Repair of rotten caravan floor

Aid03

Hi
We have just bought a 2006 eldiss caravan only to find that it has 2 areas of rot under the rear bed.
My husband is hoping to repair it himself with fibreglass. Has anyone any experience of doing this before?
Any advice greatly appreciated. We are currently trying to dry everything as much as possible with heater and dehumidifier.
I will try to attache some photos.

rkdub

If its only rotten in the corners and delaminated, a combination of Ronseals Wet Rot Hardener and expanding foam designed for the job might be enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NlGl9Fp0nM

Aid03

Thank you for the advice. As it turns out it's way worse than we first thought. The batons at top and bottom of walls are rotten too so will have to replace them and some of the wall panels.
Looks like water ingress through the screws holding awning rail 😭

rkdub

Aid03 wrote: »

Thank you for the advice. As it turns out it's way worse than we first thought. The batons at top and bottom of walls are rotten too so will have to replace them and some of the wall panels.
Looks like water ingress through the screws holding awning rail 😭

Same as my own so! Welcome to caravan life they say!

Aid03

rkdub wrote: »

Same as my own so! Welcome to caravan life they say!

Yep, we're learning the hard way.
Were you able to get the aeroboard panels with thin ply attached or what did you replace walls with?
It's great to know we're not the only ones.

niloc1951

My sympathy to Aid03 and rkdub, I feel your pain. Advice to others

Caravans and campervans do leak.
Always check thoroughly for any signs of softness in the walls, especially in cupboards, lockers, around doors and windows and in other storage areas.
If you can't do it yourself paying a professional is money well spent and it could save a small fortune on later remedial work.

rkdub

I'm in the process of replacing the rotten wood. Best advice is against using treated timber, so I'm using rough 2*1. Seems like its near impossible get that ply/aeroboard combination, so I'm planning on using rockwool and cut aero insulation sandwich with thinnest ply I can get - 4.5mm ply used is hard to get. I'm "lucky" that in my case its the big section at that back of the trailer - so the 6mm ply thickness difference will be easy cover cosmetically and will help the tow bar weight.

Aid03

rkdub wrote: »

I'm in the process of replacing the rotten wood. Best advice is against using treated timber, so I'm using rough 2*1. Seems like its near impossible get that ply/aeroboard combination, so I'm planning on using rockwool and cut aero insulation sandwich with thinnest ply I can get - 4.5mm ply used is hard to get. I'm "lucky" that in my case its the big section at that back of the trailer - so the 6mm ply thickness difference will be easy cover cosmetically and will help the tow bar weight.

I understand some of that 🙈 but I know it will make total sense to himself.
Thanks so much and best of luck with your repair. It will all be worth it when enjoying the holidays.

karmaan

Its worth getting it done professionally


if you're doing it yourself, a few tips for what its worth.




under the bed is out of sight, doesn't have to be perfect, just structurally sound, and waxoyl underneath.



25mm king span is a better product than aeroboard




2 x 1 rough treated is often heavier than the original battens,


2x1 PAO can be treated with protim or similar


keep following the rot until you get back to sound timber


a multitool saw is a must, go easy it will cut through aluminium skin


use the old 2x1s as templates for replacements



try to find the source of the water ingress, dont use silicon, use wurth bond and seal or Sika Sikaflex and clean up residue


something like this is also handy too , you need a gun,don't overuse it, it sets very fast.
Fome Flex 60 Seconds Fast Fix Adhesive Foam

Aid03

karmaan wrote: »

Its worth getting it done professionally


if you're doing it yourself, a few tips for what its worth.




under the bed is out of sight, doesn't have to be perfect, just structurally sound, and waxoyl underneath.



25mm king span is a better product than aeroboard




2 x 1 rough treated is often heavier than the original battens,


2x1 PAO can be treated with protim or similar


keep following the rot until you get back to sound timber


a multitool saw is a must, go easy it will cut through aluminium skin


use the old 2x1s as templates for replacements



try to find the source of the water ingress, dont use silicon, use wurth bond and seal or Sika Sikaflex and clean up residue


something like this is also handy too , you need a gun,don't overuse it, it sets very fast.
Fome Flex 60 Seconds Fast Fix Adhesive Foam

Thanks so much.
I really appreciate you taking the time to give that advice.
Fingers crossed we've uncovered all the problems now.