Mobile home flooring

[Jayrod1972]

I have a mobile home that flooring in the kitchen is bowing upward in several parts, this is happening all over as well. We put a work order in before the warranty went out for them to come and fix it..... So, the manager came after sending the maintenance man out here 4 times. The manager sent a person out here and he wedged a board between the spots that are creaking but, the made the bowing worse. The manager contacted the regional manager and he said since our warranty is out they wont fix it so, I did some digging and found it does cover the floor as long as it is not sound contrusted. Then, she called a expert out ( a consultant of the company) and, she said it was the hot weather we are having and when it cools down the floor should return to normal.... when the wife told me this i stated boards warp from heat and moisture with heavy stuff sitting on them..... the work order was put in 8 months ago ( before we signed the papers to buy on the assumption the floor was going o be fixed).  Now my question is.... what is going to take to fix it myself?

[Tina]

Keep copies of all paperwork and document what was done when.
I am not sure about the fix-it yourself. I will be interested in any answers because I will need to be doing something similar at some point in my future without any warranties. Mine is just old.

[Jim]

It sounds like the floor is made from OSB.  OSB acts like a sponge when it gets damp or wet.  It swells up.  What kind of floor covering do you have?  Can you easily remove it so you can see what is underneath?

[duh]

I plan to replace my linoleum floors.  I'm thinking stone is the way to go.  I'll take off the stuff that is there put down luan/think plywood and then the stone.  Of course that's after everything is fixed.

[sunsoaker]

Jim is right. it is heat and moisture. you will need to replace the subfloor.. BUT not without checking the moisture barrier and insulation.  if you don't stop the moisture you will have the same problem, even with plywood.     now, if the work order was put in long before the end of warranty and you didn't sign off on any work as being completed, then fight it. assuming you have copies of the paperwok. and good luck.  been there done that (and lost)

[bayou girl]

all sage advice.

[bayou girl]

ok, now that i have had time to think and digest this.  my grandmother lived in an older, off grade house when i was growing up.  parts of the construction were much like a mobile home.  at one time, she had to have the floors repaired because of buckling from flooding.  this is what they had to do for her floors.

first, they had to identify the damaged joists and beams and repair/replace.  that was an under the house thing.  because most of the framing was in fact stable, then they pulled up any damaged wood that was not usable.

after that was done, they employed a technique that she called "rip and flatten".  they cut the buckles at an angle, much like you'd cut a fold of fabric that was sticking up.  then they nailed the edges together flat against the sub floor.  in places where the subfloor was buckled, they did that, then did the same with the top.  she had carpeting put down over the top of all that.  gave her better insulation, padded the floor, and because the carpet went over the top, she didn't have to have them finish the floor like they would have if she had left it bare.  it was hardwood before.

i hope this helps you.

[Jayrod1972]

It sounds like the floor is made from OSB.  OSB acts like a sponge when it gets damp or wet.  It swells up.  What kind of floor covering do you have?  Can you easily remove it so you can see what is underneath?

Jim, it has vynal on top, and whats under it I am guessing plywood. The so called professional floor person said that heat causes that to happen and when it gets into cooler weather it will settle back to normal. I am thinking to myself alot words for this professonal. I know diffrent... The manager of this place, told that floor professional to say that, that way they document down that a professional came out and found no problem yadda yadda.

And to answer the assumtion on documentation.... I have asked for a copy of the work order more than once and was told they can not do that... for whatever reason....I think its because I can nail them in court on their own piece of paper..

But its ok, I am going to fix it either myself... or have someone do it and have them re-enburse me, then call channel 4, 5 , 8, and even the spanish news channels. That should be enough of tabbaco to fill their pipes.