DIY damp repair - groups, guides amd how to’s?

[The_Kraken]

Hi all,

We’ve owned our 2004 Autotrail Ducato Cheyenne 696gSE for a little over 2 years now. We bought her from someone we knew. She’s a great MH and we have loved all of the trips away we have had in her. She isn’t perfect, she has not been looked after particularly well but, i’ve been making up for that ever since we bought her.

Shortly after we bought her (we were very green, very taken in by our friend who isn’t now our friend) we discovered some water ingress in the garage. I found that the door had been damaged and bodged and was letting water in. I replaced it and the frame. That was when I discovered rotten wood in the bottom rear corner. So, I intended to strip out the garage and repair it myself in the ‘off season’.

I’ve been searching the internet to try and find resources and how to guides. I’ve watched youtube videos and found that although very similar, most are about Caravans. Iguess I’m looking for something a bit more specific perhaps? I certainly don’t mind having a go myself but i’d feel a lot less daunted if there was something I could reference?

So, my question is: are there any grouos, forums, guides, books or whatever that about this subject? It seems a bit of a taboo topic here? What I mean is, people do mention damp but most send their MH’s off for repair or if they do attempt repair themselves, they don’t seem to document it? Unless I have missed it? - I did try a search on the forum here but never really found what I was looking for?

Any help or linkswould be most welcome and appreciated, thank you.

 

[davejen]

We once bought an American caravan. Found a leak via the rear window. Ended up replacing most of the wooden structure with offcuts of MAHOGANY from a window company. Cost very little but did a better job than the original softwood.
May be an idea if you know a joiner or window company.
Cheers, Dave

 

[138go]

There are some videos on YouTube about Autotrail Factory Tour. Its the construction that you need to know about. Mostly they put a floor down first and then everything is built off that. Sides are one piece and assembled flat and then lifted into place. You need to know how the wood is bonded to the sides so that you can repeat the process very carefully trying not to damage or distort the outer aluminum.

 

[The_Kraken]

There are some videos on YouTube about Autotrail Factory Tour. Its the construction that you need to know about. Mostly they put a floor down first and then everything is built off that. Sides are one piece and assembled flat and then lifted into place. You need to know how the wood is bonded to the sides so that you can repeat the process very carefully trying not to damage or distort the outer aluminum.

Thanks QFour. It’s that kind of sobering advice I really need! I’ll have a look at youtube. Talking of which, I did see a pretty decent video of a guy that was repairing the rear of his caravan. It had rotted around the rear window and he decided to have a crack himself? Most of the video showed him painstakingly scraping / chiselling the rotten wood and insulation off of the aluminium outer skin? He didn’t mention what he used to bond the new bits back on with?

Anyone shed some light?

 

[138go]

Sikaflex sticks just about anything to everything the biggest problem is not squashing it out of the joint it needs about 1 - 2 mm to be effective. Something like Gorilla glue will stick wood together but you need to clamp it otherwise it just forces the joint apart. If you look at the videos of where they build them they don't seem to have any special fume extraction and having visited the Pilote factory they didn't either so they are just using reasonably tame that doesn't expand that will stick to Aluminum and Wood. I would use one of the epoxy resins but you may find them a bit watery so mix in some micro balloons with it to thicken it up. Once it has set it like rock. You have to work fast once you mix it as you have about 30 minutes.

The wood used in constructing some MHs is very cheap and they don't even bother treating it which is why it goes rotten. Looking at the video you can see how they are put together. Floor first and then everything built on top. Looks like your biggest problem will be getting to it and stripping out the damaged wood.

Good Luck.

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[wizzer59]

There are plenty of excellent glues about without spending a fortune, most of them in tubes like silicone
This stuff was recommended to me when I was after buying Sikaflex, far cheaper and I’ve used it ever since, recently for sticking a Solar panel to my motorhome roof I payed about £8

 

[The_Kraken]

Well, we are now back home and i’ve ordered a multitool from Amazon. I’ll make a start on her in the coming days when work allows.

