Has anyone ever tried glue injection combined with a blind rivet to repair an area of delamination?

I'd say the wood is rotten and the rivet will not hold.

In the boat yard we would inject epoxy resin thru , when cured we off course had to sand and finish to match . There was a product called " Git-Rot " that would dry and bond to wet wood . Worked on wet wood behind fiberglass .

I really depends on where the delamination is located and how badly the substructure is rotted. If it is under a window for example you are better off removing the window first and putting wedges between the outer FG skin and the wet substrate and allowing that section to dry first before attempting to bond the skin back to the substrate. This way you can actually see how bad the luan is rotted underneath. There are a number of expensive products that are highly viscous like Git Rot or Water glass that you can use to penetrate the luan. It is cheaper to just use an epoxy and add acetone which will thin it down to the same viscosity as these other products. The acetone will flash off quickly leaving just the epoxy bond. Another reason for removing the window is to reseal it to prevent water from entering that area again.

Depends on the cause of the delam and it's location. Some rigs have delam because of sun/age - others because of leaks. In my case I purchased a product from West Marine (epoxy fluid) where I drilled a few small holes and used industrial needle to inject the product - I MacGyvered a clamp and 4 yrs later it's stable and hasn't created an issue. I covered the tiny holes with matching nail polish ... wouldn't know it unless you were looking for it. If you have wood rot then my solution might not work.

Good luck with your problem. Git-Rot rocks, done it to a wet transom on a boat with excellent results.

Repairing delamination | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

RJsfishin
Explorer
Jan 28, 2017
What makes everyone think the sub structure is bad ? Maybe I missed it.
But just got an email w/ photos yesterday from a friend that was in strong winds yesterday, and lost 2/3 of the fiberglass off the roof of his '07 31ft class A diesel pusher, and the plywood (looked to be) is like brand new. The resin appears to have never stuck to the wood.
I tried to post the photos but failed. But I can email them to anyone.
fourthclassC
Explorer
Jan 26, 2017
Another strong vote for Gorrilla Glue here. I have succesfully done a great deal of this delam repair with it. Will place nicely with styrofoam. Where I had to replace the luan thin wood, I used roughed up lexan of similar thickness with holes in it to grab the glue better. Also use an expanding "cargo" bar against my garage to provide the clamping function.
RVguy77
Explorer
Jan 25, 2017
Hey guys, I am new to the site, but am having a similar problem. Has anyone tried http://delamrepair.com? The stuff seems like it would work, but I want to here some reviews before I buy it. Anyone used it?
wanderingbob
Explorer II
Jan 14, 2017
Git-rot should work with foam as Git-rot is epoxy based not polyester ! Then again the layer of glass in a RV is very , very thin if it is even " real " fiberglass !
dougrainer
Nomad
Jan 14, 2017
BOATS are NOT the same as RV's
1. IF you have Delam and the sub-structure is styrofoam insulation, make sure you use a water based Glue. If you use a petroleum based adhesive, you will melt all the support Styrofoam in the area that adhesive contacs the foam.
2. Trying to use Glue and screws or rivets rarely works. Any sub wood will be degraded and will not hold screws or rivets. Styrofoam will not accept screws or rivets. If the sub is good you inject the correct adhesive and then brace the wall to get the adhesive to adhere flat. Doug
BarneyS
Explorer III
Jan 14, 2017
Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.
Wiz
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
I used Gorrilla Glue to fix de-lamination on the back of my class c. It wasn't injected, as I could access it from the edges. Note about GG, it uses water to activate so is great for delamination caused by water penetration. Also it expands as it cures so you need to ensure you have clamped or have some way to keep the fiberlon from bowing out. The expansion is why it holds so well, is forces itself into the pores of the wood.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Dec 20, 2016
wanderingbob wrote:
In the boat yard we would inject epoxy resin thru , when cured we off course had to sand and finish to match . There was a product called " Git-Rot " that would dry and bond to wet wood . Worked on wet wood behind fiberglass .

From my boating days also used Git Rot. Good stuff.
tmartin000
Explorer II
Dec 20, 2016
Good luck with your problem. Git-Rot rocks, done it to a wet transom on a boat with excellent results.
ksg5000
Explorer II
Dec 20, 2016
Depends on the cause of the delam and it's location. Some rigs have delam because of sun/age - others because of leaks. In my case I purchased a product from West Marine (epoxy fluid) where I drilled a few small holes and used industrial needle to inject the product - I MacGyvered a clamp and 4 yrs later it's stable and hasn't created an issue. I covered the tiny holes with matching nail polish ... wouldn't know it unless you were looking for it. If you have wood rot then my solution might not work.