or under your carpet, chances are the particle board your floor was constructed with has received water damage. When particle board is exposed to water from a leak, it becomes soft and weak. You could call a repair service and pay a lot of money to have that soft spot repaired, or you could make the repair yourself. If you can use a saw and a drill, you can repair a mobile home floor. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Circular saw
- Pry bar
- Drill
- Screws
- 2-by-4-inch boards
- 3/4-inch plywood
- Construction adhesive
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Instructions
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Remove the floor covering over the damaged area to expose the old particle board. Carpeting should be rolled back, not cut. If you are removing vinyl tile, you will need to find new tile to replace it with.
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Locate the joists on the old particle board. There should be rows of nails or screws in the old particle board to show you where the joists are. Use a pencil and ruler to mark the area of particle board to be removed. The area you remove should be a minimum of 6 inches larger on all sides than the soft spot or damage. Keep in mind that the new plywood will be screwed to the joists, so you will want to cut away old particle board to expose the joists.
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Set the blade on your circular saw to 1 inch so you will not be able to cut through the joist. Cut out the old particle along the lines you have marked. Use a pry bar to remove the old particle board. Remove any damage or old insulation. Remove all dirt and debris from the area.
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Reinforce the existing joists, or build new ones from 2-by-4-inch boards cut to size, if there aren't enough to properly support the area. Attach supporting joists to the old joists with a drill and screws. Joists should be 16 inches apart. If you have floor insulation, replace the old insulation with new insulation by cutting it to size to fit between the joists.
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Use a circular saw to cut ¾-inch plywood to size. Apply a bead of construction adhesive to the top of each joist, and set the plywood in place on the adhesive. Use a drill to screw the plywood to the joists with a screw every 6 inches. Replace the floor covering by rolling back the carpet or installing new vinyl tile.
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Tips & Warnings
Upon completing a floor mobile home repair, take the opportunity to upgrade the floor covering with new vinyl flooring or carpet.
Wear protective safety glasses and a painting mask when pulling up old floor coverings or using construction adhesive. Use caution when working with power tools to avoid accidents.
