Dear Dave,
I bought my RV new. The slide room floor has rotted under the fridge. I’m guessing the icemaker has been leaking. What wood would you recommend putting in the slide as waterproofing? Will this be a hard project? Or do you recommend taking it to a shop? Thank you, and God bless you. —Corrie Lynn, 2021 Crossroads Hampton 374BAR
Dear Corrie Lynn,
I’m afraid you will need to replace the floor rather than doing some type of waterproof Band-Aid.
Slide room repair
Most slide rooms are made with a Thermo-Panel sidewall design for the sides and simply a plywood floor. The repair would require removing the slide room completely and all the contents, including the refrigerator. This is not an easy task and typically requires a forklift or some type of jacking device or hoist.
The room needs to rest on some type of platform and the old floor removed. (Most have a metal “L” bracket at the corners to connect it.) Then a new floor can be installed. You would also want to cover the underside of the plywood with an aluminum skin or polyethylene underbelly material such as this one on Amazon.
So, yes, this is a big project and not a typical DIY in the driveway.
As for waterproofing after the fact, I would use marine-grade plywood, which is treated and withstands some moisture. However, it is more important to prevent the leaks in the first place.
I am not a big fan of ice makers in RVs as it is easy to forget about the water in the line when it comes time to winterize. Then you have an out-of-sight leak that you only find when it is too late. A couple of trays of ice in the freezer wouldn’t cause nearly as much potential damage.
You might also enjoy these posts from Dave
- Floor is rotted under slideout of 2023 Grand Design. Why?
- Is it OK to walk on the slideout roof like on the RV roof?
- Is there an awning to keep RV slide room cooler and not block fridge vents?
- Best way to clean and lubricate RV slideout rails and gear
- How do I find what’s causing the water leak in my RV?
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
Read more from Dave here.
HAVE A QUESTION FOR DAVE?
Send your inquiries to him using the form below.
RVDT2924
Several years ago a manufacturing defect allowed water to get between the water guard under the frig and the floor – the floor was protected from above, but not below. The water did not evaporate. It ate the floor. A very good mobile tech replaced the floor on site in the RV park when the trailer was unoccupied. The floor was in comparison inexpensive. Removing the kitchen and couch from the slide and reinstalling everything was not. Insurance covered all of the $7,000 bill other than my deductible.
Thank you for the implied reminder to routinely check all seals, and recaulk or replace worn rubber seals, Dave. Have a great day and safe travels!