Extensive rotted rim joists
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 7:27 pm
Hi all. This is my first post, and I have learned a lot by reading on the forum. Sorry this is rather lengthy.
I have a 1996 Skyline 16 x 80 that I got from a friend of mine after he bought a house. He bought the trailer new. Around the same time we bought an old farmhouse that needs totally renovated and were looking for a mobile home to put on the property to live in until we can fix up the farmhouse.
Since moving it to my property, and getting a much closer look at it, there are several feet on both sides of the trailer where the rim joist is rotten, and the underbelly material isn't even connected because the staples have just fallen out. The siding is some kind of woodboard and it is also rotten in several places, especially where the rim joists are rotten.
All the utilities are connected and I need to get the skirting on. I am using some steel roofing sheets that I found on the property which just happen to be the perfect size for skirting. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do about the rim joists. I need to fasten the underbelly material to SOMETHING and I am using a J channel to hold the steel pieces onto the trailer, which also need to be fastened to SOMETHING.
I am considering cutting the siding at the level of the top of the rim joists, then just cut them out and attach new wood to the floor joists which all seem to be ok so far. Very little rot has permeated all the way through to the floor joist side, so there's good wood to attach the new rim joists to. The thing that worries me is there's always surprises when you start ripping things apart.
I guess my question is, is there some quick and dirty way to get this trailer ready for winter without redoing the whole outer shell? In particular, how can I reattach the sagging underbelly fabric without replacing the rim joist? I can place the J channel a little higher up on the side if necessary to get it attached to some good wood, but I can't for the life of me come up with a fix for the underbelly.
Ideally, I would pull off the old siding, support the walls, and get rid of the old rim joists and put on new ones then add insulation and put smart siding on the outside. I don't have the time or money for that right now, as I am renting a place and making payments on the new place until I can get into the trailer.
It's November, and I'm up against it in terms of getting the skirting on and getting the underbelly closed up against cats, rodents, marsupials, etc, not to mention COLD! Also, I have moderately good woodworking, electrical, plumbing skills, which means I usually have enough sense to avoid jobs that I'll end up goofing up!
All and all help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance guys!
P.S. I HAVE downloaded the mobile home guide and have looked at it too!
I have a 1996 Skyline 16 x 80 that I got from a friend of mine after he bought a house. He bought the trailer new. Around the same time we bought an old farmhouse that needs totally renovated and were looking for a mobile home to put on the property to live in until we can fix up the farmhouse.
Since moving it to my property, and getting a much closer look at it, there are several feet on both sides of the trailer where the rim joist is rotten, and the underbelly material isn't even connected because the staples have just fallen out. The siding is some kind of woodboard and it is also rotten in several places, especially where the rim joists are rotten.
All the utilities are connected and I need to get the skirting on. I am using some steel roofing sheets that I found on the property which just happen to be the perfect size for skirting. Unfortunately, I don't know what to do about the rim joists. I need to fasten the underbelly material to SOMETHING and I am using a J channel to hold the steel pieces onto the trailer, which also need to be fastened to SOMETHING.
I am considering cutting the siding at the level of the top of the rim joists, then just cut them out and attach new wood to the floor joists which all seem to be ok so far. Very little rot has permeated all the way through to the floor joist side, so there's good wood to attach the new rim joists to. The thing that worries me is there's always surprises when you start ripping things apart.
I guess my question is, is there some quick and dirty way to get this trailer ready for winter without redoing the whole outer shell? In particular, how can I reattach the sagging underbelly fabric without replacing the rim joist? I can place the J channel a little higher up on the side if necessary to get it attached to some good wood, but I can't for the life of me come up with a fix for the underbelly.
Ideally, I would pull off the old siding, support the walls, and get rid of the old rim joists and put on new ones then add insulation and put smart siding on the outside. I don't have the time or money for that right now, as I am renting a place and making payments on the new place until I can get into the trailer.
It's November, and I'm up against it in terms of getting the skirting on and getting the underbelly closed up against cats, rodents, marsupials, etc, not to mention COLD! Also, I have moderately good woodworking, electrical, plumbing skills, which means I usually have enough sense to avoid jobs that I'll end up goofing up!
All and all help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance guys!
P.S. I HAVE downloaded the mobile home guide and have looked at it too!