How can I replace my rotting floors?

Bobbie
by Bobbie

I live in a dblewide mobile home, after Hurricane Charley came thru in 2004, I had a considerable amount of damage, especially my floors, which were particle board. When my floors were replaced, unfortunately, untreated plywood & pine were used. However, I realized that My bedroom floors, are still the original particle board, they just put down new padding & carpet. My floors are, literally, rotting out from under me. I live on a fixed income, so can someone tell me how to tear out the replace my rotting floor? I'd truly appreciate it.

  3 answers
  • Oh no! Ok, if you are retired, contact your local Department on Aging, they may have programs to help you get this accomplished. You need to pull up the carpet and padding, keep if still serviceable. Then remove the sub floor, inspect the joists, replace if necessary, then put it all back. It is a lot of hard manual labor.

  • Hi, Bobbie!

    I can totally relate... I had a tree fall through my mobile home last summer and we replaced all of the particleboard floors. I used two different sheets of plywood for mine: 1/2" pine with 1/2" OSB on top (the original floor was 1" thick). As long as the pine plywood isn't rotting or wet, it should be fine. As far as replacing the particle board, it will have to be cut out (beware - they probably used staples to put the original floor in and there will be literally thousands of them), then new plywood laid to replace it. The seams on each layer should be staggered for maximum support, and furring strips used to attach the new floor to spaces where there is no floor joist to attach it. This is a huge job, and can be done affordably. I wrote a post on replacing portions of a floor, and the same "rules" apply for replacing a whole floor. Good luck with your project, and I truly sympathize with you! Don't hesitate to ask if you have further questions!

  • Sharon Sharon on Aug 28, 2019

    You might try applying for a rural homeowner's grant that helps low-income people make necessary repairs. https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/402

    Then if you get the funds, I would contact Habitat for Humanity in your area, they also do home repairs inexpensively and do these rural grants in my area. Senior & Disabled Services in my area sets this up for disabled persons living in substandard or damaged properties. So if you have a case worker, ask them about the program.