Community Forums

campersamuel · 03-18-2025, 11:05 AM

Hello all, something has been really bugging me and just wanted to make sure that its fine.

a few weeks ago there was a small leak (maybe one liter total) into a corner where cabinets and floor/wall meet. I put a towel there and its all a week later.
I was touching the floor for no particular reason near the wall, and to my shock I can press down on the floor a few MM in one portion near the wall. In all other parts it is solid though. Is it just that the linoleum sheet floor near the wall isn't completely down so it can be pushed? Just want to make sure there is 0 water damage or soft spots.

TIA
Doug

campersamuel · 03-18-2025, 11:06 AM

I've had water leaks before that I've cleaned up and never had a problem with in other areas of the motorhome an year ago. This one too I noticed within 10 minutes and put a towel there.

Gary RVRoamer · 03-18-2025, 12:55 PM

No way to be sure if you didn't happen to do the same check before the leak, but chances are it's a coincidence. Even crappy particle board isn't likely to suffer like that with a small leak that got sopped up fairly quickly.

If you really mean a couple, i.e. 2 mm, that's only about 1/16". I wouldn't worry regardless.

campersamuel · 03-18-2025, 01:25 PM

Yes, around 3mm probably by the feel of it.

This image isnt of my unit, but it shows a very similar area. Red is the soft, green is all solid.

https://preview.redd.it/water-damage...=webp&ac02eeb5

there is no trim in my unit and the area between the stepwell and kitchen cabinets is a tiny bit, maybe 2 inches wider.
its actually only about from the wall to maybe an 1/2 inch max out and an inch along the wall.

campersamuel · 03-18-2025, 06:54 PM

Is it possible fro me to peel back the floor without damaging it to make sure for 100% that its just a coincidence and no water damage or any othermethods ?

NXR · 03-18-2025, 09:09 PM

Buy a pinless moisture meter and run it around the floor and walls. While they can false positive if there is metal in the wall (or floor) they work great for relative measurements. A number well into double digits almost certainly is wet.

I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076VGKSZN

Ray

**hamm2018** · 03-19-2025, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campersamuel

Is it possible fro me to peel back the floor without damaging it to make sure for 100% that its just a coincidence and no water damage or any othermethods ?

I have to do this in our rig. I used a razor blade and cut along the cabinets then gently pulled the flooring back.
If you have 1/4 round or shoe moulding, on the floor remove it first. Then after repairing/inspecting floor, reinstall the trim piece.
I didn't have any trim, but after I did the floor repair I do now around the cabinets.

chrlydonsrf · 03-19-2025, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by campersamuel

Is it possible fro me to peel back the floor without damaging it to make sure for 100% that its just a coincidence and no water damage or any othermethods ?

Yes, if it's loose laid ( no adhesive). Remove the shoe mold, if any, and using a razor knife cut along the wall ( never cut toward an outside corner, if the blade slips you will likely cut into the field, begin at the outside corner). When finished you'll need to staple the flooring at the wall before installing shoe molding (otherwise the resilient flooring will contract over time and pull from under the shoe molding). *** If the floor covering has contracted and won't quite lay back completely to the wall try this trick: rent or borrow a knee kicker for carpet, dial the teeth all the way in and wrap the head ( 5 or 6 wraps) with duct tap, sticky side out. Place the head about 6" from the wall holding down firmly with one hand and gently bump the pad with your knee, hold it in place and staple the edge at the wall. Work down the wall repeating as you go.

campersamuel · 03-19-2025, 08:31 AM

This is some good advice. I think I'll try the moisture meter like NXR said before taking off the corner of the floor. I didn't know something like that existed. It gives false positives, but does it give false negative? Meaning, if it gives a low reading, would that mean for sure that I'm good

I finally figured out how to and added a screenshot from the tiffin website 3d tour of the current model year, whcih is almost same except for the addition of moulding and the floor is not linoleum sheeting anymore. Also the plastic armest thing on the side is a wooden cabinet. same size as icture though.The red is the area that feels soft, with the green and everything else being hard. Its' probably not more than half a inch from the wall, and an inch wide. You can push down with some resistance with your finger tip and then its solid after 3 mm approximately.