Hey all!!I'm John. We were given a 2001 19' TT. It's had some major leaking, so much so that the entire nose framework from the front window down has dissolved and most of the floor edge framing pieces (ledgerboards?) have rotted away. The black tarp material (Darco?) seems to have held the water and everything has turned to mush. I'me going to replace the wood, but I'm really resistant to replacing that plastic tarp. I think using treated structural wood and spraying on a deck watersealer would take care of the water that comes up from the road. Due to rodent and water damage, I am going to re-route the electrics and propane line through the cabin and do my best to completely seal the floor. so there won't be anything under there for the underbelly wrap to protect.What problems am I overlooking, and what are your thoughts?This is my first time with a Travel Trailer, but we've converted a cargo van into a van camper, so we're not complete newbies to rv-ing.Sorry for the long post, and I look forward to your thoughts.

I would put coroplast on the bottom side of the frame. One more layer of cheap protection.

I have seen trailers with diamond plate on the lower half of the front. Looked good to me. Great project and you will have a nice unit when you are done.

Have fun, wear a mask as the mush stuff (mold) is detrimental to your health.

Do you have any insulation under the floor? Regardless, unless the subfloor is capped with metal, I'd suggest to put a cover back onto the frame. Road spray has a knack for getting all over and you want to keep as much water as you can away from the wood and interior of the trailer.

I would address the root cause (water intrusion) probably from failed seals on the roof or the roof to side transition first or any restoration will only degrade again.Repairing the damage without fixing the cause is futile.Chances are, if the intrusion came from a roof seam, the underlayment (usually luan sheet) under the roof membrane is rotted as well. Easy to tell. Get up on the roof and walk around on it. If it 'feels' spongy especially around the vents or ac unit, it too is rotten underneath and will requite a roof replacement well as underlayment and most likely the trusses are gone too.No point in fixing the nose and floor and leaving the root cause unaddressed.Hope you have a lot of time and patience, it's a big, nasty job.All could have been avoided with proper maintenance.

Newbie has TT with rotted nose and floor | Good Sam Community

SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Nov 11, 2017
I would address the root cause (water intrusion) probably from failed seals on the roof or the roof to side transition first or any restoration will only degrade again.

Repairing the damage without fixing the cause is futile.

Chances are, if the intrusion came from a roof seam, the underlayment (usually luan sheet) under the roof membrane is rotted as well. Easy to tell. Get up on the roof and walk around on it. If it 'feels' spongy especially around the vents or ac unit, it too is rotten underneath and will requite a roof replacement well as underlayment and most likely the trusses are gone too.

No point in fixing the nose and floor and leaving the root cause unaddressed.

Hope you have a lot of time and patience, it's a big, nasty job.

All could have been avoided with proper maintenance.
westend
Explorer
Nov 11, 2017
Do you have any insulation under the floor?
Regardless, unless the subfloor is capped with metal, I'd suggest to put a cover back onto the frame. Road spray has a knack for getting all over and you want to keep as much water as you can away from the wood and interior of the trailer.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Nov 11, 2017
Have fun, wear a mask as the mush stuff (mold) is detrimental to your health.
LadyRVer
Explorer II
Nov 11, 2017
I have seen trailers with diamond plate on the lower half of the front. Looked good to me. Great project and you will have a nice unit when you are done.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Nov 11, 2017
I would put coroplast on the bottom side of the frame. One more layer of cheap protection.

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Newbie has TT with rotted nose and floor

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