Assessing water damage in wooden camper
Hi all, brand new 1966 Travel Queen waiting for full assessment. Jacks on order and plan is to get it off the truck once they arrive, but shipping time means it won't happen this weekend. I've read...
Forum Discussion
Well, we finally got our Travel Queen onto the floor of the garage sometime after Christmas and started pulling the windows,roof vents and J-trim. At the very least we knew we'd be refreshing the butyl tape as part of "regular maintenance".
After thousands of screws and pounds of putty, every piece and part removed revealed bright, yellow dry wood and fears were abating, until I got to the driver's side wing where about 10% of the bottom edge screws seemed to spin freely without resistance.
Sure enough, the skin came up yesterday and here is what we found:
Looks like there might be a problem!!
The length of rot is about 2.5ft centered around the 110v shore power plug, which is nearly the center point of my Travel Queen's box (10ft, model 110). No real evidence that the water intrusion came from the roof, though there is a stove vent above this location.
Even on more vigilant inspection there was no evidence of this issue from inside the camper. All the wood is solid.
Here is the kitchen sink cabinet which is slightly to the rear of the stove cavity (which is at the center of the leak). Some water staining from leaky trap, but 100% solid wood.
Today I took out the stove for more complete look and found a peanut Clementine;) (anyone remember that song?) and evidence of water staining, but no soft wood...except, drat...the 2x2 cleat in the back, which is kind of crumbly on the outside, is a little soft on top just under the outlet for the 110v wire.
Until the skin came up, the failing wood was completely concealed from the outside by a thin board that was glued/screwed to the underneath of the wing (pictured below still in place). The skin and Jtrim were placed over the board, creating the illusion of solid surface.
The worst of the rot is like burnt paper and crumbles at the touch. However, it seems largely confined to:
Of course I will have to replace the lowest stringer on this side.
And I'm prepared (or rather, trying to convince myself that I'm prepared) to remove and rebuild the whole wing assemblage in order to ensure my camper doesn't one day roll right off the truck as I careen around a glorious and remote mountain bend, but...
Question 1: Is that really necessary? Is there patching or splicing that can be done and still maintain structural integrity?(desperate plea, I know)
Question 2: If it is necessary, can I pull this wing assemblage without taking out the entire cabinet and counter top? My understanding (per Dave Pete 1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 3. Structure and New Wood) is that the dark plywood bottom half of these counters are to be considered "as-one" with top horizontal piece of the wing (bottom of the under counter cabinet) that is compromised.
Please note, that's not lazy talking, that's self-doubt around ever getting it back together again looking "finished".
That said, my priority is getting this right (i.e. safe) the first time, so if remove the counter and cabinetry I must, remove it I will.
Any thoughts, tips, advise are greatly appreciated!
After thousands of screws and pounds of putty, every piece and part removed revealed bright, yellow dry wood and fears were abating, until I got to the driver's side wing where about 10% of the bottom edge screws seemed to spin freely without resistance.
Sure enough, the skin came up yesterday and here is what we found:
Looks like there might be a problem!!
The length of rot is about 2.5ft centered around the 110v shore power plug, which is nearly the center point of my Travel Queen's box (10ft, model 110). No real evidence that the water intrusion came from the roof, though there is a stove vent above this location.
Even on more vigilant inspection there was no evidence of this issue from inside the camper. All the wood is solid.
Here is the kitchen sink cabinet which is slightly to the rear of the stove cavity (which is at the center of the leak). Some water staining from leaky trap, but 100% solid wood.
Today I took out the stove for more complete look and found a peanut Clementine;) (anyone remember that song?) and evidence of water staining, but no soft wood...except, drat...the 2x2 cleat in the back, which is kind of crumbly on the outside, is a little soft on top just under the outlet for the 110v wire.
Until the skin came up, the failing wood was completely concealed from the outside by a thin board that was glued/screwed to the underneath of the wing (pictured below still in place). The skin and Jtrim were placed over the board, creating the illusion of solid surface.
The worst of the rot is like burnt paper and crumbles at the touch. However, it seems largely confined to:
- The first stringer-- most impacted
- 4 linear inches of the exterior side of the 2x2 cleat at the back of the cabinet (pictured in undersink and stove cavity pics above)
- 2 or 3 inches of the exterior edge of the cabinet floor that extends out to the skin.
Of course I will have to replace the lowest stringer on this side.
And I'm prepared (or rather, trying to convince myself that I'm prepared) to remove and rebuild the whole wing assemblage in order to ensure my camper doesn't one day roll right off the truck as I careen around a glorious and remote mountain bend, but...
Question 1: Is that really necessary? Is there patching or splicing that can be done and still maintain structural integrity?(desperate plea, I know)
Question 2: If it is necessary, can I pull this wing assemblage without taking out the entire cabinet and counter top? My understanding (per Dave Pete 1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 3. Structure and New Wood) is that the dark plywood bottom half of these counters are to be considered "as-one" with top horizontal piece of the wing (bottom of the under counter cabinet) that is compromised.
Please note, that's not lazy talking, that's self-doubt around ever getting it back together again looking "finished".
That said, my priority is getting this right (i.e. safe) the first time, so if remove the counter and cabinetry I must, remove it I will.
Any thoughts, tips, advise are greatly appreciated!
