Work begins - tearing out the sub-floor

Yesterday we began work on the Airstream. In the morning I picked up a couch that we cound on Craigslist, it's a wicker pull-out that fits perfectly. Getting it in the door was very tough, we had to turn it on a 45 degree angle to get it in the door. All 3 sides were rubbing going through the door, if the couch had been even 1/4 inch bigger on any dimension it would not have fit.

We will eventually re-do the fabric on the couch but it's good for now.


We had the intention of putting the couch in place just to test the fit then take it back out so we could rip up the floor, but the difficulty in getting the thing through the door changed our plans. Instead we moved it as far back to the kitchen as possible, this way I could tear the floor up at the front of the camper.


The above picture gives you an idea of how rotted the floor is at the front of the trailer. Ripping it up was hard, the plywood is very strong, very old, 3/4 marine grade plywood. I had to use a circular saw set to 3/4" depth and cut it out in strips. Around the edges the plywood is sandwiched between the trailer frame below, and the camper shell frame above. this makes it especially difficult to get out.

Here I am cutting the old floor out:

Here is the bad area cut out. I made my cut at the center of a cross brace for strength.

Here is the debris pile left over.


I also took out the home made bed on the curb side of the camper, someone made it twin size and it stuck half way out into the hall. I will be cutting it down and reinstalling it. Note the flooring in this area, I'll be keeping the parquet floor, the rest of the flooring is coming up and wood laminate will be going down.

I'm hoping to get back in there today and install the new, marine grade sub-floor up front and maybe even start laying some laminate!