Removing bathroom cabinet-floor to ceiling, wedged in

[isonychia]

Has anyone removed a floor to ceiling cabinet in their travel trailer?

I need to remove one in the bathroom to repair a damaged floor.

I removed everything else in the bathroom except for the corner shower and removed all the rotted flooring.

I have not removed the floor to ceiling cabinet yet because it looks like it is wedged in there pretty good and I don't see a way to remove it without scraping the ceiling.

I can't tell how they got it in there. It doesn't seem like they installed the cabinet and then installed the top face frame tight to the ceiling.

Any ideas?

I really want to get out as much rotted flooring as possible. I would hate to remove all of the floor except for that one piece under the cabinet, which is where the water heater is as well.

I am replacing the water heater as well.

Thanks,
iso

[myredracer]

Wow, that is a handful to deal with. 😞

After our toilet overflowed last summer, I accidentally found a slow drip behind the shower while looking for water to clean up. The drip was due to an improper PEX crimp & connection by the factory. Luckily no damage that I could see. Doesn't take much sloppy work by a worker to end up causing extensive damage. The thought of water leaks scares the heck out of me.

That tall piece of paneling should peel away easily enough if careful. You need to get it started somewhere like at the back next to the HWT where you can get a chisel in behind it and slowly work along the edges. Just don't use too much force because the luan plywood can snap. Once that's off, you'll be able to see what's in there holding things together.

If you absolutely have to cut any luan plywood, it's easy to cut with a utility knife with a utility blade. If you happen to damage any paneling, sometimes you can steal some from places like under-bed storage for ex. where nobody will notice.

Pull the drawer out and remove the drawer slides which will be held in place at the rear with a couple of screws and then you may get access to wood screws attaching 1x1 to floor and walls.

That's typical TT construction, kinda like a meccano set that is easy to disassemble. Just a minimal amount of staples and screws holding it all together. Definitely not like cabinets in a house where there are dado joints, biscuit joinery, 1/2-3/4" plywood, etc. When the time comes, installation is simply the reverse of removal... 🙂

You might want to check all the PEX connections in the vicinity, including the "swivel" fittings behind the shower faucet and at toilet.

Good luck and post photos of the progress if you can.

[isonychia]

The trailer has a fiberglass exterior.

I removed the vanity, so I can easily see how they secured everything.

I guess I will have to take a closer look and see if I can dismantle it. Maybe thats a possibility as some suggested. I don't really want to build a new cabinet. I could do it. It's just more work than I wanted to do. And in the end it will never be a perfect match anyway.

Here are some pics. I don't have a ceiling shot that shows the top portion.


And the other pic is the damage and beginnings of the repair. The cabinet is at the top of the photo. Under it is the water heater.


I believe the damage was mostly caused by a leaking shower drain. It's frustrating because I had no clue it was leaking and never thought to randomly check the access panel to see if it leaked. I was always mostly concerned with the exterior leaking.


iso

[isonychia]

Gdetrailer wrote:

isonychia wrote:
Another dumb idea by the manufacturer of these things.

Add that to the list, along with the manufacturer saving $150 on the use of OSB over AC plywood. A sheet of OSB is $17. AC plywood is $35. I estimate my trailer uses about 8 sheets. Thats $144.

Ridiculous.

So I would have to try and knock out the pieces of plywood under the cabinet to free the cabinet?

Then to get it back in I would have to trim 1/2" off the top of the cabinet and add a piece of trim or crown molding to cover the gap.

I'm wondering if I should just leave it.

Thoughts?

I have yet to see this mentioned when I have watched videos of people repairing their trailer floor from water damage.

iso

Pretty much the standard way a RV is built is to build the floor, then install inside walls/furniture/cabinets. Then install outside wall panels, then the roof is set on top as the last part of assembly.

It IS done this way to make best use of LABOR AND MATERIALS, cuts down on wasted time and materials. Manufacturers will build walls and roof on large tables which act as assembly jigs. Once the panels and roof have been assembled they are eventually married up on the final assembly line.

Extremely efficient making YOU the lowest cost possible RV.

RVs are never designed with future service in mind (pretty much can say that about autos and boats too).

Cut the cabinet up to remove, THEN BUILD A NEW CABINET IN PLACE.

As far as griping about OSB vs Plywood, well if YOU were the PRESIDENT of the RV manufacturer, YOU would want to MAXIMIZE YOUR BUSINESSES PROFITS, that $144 saved might mean the difference between the company surviving or not.. Especially if you multiply that $144 x 10,000 units built for the year.. That would be $1,440,000 (yeah 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS) in extra cost!!!

If you don't like how the RV industry does things, perhaps start your own RV company and try it YOUR way and see just how long you can stay in business..

