Hello, Dave,
I’m inquiring about my 2020 Arctic Fox 5th wheel trailer’s flooring. I noticed that there are staples coming up through the linoleum in the floor. There are two spots where this is happening, and it looks like a factory issue. Has anyone else had any issues? Thanks. —Dane, 2020 Arctic Fox 5th wheel
Hi, Dane,
One of the challenges in troubleshooting construction issues in the RV industry is the lack of documentation and running line changes during production. The RV industry is not regulated like the auto and truck industry, so manufacturers can make a change in materials or design any time.
Typical flooring in Northwood products
The reason I point this out is, according to online brochures and Northwood documentation, the floors in its units are 5/8th-inch tongue-and-groove plywood and not chipboard. This flooring would be secured to the under-carriage framework with either a secure screw or a “huck bolt”. There would be no staples used on the upper plywood flooring that I am aware of.
However, your unit would fall into the “COVID build” category. That could mean they used almost anything and no documentation. So, they might have used chipboard plywood and stapes.
Options regarding the flooring
If you can visually see the staples, then you can either pound them back down, or remove them. If you can’t actually see the staple, I would cut a line in the vinyl at the bump and pull it slightly back to see what is happening.
It might be worth trying to pull the vinyl back in that main area and see what other staples or foreign objects there are. You can cut a large square starting under a cabinet or close to the wall and pull it back. Typically, with vinyl you can glue it down to the substructure when you reinstall it.
Unfortunately, a unit that is almost 6 years old would not be covered by warranty even though it seems to be a factory defect. However, I don’t think it is much of a structural issue—it’s just annoying and requires some vinyl repair.
I’m interested to find out if anyone else has had staple issues in their rigs.
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Dave didn’t mention any vinyl adhesive product. In my experience Henry Vinyl Repair Adhesive works well. You don’t need a lot. It should be thin enough to insert in small slits using a syringe. Just know that after application you have to wait a few minutes for the adhesive to get ‘tacky’. A squeegee and/or wall paper roller are good tools to resmooth the surface after you reattach the vinyl.
Thank you for your practical and easy-to-apply answer, Dave! I hope it is only cosmetic and not something more troublesome. Have a great day and safe travels!