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Not your typical build question

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Bear with me for the backstory, it's relevant.

MDB abd I bought this little RV, built on a Mercedes chassis, very reliable, great (for an RV) fuel mileage, 16 mpg...
We got it cheap because it had a known to us problem of a squishy floor. After using it for a year or so, we may sell it and get something with a little more power. We plan a month or two trip next year.

So the floor...As it turns out, the floor construction might have been a good design, but with poor material choices.
The floor is comprised of a 2" layer of styrofoam (yes, styrofoam) sandwiched with a layer of1/8" luan plywood on each side. In theory, this would be a stiff, lightweight laminate, assuming no bonding or sheer failures.
In reality, these floors typically degrade in one or two years.

That brings us to today. I have all of the finish flooring material removed (vinyl sheet goods) to expose the luan plywood. This plywood is clearly debonded from the foam substrate.
When I cut a section of the luan plywood to peek inside, I saw that the styrofoam itself is delaminationg, with a thin layer still firmly adhered to the luan plywood.
Oh, and I have already braced the floor from beneath, there were sections that were unsupported that were roughly 48" x 36".

So here's the part where I ask for advice.
I plan to remove a large section of the luan plywood, in the areas where the heaviest use has caused most of the problems. Then I plan to mix up some epoxy resin, and bond everything back in place. Hopefully, this will restore (or maybe even improve upon) the OEM floor stiffness.

Anyone here have experience with these sort of syrofoam cored composites? I know those backyard surfboard builders use styrofoam cores, but I feel at home here...
 
Hard to give Sound advise without seeing it !

My experience with Foam delamination, tells me Foam doesn't improve with age ! Trying to reglue, no matter how good the glue, is pouring good after bad !

Again hard to tell without looking closely !

I'd take off the top Luan, pull out the Styrofoam, and at least build a wood grid, to fill the space where the foam was, cut new foam to fill the grid, use a good construction adhesive and cover back up with plywood.

Of course, there are other ways to Skin that Cat ! But that's what My mind came up with !

Good Luck !

If you are going to Haul canoes on that van ? Then I guess I'd call that canoe related ! Ha !

Jim

Good Luck !
 
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