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Plywood Drip Pan


Brian G

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I needed an odd-shaped drip pan for the new water heater in my old mobile home, so I made one out of plywood. I had to have room to take the pipes through the floor (no place else to go) and it had to fit inside a false cabinet.

The bottom is 3/4 plywood, thick enough to screw the 3/8 sides to. Then I slathered it with a thick layer of polyurethane caulk (50 year rated life, outdoors). I guarantee you it will not leak anywhere but the drain line. I gave that a plumbing vent...why not?

I can't help thinking what many of us would say if we found such a thing on an inspection. I can hear Walter Jowers now..."Unconventional things behave in unconventional ways"...but I'm not worried about this one.

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Brian G.

Great American Home Engineer [^]

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Now that brings a tear to my eye!

At first thought, I was thinking "It's a trailer, why bother?"

Then I remembered what a pain in the arse it was to wrestle a partialy sunken water heater out of the jaws of a rotten floor.

I especially like the decor in the background. Reminds me of my bachelor years. 8 years living in a 12x52 Palacial Mansion. Best $1200 I ever spent! She didn't go up in value but she sure as heck couldn't go down much. (I sold it for $500 when I got married)

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What can I say, it was that or nothing. Since I own the trailer and my girl is moving in, nothing was not an option. The old water heater leaked once while I lived in it, but we caught it early. I was looking at that one while remodeling one day. It was 21 years old (bought it used 15 years ago), the water connections were semi-corroded, the relief piping was standard PVC and only went to the crawl space, there was no drip pan, etc.,etc.... I thought to myself, "I recommend replacing it with a nice, new, clean, more efficient one, with a drip pan and drain line to help protect my investment". Done.

Brian G.

Domestic Construction Artist [:-propell

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Originally posted by Chad Fabry

I'd have drilled a hole in the floor so you're head and shoulders above my approach.

Originally posted by chrisprickett

I'd have gotten the "no-good son-in-law" to do it.

Oh sure, now you knotheads come with the alternate ideas. I gotta admit, I actually enjoyed making that. Not your "done it a hundred times already" carpentry item. Besides, the son-in-law (to be) is a mechanic...I'll get my use out of him. [;)]

Brian G.

Father-in-Law From Hell [:-devil]

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Originally posted by Donald Lawson

I especially like the decor in the background. Reminds me of my bachelor years. 8 years living in a 12x52 Palacial Mansion. Best $1200 I ever spent! She didn't go up in value but she sure as heck couldn't go down much. (I sold it for $500 when I got married)

Well ya dang fool, whud'ja sell it fer? And I've got you beat, I gave $1,000 for this one years ago (12 x 60, 1970 vintage). Two remodels later I probably have around $5,000 total in it, since day one. It was empty and unfinished until I married, we lived in it for 6 years, it's been empty for 5, now the girl is taking it over, and my son should be ready in about 12 more years IF my mother-in-law doesn't confiscate it somewhere in between. That's what I call value brother. Still has the original package unit too.

Brian G.

Housing Mogul [:-tophat]

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Originally posted by Richard Moore

Did you place anything between the water heater and caulk, or are you planning on moving before the heater needs to be pryed out?

Two layers of aluminum foil, o' shrewd one from across the big pond. My Momma only raised one fool, an' he's my brother so don't start on him. [;)]

Brian G.

Semi-Clever Redneck [:-dopey]

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Originally posted by Brian G.

Two layers of aluminum foil...

That will work. I shall never doubt your foresightedness(?) again. [:-taped]

Personally, I would have gone with a raised "griddle" of ¼" Lexan strips set into the caulk, but that's only because I keep the stuff on hand for jigs, router bases, etc. Thinking about what I have readily available, I probably would have made the base with a nice cherry plywood and solid cherry sides and then used a clear epoxy resin for the finish. After admiring my handiwork for about a month, I would eventually, and very reluctantly, set the damn ugly water heater on it.

Richard M.

Selectively Anal [:-propell

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Perhaps it's the redneck in me, but I kinda like that wall with all those pockets. It'd be one handy area to store stuff!

My previously mentioned Bachelors pad had green and gold wall to wall carpet. It really set off the wood tone paneling. The commode was that cool 70's green and the sink was yellow and the tub...was somewhere in between. Man, those 70's trailer designers were the greatest! Sadly, I think my little love nest may have been the reason I stayed single for over 8 years. Women were not open minded enough to appreciate the advanced decor.

That's why I wouldn't let current wife see it until I had proposed, just in case she had less decor taste than I did. Just as I had expected, her taste were not up to mine. Her first words after seeing it were "We're not living in THAT!!"

I can hear ole Mac Davis now..."It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way"

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Originally posted by Donald Lawson

Perhaps it's the redneck in me, but I kinda like that wall with all those pockets.

Somehow I knew...well hey, what's not to like?

The commode was that cool 70's green and the sink was yellow and the tub...was somewhere in between.

I believe you're referring to "avacado" and "harvest gold", two staple colors of 70's everything. The worst was the wretched red-orange they called "poppy". [:-yuck]

Women were not open minded enough to appreciate the advanced decor.

Yeah...who the hell can figure them out anyway? [;)]

Her first words after seeing it were "We're not living in THAT!!"

I can hear ole Mac Davis now..."It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way"

Yep, I guess that's just a man's cross to bear, eh Don? [:-angel]

Brian G.

Sympatico With the Donster [^]

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Originally posted by Brian G.

Since Donald likes the interior I've thrown in one more for the road. This is the hallway, done by my mother the artist.

Brian G.

Forever In Blue Jeans, Babe

It's a butt quilt. Wow, that brings back memories.

Someday, if you can get me drunk, I'll tell you about the year I spent working with my dad at the "Rough & Ready Underwear Company."

- Jim Katen

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Originally posted by Jim Katen

Someday, if you can get me drunk, I'll tell you about the year I spent working with my dad at the "Rough & Ready Underwear Company."

That sounds worthwhile. Are you going to Fort Lauderdale? I'm sure I could round up some help for this project.

[:D][:-drunk][:-dopey][:-clown][:-boggled[:-eyebrow[:-hypnoti[:-jester][:-moptop]

Brian G.

Designated Driver [^]

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Brian, No more photos or those folks from out west will be a-copying us. Just how did you wear out all those jeans? Do you remember the Trading Spaces show where Heldi (NY girl) stapled 1000s of plastic flowers on a bathroom wall? This was in a so called "upper class" area close to Scott P's house. Now that belonged in a trailer.

Charlie Sessums

The popular Southern Designer

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Do you remember the Trading Spaces show where Heldi (NY girl) stapled 1000s of plastic flowers on a bathroom wall?

I inspected that home for the Trading Space folks before and after. It was really bad, it just about gave me vertigo. If memory serves me, they had around 10,000 silk flowers stapled to the walls.

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