Water damage and restoring my Forest River Sandpiper

You are right, I do plan on pre-drilling the holes. I'll be using a pneumatic nail gun, so I will have full control of the beating I give the studs. This panel has to be mounted vertically, as it is not designed to be mounted any other way. And to be perfectly honest with you, we don't plan on moving this camper very much. It's likely we will stay put for several years. We plan on living on the North Carolina coast and there are literally dozens of RV sites up and down the shoreline.

Regarding tiny houses and flex, please see my edit in the above post about seismic activity.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your opinion. Just in my particular case, this is way more cost effective for a 15 year old camper. I will have less than $6,000 invested for a total overhaul and I will be happy with that.

Still, my question remains unanswered though. I'm trying to determine how the roof trusses are mated to the camper. I'd like to leave the roof repairs for dead last if possible. Do I have to repair the roof first or can I repair the walls and siding first? Common sense tells me to fix the walls and siding first, so I may have answered my own question. :D

beazleybub wrote:
Found some new information. Dayle1 can you give me your source for what you said the filon weighs with luan backing?

Dayle1 wrote:
Actually, the "plywood" used is either a single layer or two layers of 1/8 in lauan plywood. A 4x8 ft section will weight about 22 lbs if two layers are used, so it is lighter than the panels you are considering

I found some information from Crane Composits website (The people who make filon.) that suggests filon with luan backing weighs anywhere from 0.95lb/ft² to 1.15lb/ft² depending on which type you choose. (They make different thicknesses.) The lightest they manufacture is 0.95lb/ft² and a 4X8 sheet would weigh around 30.4 pounds. That's only 10.6 more pounds a sheet. So if the factory finished side of my camper weighs 267 pounds and my new side weighs 198 pounds, my new siding would only be 69 pounds heavier. By switching to LP SmartSide panel my rig will gain less than 200 pounds.

I don't see enough weight difference to cause an issue.

Simple, my number was for the wood only.

beazleybub wrote:

Not to sound argumentative but, why then are hundreds of people in the tiny house community using LP SmartSide panels? The panel I chose is structural and suited for 16" on center framing.

Even houses "flex" on a daily basis. With proper installation and sealing, I do not believe it will be an issue. I will be also wrapping my rig with tyvec wrap. This will greatly reduce any chance of future water damage.

Residential houses do not move and tiny houses move very little, very short distances and at slower speeds then the typical RV. Finally, fifth wheels flex a tremendous amount every time they are connected/disconnected as the pin weight transfers between the pin and the landing gear, a substantial distance.

For the panels, use screws or ring shank nails with a nail gun. Using a hammer will be too many hammer blows and loosen other attachment points. The studs are 2x2 at most, more likely to split than a 2x4, both during installation and later road flexing. Pre-drilling the holes would be a good idea and keep them centered on the stud. Most strength would come from installing the 4x8 panels horizontally with staggered joints which puts less stress on any single stud. Or, double stud the joint studs if the panels are installed vertically.

Finally, if the water damage is minimal and localized, you might consider repairs from the inside rather than outside.

Found some new information. Dayle1 can you give me your source for what you said the filon weighs with luan backing?

Dayle1 wrote:
Actually, the "plywood" used is either a single layer or two layers of 1/8 in lauan plywood. A 4x8 ft section will weight about 22 lbs if two layers are used, so it is lighter than the panels you are considering

I found some information from Crane Composits website (The people who make filon.) that suggests filon with luan backing weighs anywhere from 0.95lb/ft² to 1.15lb/ft² depending on which type you choose. (They make different thicknesses.) The lightest they manufacture is 0.95lb/ft² and a 4X8 sheet would weigh around 30.4 pounds. That's only 10.6 more pounds a sheet. So if the factory finished side of my camper weighs 267 pounds and my new side weighs 198 pounds, my new siding would only be 69 pounds heavier. By switching to LP SmartSide panel my rig will gain less than 200 pounds.

