RV Slide-Out Floor Thickness (How To Replace Slide Out Floor)
The thickness varies, that is one thing about slide-out flooring material. It is hard to tell how thick it is without removing some of the flooring material. The real problem, when you are doing work on the floor is not the thickness, but the length of the screws you need to use.
Generally, the slide-out floor ranges in thickness between 3/4 and 1 inch. That allows for a little room for the floor covering. Vinyl is usually the thinnest and carpet may be the thickest floor covering so the overall thickness will vary from RV to RV.
To learn more about this topic just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so you can attach sofas, replace top flooring, and do other projects with the slide-out floor. The work can get complicated.
What is a Camper Slide-Out Floor Made Of?
Generally, you are looking at a sheet of plywood. Depending on what the plywood is made from, the thickness will vary to some degree. Not all trailers and RVs will have the same thickness.
But the real question is, what is the plywood made of? If it is real plywood, then you should have a very solid subfloor in your slide-out. If it is made from particle board, MDF, and other plywood alternatives, then the subflooring is not going to be the best you can have.
The alternative options are more vulnerable to water damage than real plywood is. That is something you need to be concerned about. Then if you are talking about the flooring material above the plywood, there are several options for that part as well.
The top flooring material could be vinyl sheets or linoleum, just like you would use in your kitchen or bathroom in your traditional home. These are thin and easy o lay down plus, they are cheap.
Or the top flooring could be carpeting and the type of carpet used will depend on how much room the RV makers have left over. A thick carpet is not good when the subflooring is extra thick.
Finally, you can use wood or vinyl planks. These are attractive and should fit into your slide-out easily. They are not too thick but they are very durable. The material you have will depend on the RV maker and the previous owner if you bought a used model.
RV Slide-Out Floor Material Options
The subflooring material is fairly standard. It will be some form of plywood depending on the budget of the RV maker. There is really nothing else that will replace plywood when it is used for the subfloor.
But when it comes to the overlay or top floor there are more options than you may realize. That is because many businesses advertise by brand name and not general construction materials.
For example, some businesses may advertise diamond plate flooring while another business may simply advertise Lucinda flooring. They won’t say both are plastic or vinyl until they have to.
But you do have different options as the diamond plate is a plastic-type flooring material. How good it is depends on your traffic, etc., vinyl is a go-to option as it is strong, thin, versatile, and comes in a lot of nice colors and designs.
Or you can go with an EVA foam cushion because it absorbs some shock when you step and it can absorb sound. It is a nice soft option that will work in some applications.
Then there is marine and indoor outdoor carpet that will make a very good top flooring. Both look and feel good and should help with absorbing sound. They also come in different colors so matching your interior decor should not be that hard.
There are many more options available and we mentioned a couple in the previous section. Your selection will depend on your taste, budget, and how much room you have to work with.
The key is to make sure the flooring material does not impede the slide-outs movement.
RV Slide-Out Plywood
Plywood comes with different names. Their names reflect the type of construction material used to create the plywood sheets. There is OSB which is made with large wood pieces and often waterproof glue.
Then there is MDO and CDX plywood which is similar to OSB but not quite the same. The problem with these plywood alternatives is that they are not made to be soaked with any water or moisture.
The materials can absorb that moisture and swell ruining your flooring over time. It won’t be long before you would have to replace the flooring with stronger materials.
Then there are the brands of plywood, Like Dyna-Bilt, which make several alternative plywood products to put in your slide-out. These alternatives are made from raw oriented strand board, raw plywood, MDO overlays, and plastic and vinyl overlays.
The company’s different products all start with the word Dyna so you know you are getting that brand. The best plywood material you could use should be marine-grade plywood.
With the words marine-grade, you know that the product is made to withstand water for a very long time and it is very strong. When you come to the point where you need to replace your slide-out flooring, you will find that there are a lot of options to work with.
RV Slide-Out Floor Thickness
When you look at different RV and trailer slide-out floors, you will find that they will be of different thicknesses. How thick they will get will depend on the RV maker and what they want to do with the floor
Some owners have 3/8-inch thick flooring in their slide-outs, while others have 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch. Then still other RV and trailer owners will have 1-inch thick floors with a few exceptions at 1 1/2 inches.
What all this means is that you would have to measure your floor with the slide partially retracted and when it has risen a bit. But the thickness of the floor is not your only problem.
Securing it will be and then securing any furniture to the new flooring will be the biggest challenges. Those will have to be worked out before you start this project. The reasons why they have to be worked out before you start are legitimate.
The wrong sized screw can mess up your slide-out operation. So make sure you plan everything out before you start ripping up the old slide-out floor and begin installing the replacement.
How do I Replace The Floor In My RV Slide-Out?
Replacing this floor is like replacing any other floor in your RV or traditional home. The work is just more complicated and sophisticated because of the slides, etc. Here are some tips to guide your work:
1. Measure the slide floor carefully. You want to buy enough material to do the job without having to go back for more wood, etc. Add 10% to your totals so you can cover for mistakes.
2. Next, select the material that will be durable, insulating, and water resistant. This is all done before you remove the old flooring material.
3. Use carriage bolts or #14 screws as the former will have a flat to flush head on it. The key to using any bolts or screws is to watch the length. You want to make sure no part of the screw or bolt is too long or impedes slide-out operation.
4. When you are selecting the material, make sure to account for its weight. As you know, weight matters, and your new flooring cannot weigh more than the old unless you have lots of weight capacity room. It is always better to go lighter than heavier in this specific case.
5. After laying the floor, make sure all edges and seams are properly and thoroughly caulked. This will prevent moisture from getting inside and ruining your new floor.
As to the actual work, make sure to remove all items that sit on the floor of your slide-out. Then carefully pull up the old flooring taking note of anything out of the ordinary.
If you see water stains, etc., look for the source and plug them up before putting your new flooring down. Use the proper screws or bolts to secure the new plywood subfloor to the joists.
Once that is done, you can lay down the new top flooring so the slide-out looks great. Just watch your thicknesses so you do not add more flooring thickness than what was already there previously.
Some Final Words
Most RV and trailer floors are fairly standard and should not give you any trouble when you go to replace them. However, the slide-out floor is different because of the mechanisms, the thickness restrictions, and so on.
When you go to secure the furniture on the new floor, you still have to watch the length of the bolts and screws you are using. Everything involved has to be closely calculated.
