Precautionary sealing works! (1 Viewer)

[Faye Macnaught]

I wonder if anyone can help? Earlier in the year, we had horrendous water ingress and got an expert to come and help us strip and rebuild the interior or our motorhome and do all of the major resealing works which was mainly the rails. He has done a great job. However, he told us some areas we should reseal as a precaution before the winter sets in such as around the door of where the gas canisters go and some light fittings, plus the fittings on the roof and eventually to probably reseal the windows. We are now out of cash, so will have to do it ourselves (which is not a problem as it seems fairly straight forward as he has shown us what to do).

Do you know if we should use non-setting mastic tape or silkaflex? Which is recommended as I never want to have any water ingress again!!

Also, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced damp meter?

Faye

 

[pappajohn]

Sikaflex.
Mastic tape is for sandwiching between joints etc.
Would be used to reseal a removed window frame or under a seperated joint etc....less messy than sikaflex.

 

[Faye Macnaught]

Ah Ok, so I use silkaflex to reseal things like the rails and mastic for stuff like perhaps the roof light fitting where you take it off and rejoin? Is that about right?! sorry, all new to this!

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[funflair]

I would have said that the likes of windows will be fitted with non setting mastic, usually tape and will not have any secondary sealing, if they need re sealing i would say take them out and re-fit. What did your man put the rails back on with, non setting would be my guess.

Martin

 

[pappajohn]

Ah Ok, so I use silkaflex to reseal things like the rails and mastic for stuff like perhaps the roof light fitting where you take it off and rejoin? Is that about right?! sorry, all new to this!

Correct.
Sikaflex is more fluid and will overseal whats already there, though you may want to try to carefully scrape any old exposed sealer off first.
Something like an old bank card should work.
Cut the card leaving a sharp 90° edge...go slowly and take care not to scratch the surface, though that shouldnt be the case with a plastic 'scraper'

Mastic tape is more like a soft putty, ideal to sandwich and compress under window frames etc.

 

[Anthea M]

Faye so glad your van is all done after the ingress problem!
Can you post photos would love to see it all looking good after those horrendous ones with all that black damp.
So glad you had some lovely holidays with your family too.

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[Faye Macnaught]

OK, brilliant, so sounds like what I need really is mastic tape moreso than Silkaflex as many of the areas I need to seal are things I need to take off and refit which has a join. I think I'll give Ben a call who did the major works to find out what he used on the rails and then do the same as he did. I have a feeling he used silkaflex as its quite a small area as he took the rails off, cleaned them out and then squirted some stuff into it if I remember as we had to wear gloves when putting it back on as it was really sticky stuff. Best to just check. I think the mastic tape we have bought is non setting, but best check that too. Yes, I'll definitely upload some pics as my daughter is having a birthday sleepover in it at the weekend with her friends - its sssssooo lovely to have her back again! Also, any recommendations for a damp meter (I am dreading checking it, but I know we have to!)

 

[Faye Macnaught]

This is the stuff we have bought - do you reckon this is OK? Doesn't say if its non setting or not though?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281590886191?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT#rwid

 

[funflair]

That is no setting Mastic, you can also buy it in a tube and it is very sticky but so is Sikaflex, cleans up with white spirit OK

Martin