I found another issue today. The hab door has been needing adjustment for a bit now as it was getting difficult to shut (had to slam it or give it a shove home to get it to fully close). The door had become quite stiff amd springy on this trip and I got some WD40 to lubricate the hinges. However, it appears that the frame was visibly twisting and moving. So, I got a screwdriver to see if I could tighten the door frame. The screw just turned. So, I knew the frame at the bottom of the door was not holding the screw. This was confirmed when I managed to extract the screw. I peeled back the seal to reveal the back of the frame and the clips that secure it to the wood around the door frame. There wasn’t any wood lol!

So, I have rotten wood on the lower part of the hinged side of the door frame. It’s solid a few inches higher. Hopefully it isn’t extensive. I tested the area with my damp meter and all less than 15%.

I’ll start a new thread when I begin the repairs amd upload images amd such.

Thanks for the info on the adhesives guys.

I have got some Sikaflex - I think it’s 221? Isthere a specific number I will need for this job?

I’ll have a look at the CT1 as well.

 

[TheBig1]

Well, we are now back home and i’ve ordered a multitool from Amazon. I’ll make a start on her in the coming days when work allows.

I found another issue today. The hab door has been needing adjustment for a bit now as it was getting difficult to shut (had to slam it or give it a shove home to get it to fully close). The door had become quite stiff amd springy on this trip and I got some WD40 to lubricate the hinges. However, it appears that the frame was visibly twisting and moving. So, I got a screwdriver to see if I could tighten the door frame. The screw just turned. So, I knew the frame at the bottom of the door was not holding the screw. This was confirmed when I managed to extract the screw. I peeled back the seal to reveal the back of the frame and the clips that secure it to the wood around the door frame. There wasn’t any wood lol!

So, I have rotten wood on the lower part of the hinged side of the door frame. It’s solid a few inches higher. Hopefully it isn’t extensive. I tested the area with my damp meter and all less than 15%.

I’ll start a new thread when I begin the repairs amd upload images amd such.

Thanks for the info on the adhesives guys.

I have got some Sikaflex - I think it’s 221? Isthere a specific number I will need for this job?

I’ll have a look at the CT1 as well.

WD40 is not a lubricant you need to use penetrating oil to free off the seized hinges before they ultimately snap. then use graphite to lubricate

 

[The_Kraken]

WD40 is not a lubricant you need to use penetrating oil to free off the seized hinges before they ultimately snap. then use graphite to lubricate

Oh! I got some 3in1 at work. WD40 is all
I had to hand on site. However, I was blissfully ignorant of the difference between them. Thanks TheBig1 !

 

[wizzer59]

Well, we are now back home and i’ve ordered a multitool from Amazon. I’ll make a start on her in the coming days when work allows.

I found another issue today. The hab door has been needing adjustment for a bit now as it was getting difficult to shut (had to slam it or give it a shove home to get it to fully close). The door had become quite stiff amd springy on this trip and I got some WD40 to lubricate the hinges. However, it appears that the frame was visibly twisting and moving. So, I got a screwdriver to see if I could tighten the door frame. The screw just turned. So, I knew the frame at the bottom of the door was not holding the screw. This was confirmed when I managed to extract the screw. I peeled back the seal to reveal the back of the frame and the clips that secure it to the wood around the door frame. There wasn’t any wood lol!

So, I have rotten wood on the lower part of the hinged side of the door frame. It’s solid a few inches higher. Hopefully it isn’t extensive. I tested the area with my damp meter and all less than 15%.

I’ll start a new thread when I begin the repairs amd upload images amd such.

Thanks for the info on the adhesives guys.

I have got some Sikaflex - I think it’s 221? Isthere a specific number I will need for this job?

I’ll have a look at the CT1 as well.

Re the glue, try a little experiment and glue a couple of bits of wood together with the different ones to see what you think

I’m always wary of paying for a brand name, but also aware that you get what you pay for so it’s always worth experimenting

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[138go]

Perhaps you should get rid of it before it rots away. Does make you wonder what its like behind the panels and how far the water has spread.

 

[The_Kraken]

Perhaps you should get rid of it before it rots away. Does make you wonder what its like behind the panels and how far the water has spread.

The door issue is very local. I can see the damage when I peeled the rubber seal back and the wood is solid within a couple of inches.

