Replace Mobile Home Floor Insulation
Mobile home floor insulation in laid between the sub-floor and the belly paper underneath. Strips of insulation are installed between the joists under the sub-floor. To replace the insulation in a mobile home, the floor covering of carpet or linoleum is removed to expose the sub-floor, commonly made from sheets of particle board. Expect to find areas of water damage, especially in the bathroom or kitchen where the particle is soft and crumbles in your hand. Take the opportunity when replacing your insulation to upgrade your sub-floor to plywood, making water damage less of a problem. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Pull the carpeting up from the carpet strips to expose the sub flooring. If the carpet will be reused roll it up and move it out of the room. To dispose of the old carpet, cut it into sections and roll and tie them. Pull up old carpet strips with a claw hammer. If the floor covering is sheet linoleum, cut sections and peel it off the floor. Use a floor scraper to remove peel-and-stick linoleum tiles. Remove the baseboards and door strips. Clean up any debris from the work area.
2. Remove all screws from the sub-floor with a drill. Remove the particle board sub-floor by cutting around the wall line with a circular saw and then cut the sub-floor into sections. Use a pry bar to pry the sub-floor off the joists. Use a hammer to knock off any remaining particle board at the wall line. Remove any screws, staples or nails from the top surface of all joists. Scrape off old glue from the joists with a putty knife. Remove and dispose of all old insulation between the joists. Clean up all debris from the area.
3. Measure and cut lengths of 2 by 4 lumber to fit between the joists around the wall line. Use a drill and two-inch galvanized screws to screw the joist supports in place. The joist supports are what the new sub flooring will be screwed to around the perimeter of the wall.
4. Open the package of insulation strips and shake them out gently before laying the insulation between the joists.
5. Lay a sheet of ¾-inch plywood on the joists in one corner of the room and use a drill and two-inch galvanized screws to screw the plywood to the joists. Turn the side of the plywood with knots or imperfections facing down. Cut the plywood to size to patch any small areas of the floor until the area is completely covered by new sub-flooring. Countersink the screws in the sub-flooring (sink the screws heads slightly below the level of the plywood).
6. Fill in screw heads, cracks or imperfections in the wood using wood filler and a putty knife, let dry and sand. Remove all dust and debris so the sub-flooring makes a smooth surface for the new floor installation. Hammer in new carpet strips and lay padding if you are installing carpet. Replace your floor covering. Replace door threshold strips.
Tags: between joists, carpet strips, floor covering, particle board, wall line
