Floor Delam resin

[Dangerstevie]

I have done a bit of reading and seen a few different ways of attacking a delaminated floor. The expanding foam repair was interesting and i cant help thinking it may be the most cost effective way of repairing the floor. I do however keep looking at the "epoxy" kits on ebay and the likes and thinking is it just a standard 2 part epoxy as used with composites? Could i get away with using a polyester fibreglass resin?
Can anyone clarify for me if a poly resin would be suitable or if it would destroy the foam within the floor?

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

You have to use the appropriate foam designed for repairing delaminated caravan floors. Whether you inject it into the floor from inside the van or outside is a personal choice.

 

[Damian]

There are specific resins used for delaminated floors, for a reason, they are the right thing to use.
Expanding foam is the WRONG thing to use.

There may be what look like cheaper alternatives but if you use them , it is at your own risk and the damage some products can cause will cost you a lot more to repair than spending a small amount now on the right product.

 

[Dangerstevie]

I have moved away from the expanding foam after summing up the risk vs cost arguements as you rightly said. I plan to use epoxy resin from my local carbon fibre composites supplier (We have a good working relationship through past projects), i assume (possibly incorrectly) that the epoxy as sold specifically for the floor repair is the same as the epoxy laminating resin. I'll be starting this repair on Friday this week and will be documenting the whole thing, hopefully with timelapse video too.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Steve,

Welcome to the forum. I must echo the concerns and advice already given. Whilst I haven't done a lamination repair, but I have seen the effects of incompatible materials. Essentially caravan floors are a foam sandwich with a wooden skin. The problem if the foam is subject to chemical attack it will usually shrink back and cam make the original problem worse.

Even the two part epoxy's have to be selected carefully for compatibility with integral foam. The specialised delamination packs will use tested materials, and I would be concerned that other forms of epoxy compounds may not be compatible. Do get an undertaking from your supplier that the materials they supply are compatible with caravan flooring foam.

 

[Dangerstevie]

A standard laminating epoxy should be safe to use on any type of foam. It is the polyester resin that is particuarly bad for melting foams. I am not 100% sure if a vinylester resin would be ok but for the lower risk of using epoxy i think ill stick with that.