How do I treat a crumbly bottom?

[Janine]

My 1995 Holdsworth Valentine is constructed of some sort of sandwich board which is rotting along the bottom edge.

There is a trim which just screws up into the board and has obviously not done anything to keep the water out.

The bottom inch or so is now completely rotten on the back corner and I need to fashion something to a) stop any more water ingress and b) to affix the trim to.

Has anyone any ideas? It's about 2cm deep x about a metre before it's sound.

Not too fussed about the appearance, just need something cheap & cheerful.

Here's a picture of the problem...

 

[JeanLuc]

I think I would be talking to Dave Newell since you are in Shropshire and he's in Telford. It looks to me as though you have quite a bit of rot in both the horizontal floor and vertical wall timbers. I suspect they may need to be cut back to sound wood and rebuilt with fresh timber bonded to them before a sealant is applied. Then you can consider reapplying the trim.

I'm not an expert in this matter, but it looks to be a bit more than a 'quick cover-up' job.

 

[Terry]

Hi Janine can you post a couple more pics ? 1 showing where the close up is on the van ?if you understand where I mean
terry

 

[Janine]

I think I would be talking to Dave Newell since you are in Shropshire and he's in Telford. It looks to me as though you have quite a bit of rot in both the horizontal floor and vertical wall timbers. I suspect they may need to be cut back to sound wood and rebuilt with fresh timber bonded to them before a sealant is applied. Then you can consider reapplying the trim.

I'm not an expert in this matter, but it looks to be a bit more than a 'quick cover-up' job.

Dave recommended a good bodyshop in Cannock but I can't afford to spend big bucks on it as I've just spent my savings on paying off my mortgage

 

[Janine]

It's this rear corner...

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[haganap]

Janine,
Is it possible your ingress is coming from the gas locker leaking down to the floor?

Without looking it would be difficult to say, but try not to worry too much, I'm sure it can be patched up. :thumb:

 

[phil1946]

Richard Holdsworth is still around and writes for one of the motorhome mags - I think MMM but not sure. He deals with many motorhome based problems in his articles and might be a source of good info if approached for help. Obviously word your question in a non blame way as your vehicle is nearly 20 years old so some damage is probably to be expected.

 

[Deckard]

OK i have to say i havent worked on any motorhomes.....

I have restored old cars and built a couple of race cars.....

The pic seems to show some serious rot and as previously suggested, any patch up wont be a cure and wont stop it getting worse.

It should be stripped back to the good stuff and patched, sealed and painted as appropriate to keep your van sound for a good while longer.

just my experience from patching up motors in the past....

 

[Gromett]

Not totally clear where this is. But a temporary bodge could be done which would last a year or two at the most. It really does need all the rotten wood removing plus a couple more inches. Then good wood splicing in properly. Then the whole lot protecting.

I have just been helping to do a job like this on a traditional gypsy caravan and it is quite a bit of work to do properly.

A temporary bodge wouldn't last long because the rot would spread back to the wood you bodge with. The real job would then cost more because the rot would have spread further.

All the above is presuming the repair is where I think it is.

 

[Janine]

The rotten section is the bottom of the back corner.

I was thinking along the lines of a u-section attached to whatever I can find that's stable.

The van's already nearly 20 years old so anything that keeps her going for another 10 years will do fine

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[haganap]

Rot stop, sealant , new wood, it's not as bad as it seems.

I done a similar repair on my CI, lasted perfect , still on the road now:thumb:

It does exactly what it says on the tin :thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

judging by what can be seen there will be a lot more which cant be seen.

that is a major repair and no end of 'plastic' wood fillers and sealers will make any difference....the rot is there and will get worse.

it has also weakened the structural integrity of the body.

I would seek professional advise as soon as possible

 

[Gromett]

It could be anywhere between haganaps and pappajohns opinion..

It would need to be looked at by someone who knows what they are doing. Providing the rot hasn't gone too far it may be possible to bodge like Haggers says. However if it has gone too far up or around then Pappajohns assertion that it need doing properly is correct.

Diagnosing from that picture would be no better than guessing I am afraid.

 

[scotjimland]

[HI]judging by what can be seen there will be a lot more which cant be seen.
[/HI]
that is a major repair and no end of 'plastic' wood fillers and sealers will make any difference....the rot is there and will get worse.

it has also weakened the structural integrity of the body.

I would seek professional advise as soon as possible

Having done jobs like this on old caravans, I would tend to agree with John, The rot can be a lot worse than what is visible... The only way you can find out by stripping off the ally trim and panel and hope it hasn't gone too far..

It may be possible to test how far the rot has gone using a damp meter inside the van.. probing from the lower parts of the timber inside the gas locker and working upwards .. worth trying.. it may not have gone far .. however, it may test ok.. yet have rotted into a grey dust .. you should be able to tell by probing if the timber is hard or soft..

In one of my caravans it had reached the roof line, spread across the back and into the wood around the back window... I had to replace a lot of timber frame.. wasn't a hard job, requiring only the most basic carpentry skills, but it does take quite some time and patience..

 

[pappajohn]

once the skin is removed you will see the extent of the rot.





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[jhorsf]

How do I treat a crumbly bottom?Broken Link Removed
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[Terry]

Hi it's a case of keep removing the rot until you get to solid stuff or you are happy I wouldn't take off the external panel s but get to what you can from underneath and inside :thumb: I cannot say how long a bodge will last but I would think a few yrs :thumb: especially if you reinforce with ali sheet etc -not really in a structural place that needs any welding
Terry

 

[Janine]

Hi it's a case of keep removing the rot until you get to solid stuff or you are happy I wouldn't take off the external panel s but get to what you can from underneath and inside :thumb: I cannot say how long a bodge will last but I would think a few yrs :thumb: especially if you reinforce with ali sheet etc -not really in a structural place that needs any welding
Terry

As I'm a penniless wandering minstrel I like your style, Terry.

Temporary fix until we get back from our travels in the next few weeks, then it'll be a bolt & braces job with bits of wood, aluminium, fibreglass, rentokill and maybe some squirty expanding foam

Thank you everyone for your suggestions and comments - even the ones that scared me sh1tless.

Shirley's never going to win any beauty contests but if I can keep her going for a few more years, that'll be grand

 

[Terry]

You should get a few more years easy :thumb: but while your at it take a good look at (haggers susgestion) the locker door :thumb: Just beeen looking at a mates and sure enough water getting in through the locker door I think it may have cured the problem with some extra stick on draught excluder and modifying the catch (bending) No water after a good soak with hose -- If you need to make a u chanel try 2 pices of 90 degree ali L shape from screwfix etc simply self tapped into each other.Try your local caravan spres place for sheet ali as they almost certianly have bits around
terry