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jefoster's avatar
jefoster
Explorer
Oct 03, 2015

Repairing Interior-exterior wall in Jayco Question

I am attempting to help my bil rebuild his main bedroom wall in a 2006 Jayco Jay Flight 29BHS. He bought it used and learned it had a major leak that had never been repaired. On his way transporting the rv to his home location, the back roof peeled off and the interior wall in the bedroom - cabinets and all crashed down. He has made repair to the roof already, although in my opinion pretty shabby job, so I will help with that as well if I have time. I am sure there will be floor work needed as well.

I am a pretty good carpenter so framing won't be an issue except.... I have never worked on RV's.

I have reviewed a few good rebuild threads here by westend and RVcircus. There seems to be several different ways of connecting to the exterior - several sites say you either screw your frame in from the outside sheeting; glue the frame to the exterior from the inside; or just frame without any exterior connection for the wall supporting the frame structure to itself. Which is the correct or best way? Or is it a preferential issue?

Preference for my brother is to have it all done interior only. I like the idea of framing to itself as I am planning on stripping the room down bare and can repair the floor joists as needed.
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Oct 04, 2015
    When I restored my Starcraft, I screwed the aluminum siding and repair panels in from the exterior, the same way Starcraft did it but used more and better screws. I knew an exterior paint job would be following. If he's not planning on painting the exterior, screw heads can be painted using a Q-tip and paint.

    I'm a carpenter, too. There is nothing that unusual about an RV frame other than the wall sections are attached on top of the flooring. Mine was carpeted and the walls were attached om top of the carpet. Nearly all of that was fixed when I repaired the frame. On mine, the floor and all of the topsides are held down to the frame with a few stove bolts through floor and steel frame.
    If you are repairing floor sections, the walls can be detached in those areas by cutting staples and screws that hold the wall down to the floor. The new floor sheet is then slid back under the wall. It is tedious but you'll get through it.

    Best of luck on the repairs. You're a good BIL.
  • jefoster's avatar
    jefoster
    Explorer
    Oct 04, 2015
    Thanks for the responses. If it had been me that this happened to, I definitely would have returned the rv. But my bil was in dire need of a place to live so he got what he paid for.

    I will go with framing to the deck once I replace any floor joists in need of repair and then glue to exterior from interior side. I will be sure to take pictures of before, during and after, and post here.

    Thanks again,
    John
  • WyoTraveler's avatar
    WyoTraveler
    Explorer
    Oct 03, 2015
    I never built or re-built a TT but bought plans, modified slightly and built a TC. The walls were built individually on a large table except for the rounded front. First building the frame structure for the walls then nailing and gluing the interior panel on the structure. Once everything is installed the inside of the RV will be finished. The roof was placed on top of the wall frame. The individual panels are screwed and glued together Everything finished on inside first. The wiring, insulation is done from the exterior and then outside metal. Totally opposite of the procedure to build a house that is framed and finished on the outside first then wiring and insulating on the inside.

    This is probably why the roof pealed back. The water damaged wood no longer would hold the screws holding it down.
  • LinkedXJ's avatar
    LinkedXJ
    Explorer
    Oct 03, 2015
    Yowza!

    Dont have much advice on the repairs..


    If i were to just buy a camper from someone, and such a thing happened, i would of returned the camper via backing it right into the previous owners living room.



    Sounds like alot of work is ahead, goodluck guys.

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