I just bought a trailer and need to replace the aluminum floor. Anyone ever done this before? Any tips or suggestions. Could you please tell me about how much it will cost?
Posted 2009-04-08 6:37 AM (#102943 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
You could also just over lay it with Rumber planks. I've had several trailers with the rumber flooring. It lays in just like 2x6 planks and the gaps between planks allow water/urine to pass through. On the new trailers it came with supporting cross members every 12-14". So as long os the old floor was structurally sound enough to support the rumber, the rumber plankscould spread the horses weight over a hole or two in the aluminum. http://www.rumber.com/trailer_flooring_and_boards/horse_and_livestock/trailer_horse.html
Posted 2009-04-10 1:29 PM (#103133 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
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Posts: 10
Putting Rumber planks down will not sovle your problem. You will now need to take all of the planks out to clean your floor instead of the mats because urine and manure will still get to your floor.
Posted 2009-04-10 1:36 PM (#103134 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Member
Posts: 24
Location: North Webster,Indiana
If you have large holes repaired and the whole floor Wermed you will be able to file this problem under "taken cared of" and you will be able to go ahead and enjoy your horses and trailer.
Posted 2009-04-10 4:01 PM (#103141 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Either the original aluminum flooring will have to be repaired, or it should be removed and a product such as "Rumber" installed, if the floor joists are close enough together to provide enough support. If they are not close together, #1 pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine planks can be installed, which will provide a satisfactory and long lasting floor surface.
Corroded flooring, left in place, will eventually damage the floor joists and other structural elements. More manure and urine, trapped between the two layers will only exacerbate the problem.
Posted 2009-04-10 6:27 PM (#103150 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
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Posts: 10
From what I understand WERM flooring can be installed over a floor that has a little bit of corrossion if still solid. Patching the really bad spots will be fine if installing WERM over it because your floor will never see any urine or manure again. I, along with a few people I know have WERM flooring and would never be without it. I was told that rumber can be installed after market, but I could be wrong.
Posted 2010-02-08 8:56 PM (#116290 - in reply to #103141) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
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Posts: 6
Location: Berkeley, CA
Originally written by gard on 2009-04-10 4:01 PM
Either the original aluminum flooring will have to be repaired, or it should be removed and a product such as "Rumber" installed, if the floor joists are close enough together to provide enough support. If they are not close together, #1 pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine planks can be installed, which will provide a satisfactory and long lasting floor surface.
Corroded flooring, left in place, will eventually damage the floor joists and other structural elements. More manure and urine, trapped between the two layers will only exacerbate the problem.
Gard
Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I have a naive question. How does one know if the floor joists are close enough together to support a Rumber floor or a pressure treated wood floor? And does it make a difference if the floor joists are made of aluminum or steel?
Posted 2010-02-08 10:21 PM (#116292 - in reply to #116290) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
For a Rumber flooring, the floor joists should be about 12" on center. With 1 1/2" Southern Yellow Pine, or Oak, the joists can be 16" on center.
Either joist material should be repaired and treated before a new flooring is installed. An aluminum floor structure should be acid etched to stop the present corrosion; a steel joist system should be first treated with a rust conversion material, a proper primer and a final paint coating.
Posted 2010-02-09 8:35 AM (#116297 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Regular
Posts: 83
"Patching the really bad spots will be fine if installing WERM over it because your floor will never see any urine or manure again."
Pretty strong statement "your floor will never see any urine or manure again". At least you won't see the urine. It just takes one crack or pinhole, and you can't even remove it to clean underneath. All that urine trapped underneath your WERM and sitting on your aluminum floor. I'm not saying it's going to happen to everyone or anyone, but to think it can't happen is wrong.
Posted 2010-02-09 9:02 AM (#116300 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Elite Veteran
Posts: 714 Location: Minnesota
It really cant't get under the WERM because the WERM is adhered to the floor. It is not something you lay in there, it is applied as a liquid and troweled level after the floor has been cleaned and treated. Even if there would happen to be a pinhole, that is where any manure or urine would stay. And it is very unlikely that a pinhole or even an air pocket would go all the way through.
It amazes me how the people that are naysayers of WERM flooring have never seen it being installed
Posted 2010-02-09 9:26 AM (#116301 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I guess you've never seen a Werm covering delaminate from the flooring. This is usually caused by improper surface preparation. If the Werm is installed over corrosion or the surfactants of new aluminum, there will be adhesion issues. When this occurs, a cavity will develop between the two surfaces, and eventually the loose area will break open like a blister. The only repair is to cut and dig the surrounding area out back to a good bonding area, properly clean the affected flooring, and install new Werm material.
You cannot hide a corroding aluminum flooring under Werm, just like new paint will not repair a rusting surface.
Werm is a great product, and like every other one, is not perfect all the time.
Posted 2010-02-09 9:32 AM (#116302 - in reply to #102925) Subject: RE: Replacing Aluminum floors
Regular
Posts: 83
If you can guarantee its adhesion and wearability, why does it come with only a 2 year limited warranty? I didn't realize WERM was indistructable and would never loose bond to aluminum. Not only that, apparentley it can "self heal" itself if it were to ever crack or have a pinhole. Why even have the aluminum floor? The whole trailer should just be made out of WERM.
Replacing Aluminum floors
