Roof leak and interior damage

Popester82 wrote:
What should I treat it with or is staining ok. And use 1/4 ". Correct. Thx again

A sanding sealer works great for minimal cost. From there the sky is the limit, with fiberglass or epoxy resins, but not necessary if you have stopped the leaks. Be aware that many of the sanding sealers are organic based (shellac)and will be susceptible to mold if the area is not kept dry ; don't ask me how I know that. With any plywood or luan , make sure to seal the edges well, this includes after making cuts as they will suck up moisture from the edges far faster than the sides.

Popester82 wrote:
What should I treat it with or is staining ok. And use 1/4 ". Correct. Thx again

An oil based stain will resist some water but a varnish will offer the most protection. I happened to have some gym floor/bowling alley varnish on hand so that's what I used. Paint would be a durable coating, as well.

1/4". kind of, is correct. Most Luan is a metric dimension, typically 5 mm or 6 mm.

I have repaired two trailers with roof leaks. One at the front and the other in the rear. Rear one was so bad that it damaged the floor and framing under it. My thoughts are, if you see rot on the paneling what is happening behind the paneling? It is quite likely that if it is a wood structure, there is damage to the framing. I have removed the floor sheeting, ceiling paneling and wall paneling to make repairs. I have replaced floor, wall and ceiling framing too It was after paneling was removed that I found all the damaged framing that I had to replace.
I was able to secure replacement paneling for the ceiling and most of the wall from a RV dealer. On the front leak problem, I could not get enough wall paneling, so I used a "Bead Board" paneling for the entire front wall as an accent wall in the bed area. Project turned out quite well.
If you need help on how I did repairs and removed and replaced ceiling paneling send me a PM.

What should I treat it with or is staining ok. And use 1/4 ". Correct. Thx again

I paneled all of my trailer with Luan. My feeling is that any wood or wood fiber product is going to be susceptible to water damage. What I chose to do is seal both sides of the paneling with a high strength sealer. Hopefully, if I develop another leak, the Luan will not be damaged.

One thing I'd recommend for those that have leaks is to perform a pressure leak test. It will turn up even the smallest of holes.

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