Fiberglass repair question...

Okay,

Just realized my fith wheel has vacu-bond walls and that is what was broken. I'm not sure what method is used to repair these type of walls when damaged by collisions. I am taking my trailer in for an estimate tomorrow and I'd like to have some knowlege before I show up. What is the repair method I should be listening for? I'm sure there is a right and wrong way to reapir these walls...

Do your best fiberglass repair and then slap a vinyl decal over it!

Hi, O.P....came over here from your other thread where folks are STILL beating you up, even though you long ago entered "the acceptance phase", as you put it...WHEW! Glad to see you're in a more helpful crowd here.

Sounds like a full-restore repair would be very expensive, and it's my experience that even if professionally done this kind of thing is hard to completely erase visually, especially on the outside. And even more so if you're going to try to do it yourself. Have you considered the good ol' "camouflage" solution? You haven't posted pics, which would be helpful, but is the damage dimensionally suited to the possibility of squaring off to suitable dimensions for the installation of a "dummy vent" or something? Flaws draw the eye, but something like a vent cover just looks like it's there to do a job. I've seen this so successfully done that no one would ever suspect it was just there to cover up damage from an "oops" moment like this one. The only skill involved is careful lining up, cutting, and finishing of the edges so that it looks OEM. It doesn't even have to go through to the interior- you can do something different inside.

Just a thought!

If you can get back to the coast call a boat repair guy or maybe you can get lucky and find a few out by the Colorado River. These guys do fiberglass all day and are required to make them water tight so who better? I had a hole about 6 inches across repaired and it only cost me a few hundred dollars and he came to me. Though that was 10 years ago so I imagine the price has gone up a bit. The RV repair guys think they are the only game in town so they'll charge you accordingly.

Terry was dead on with his repair! Only thing I would add is before grinding the edges to an angle put something on the inside to stop the fiberglass dust from getting everywhere inside. Fiberglass in your upholstery will make you very uncomfortable.

No insurance. I'm considering letting the pro do the body work and I'll do the interior because I have some experience with that at least. The pole punched some of the styrofoam through the wall too. I assume that is what backs the fiberglass and doubles as insulation? Our previous trailer was aluminum skin with fiberglass batting in the walls.

This sounds like a insurance job? Mabey you don't have any? It all dependes on how good of a job you want to do or have done.
Fiberglass is not that easy to work with and get a good job unless you are a bodyman or have fiberglass repair experience. You would probably see the repair even if done in a pro shop. I would get some more quotes before even concidering a job like that. JMHO

I have a good bit of experience with fiberglass. For a hole as big as you describe. You are going to need something had behind it. You can't lay glass in air.
First you will need to soften the sharp edges around the hole so that it does not frame it. Sand on a angle. I would suggest removing the inside wall board inside. Then cut a 1/8" piece of plywood a little larger than the hole, and affixing it to the back / inside of the hole. Might could get it to stay there with resin. After than sets up. then lay, and roll out a layer of Woven roven on the board. For strength. Let it get tacky, Paint resin on it, and lay the thin cloth fiberglass on that until it comes our even with the outside wall. Then sand it smooth, and I mean smooth. You will need to finish the sanding with no less than 400 grit water paper. After all that. You can get gel coat to match. Spray it on, Pretty thick feathering it out from the patch. Wait for it to dry, and then sand it smooth. Again you may want to do the final sanding with 600 grit water paper. Then buff it out, wax it and you are done.

I've fixed a few places on our 5th and it is just like any other body work fix. Since you hole is large use an epoxy resin and mesh in the bottom (towards the inside, then use bondo over it and fill the outside finish. Then use a color of paint to match. I have fixed holes up to 3 x 4" and they will disappear if you take your time and will be completely waterproof.

Actually the hole in your boat videos are harder. If those don't work the boat sinks. You are just trying to keep the rain out.

If you've done any body work on cars, it's not drastically different. The outer skin isn't structural but if the hole is large, putting a few layers of fiberglass on the backside is important to avoid the crack reapearing. Since it sounds like you have to pull off the interior wall, that shouldn't be a major issue.

Otherwise, it's a pretty simple fix. My problem is I'm not patient enough to get a really nice finish.