Of course, it’s impossible to tell for sure how bad it is until I strip it back. I may well be setting myself up for public humiliation! But there’s no musky smells, no damp feeling, no visible patches, no soft bits (other than the areas I’ve already mentioned). I hope she is a solid bus with a couple of bad bits that when repaired, will bring her right up to scratch.

Plus, I’d really rather not palm this off on someone else. It’s just not my style.

 

[Mike800966]

When our roof leak first started I had a chance to visit the factory in Belgium and noted how the floor supports the walls. The factory resealed the joint between the flat roof and the fibreglass front section ( its a low Profile) and replaced the plastic angle strip which had split. They charged €500 for a mornings work!. Since then we normally park it so that rainwater does not build up on the flat area and I keep a careful eye on that joint. Although it may not look nice I have overcoated it with a Sylglas type tape. The factory chaps gave me 2 sheets of the vinyl coated internal lining and a whole bundle of softwood batten so I can vouch for the fact that its all untreated timber. When you know more about it then I suggest you get some batten planed up to the right measurements by a joinery shop to suit the wall internally. Again , take your time and warn SWMBO that it will look awful until its finished
Keep us posted as you go along
Mike

 

[DuxDeluxe]

The door issue is very local. I can see the damage when I peeled the rubber seal back and the wood is solid within a couple of inches.

Of course, it’s impossible to tell for sure how bad it is until I strip it back. I may well be setting myself up for public humiliation! But there’s no musky smells, no damp feeling, no visible patches, no soft bits (other than the areas I’ve already mentioned). I hope she is a solid bus with a couple of bad bits that when repaired, will bring her right up to scratch.

Plus, I’d really rather not palm this off on someone else. It’s just not my style.

I’m following this with huge interest, as are many others. We would really appreciate pictures of the progress as they will be not only interesting but also very informative for other with similar issues. Hats off to you for taking this on and all the best

 

[mfw]

You might find double sided mastic tape usefull if you have to peel outer skin back on van even if you use both tube and tape to bond the panel back on - the tape will help get an even small gap whereas tubed mastic can give an uneven gap

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[The_Kraken]

I’m following this with huge interest, as are many others. We would really appreciate pictures of the progress as they will be not only interesting but also very informative for other with similar issues. Hats off to you for taking this on and all the best

Hey there Dux (great name)!

There is very little information on this type of thing. Considering just how many MH'ers there are and how many vehicles will have a damp issue at some stage, I'm really surprised people haven;t shared the knowledge. I guess no one wants to admit their cherished MH has got 'the lurgies'!

I'll try and get some photos in the next day or two to begin with. I'm excited and absolutely making arse biscuits at the same time! I will appreciate any help and support - it could be really easy or I could land myself in a whole heap of doo doo.

 

[mfw]

Hey there Dux (great name)!

There is very little information on this type of thing. Considering just how many MH'ers there are and how many vehicles will have a damp issue at some stage, I'm really surprised people haven;t shared the knowledge. I guess no one wants to admit their cherished MH has got 'the lurgies'!

I'll try and get some photos in the next day or two to begin with. I'm excited and absolutely making arse biscuits at the same time! I will appreciate any help and support - it could be really easy or I could land myself in a whole heap of doo doo.

Probably worth investing in a large tarpaulin unless you can get it undercover but you could end up with a lot of work at least using a tarp keeps you dry and out of wind up to a point

 

[The_Kraken]

Probably worth investing in a large tarpaulin unless you can get it undercover but you could end up with a lot of work at least using a tarp keeps you dry and out of wind up to a point

Hi MF,

Luckily, we keep her at work so she'll be inside. otherwise I definitely would've got hold of a tarp.

 

[The_Kraken]

So, before I start a separate thread with photos of progress etc. Which section of the forum would be best?

Is it best in Motorhome help for the beginner?
or the Motorhome Mechanical and Technical section?

 

[TheBig1]

technical section will be best, saves scaring off new owners with nightmares of damp vans

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[The_Kraken]

I've started my new thread - please keep up with my progress here: https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/my-diy-damp-repair-project.189384/