I don't see enough weight difference to cause an issue.

dayle1 wrote:
Using the LPSmart panels that you are considering is not a good choice, RVs flex and gaps will open between the panels leading to new water damage

Not to sound argumentative but, why then are hundreds of people in the tiny house community using LP SmartSide panels? The panel I chose is structural and suited for 16" on center framing. not to mention, Louisiana Pacific states the following disclaimer about this product.

Ideal for homes or outdoor buildings in areas of high winds or seismic activity

If it can withstand an earthquake, I'm sure it will stay put.

Now that I know the campers luan is up to 1/4" thick, I actually am even more confident about using LP SmartSide panel. It's use will make my rig even more ridged and for me that's a plus. I'll take the 400 pound increase in weight. We got rid of the heavy, sleeper sofa and some of the other old furniture, so the added weight won't be an issue for me.

Dollar for dollar, I'll take my chances with LP SmartSide paneling. ($600 vs $2,000+)

Even houses "flex" on a daily basis. With proper installation and sealing, I do not believe it will be an issue. I will be also wrapping my rig with tyvec wrap. This will greatly reduce any chance of future water damage.

The aluminum siding is too cost prohibitive for me. I'm not planning on spending 5K for aluminum siding.

Thanks for your input. Even if I disagree with your view, I still respect your opinion.

ScottG wrote:
Do you have any pics of it partially taken apart?
(We love this stuff)

Not yet. I will try to document my work when it starts. :B

beazleybub wrote:

With that said, I have decided to break the mold and use an alternative method to re-side my rig. I know weight is an issue, so after much research, I have decided to use "LP SmartSide 38" panels. These panels do not require a backer and can be nailed or screwed directly to the studs themselves. The (0.315-in x 48.563-in x 95.875-in) panels only weigh 41 pounds each, which makes them lighter than the plywood they will be replacing.

Actually, the "plywood" used is either a single layer or two layers of 1/8 in lauan plywood. A 4x8 ft section will weight about 22 lbs if two layers are used, so it is lighter than the panels you are considering. Also, Forest River didn't manufacturer the wall panels but purchased them ready made, two layers of plywood with staggered joints and the filon skin all bonded together as a single panel. These 8ft x 30+ft panels delivered to FR on a flatbed.

Your original plan will work, but flexing of the plywood panel between the studs will make gluing the filon skin securely over the full area will be difficult. Use a good commercial contact glue. You also should purchase the filon skin as a full length roll rather than 4x8 sheets, you don't need seams that may leak in the future.

Using the LPSmart panels that you are considering is not a good choice, RVs flex and gaps will open between the panels leading to new water damage.

Another option would be to use old style aluminum siding rather than filon. No need for glue and a single layer of plywood should be sufficient. This may be the best option.

Do you have any pics of it partially taken apart?
(We love this stuff)

I'm sorry but, you are mistaken. My rig is stick built, 2" studs, 16" on center.

With that said, I have decided to break the mold and use an alternative method to re-side my rig. I know weight is an issue, so after much research, I have decided to use "LP SmartSide 38" panels. These panels do not require a backer and can be nailed or screwed directly to the studs themselves. The (0.315-in x 48.563-in x 95.875-in) panels only weigh 41 pounds each, which makes them lighter than the plywood they will be replacing. The panels are not expensive, at $26 each I can completely re-side my entire unit for under $600. The only issue installing them will be with the nose of the trailer. The panels cannot be bent, so I will have to either use a different siding for the nose radius, or reconstruct the nose to a flat profile.

I have some bad news for you. There is no exterior plywood or frame or wall studs. Those sidewalls are vacuum formed under pressure and the interior paneling and exterior fibreglass is formed and glued to a substance that is probably a sawdust and glue mixture. Once water intrudes, it basically dissolves. that is why the fibreglass comes unglued. Repairing is very expensive and basically means replacing a new wall. There are kits available to repair by replacing the interior components with wood. It is expensive and difficult. Good luck.