I would gladly pay an extra $144 on top of the price of my trailer for some real subfloor. No need for the business to lose $1,440,000 and institute layoffs, cut workers pay leaving people homeless, ruin Christmas, Thanksgiving, having little Johnny run around with holes in his shoes, little Mary crying in a corner because her dolls head fell off or for Arctic seals to get clubbed.

I'll just eat the $144. Tack it onto the price. No one will notice, I promise.
Normal price, $50,000
New price, $50,144.

But thanks for stretching the $144. 😉

[rhagfo]

Huntindog wrote:
TTs are generally built from the inside out. The cabinents go in before the walls and ceiling.


The floor is the first thing that gets installed.

How much do you like this cabinent?

Consider cutting it out, and replacing it.

This mostly depends on the trailer siding.
Aluminum siding screwed on from the outside (mentioned earlier), real PIA to remove.

Fiberglass, attached from inside, might have screws hidden from panels attached after attaching to walls.

[Huntindog]

TTs are generally built from the inside out. The cabinents go in before the walls and ceiling.


The floor is the first thing that gets installed.

How much do you like this cabinent?

Consider cutting it out, and replacing it.

[rhagfo]

You might find it easier to disassemble the cabinet in place. DW wants to change our entertainment cabinet. The face frame will come off first and go back on last.

[myredracer]

Photos?

It would have been built in place after the ceiling. Look for pieces of 1x1 wood screwed onto the floor, walls and ceiling. The 1/8" panelling will be stapled in place and is very easy to peel off if you go slowly and carefully. Use a wide chisel. You may not find some of the 1x1 pieces until you have peeled away the paneling to reveal it.

Nothing will be glued in place. While you *could* glue the paneling back on, don't do it. I've used a pneumatic nailer with 1" nails but you could use small brads too. If you have a face frame for a door or drawers, it will be screwed on from behind. If you can't get your head inside, try a small mirror.

Screws are robertson (square head) type with a flange style head.

If you don't damage anything, it will be easy to reinstall.

[Gdetrailer]

isonychia wrote:
Another dumb idea by the manufacturer of these things.

Add that to the list, along with the manufacturer saving $150 on the use of OSB over AC plywood. A sheet of OSB is $17. AC plywood is $35. I estimate my trailer uses about 8 sheets. Thats $144.

Ridiculous.

So I would have to try and knock out the pieces of plywood under the cabinet to free the cabinet?

Then to get it back in I would have to trim 1/2" off the top of the cabinet and add a piece of trim or crown molding to cover the gap.

I'm wondering if I should just leave it.

Thoughts?

I have yet to see this mentioned when I have watched videos of people repairing their trailer floor from water damage.

iso

Pretty much the standard way a RV is built is to build the floor, then install inside walls/furniture/cabinets. Then install outside wall panels, then the roof is set on top as the last part of assembly.

It IS done this way to make best use of LABOR AND MATERIALS, cuts down on wasted time and materials. Manufacturers will build walls and roof on large tables which act as assembly jigs. Once the panels and roof have been assembled they are eventually married up on the final assembly line.

Extremely efficient making YOU the lowest cost possible RV.

RVs are never designed with future service in mind (pretty much can say that about autos and boats too).

Cut the cabinet up to remove, THEN BUILD A NEW CABINET IN PLACE.

As far as griping about OSB vs Plywood, well if YOU were the PRESIDENT of the RV manufacturer, YOU would want to MAXIMIZE YOUR BUSINESSES PROFITS, that $144 saved might mean the difference between the company surviving or not.. Especially if you multiply that $144 x 10,000 units built for the year.. That would be $1,440,000 (yeah 1.4 MILLION DOLLARS) in extra cost!!!

If you don't like how the RV industry does things, perhaps start your own RV company and try it YOUR way and see just how long you can stay in business..

[TKW]

Is your TT aluminum clad on wood frame?

If so, cabinets are fastened with wood screws from outside the frame before putting alum claddings on.

I did a similar repair once. I located the screws and use a small cutting disc on a power drill to cut off the screws close to the base and push the frame away from the cabinet. There should be enough flexibility in the frame to free up the cabinet.

[isonychia]

Another dumb idea by the manufacturer of these things.

Add that to the list, along with the manufacturer saving $150 on the use of OSB over AC plywood. A sheet of OSB is $17. AC plywood is $35. I estimate my trailer uses about 8 sheets. Thats $144.

Ridiculous.

So I would have to try and knock out the pieces of plywood under the cabinet to free the cabinet?

Then to get it back in I would have to trim 1/2" off the top of the cabinet and add a piece of trim or crown molding to cover the gap.

I'm wondering if I should just leave it.

Thoughts?

I have yet to see this mentioned when I have watched videos of people repairing their trailer floor from water damage.

iso

[Tyler0215]

The cabinet was installed before the ceiling. Either cut the flooring around the cabinet or cut the cabinet in two pieces to remove