TT with Wood Rot on Slide - Need Fix!!

[behing19]

Hi,

My wife and I just bought a 2005 Fleetwood 23-foot Travel trailer with a rear slide out for the bed. We noticed it has a little bit of wet/soft wood on the farthest end of the bed slide. It's dry and solid throughout the rest of the wood and nothing inside has shown any signs of leaking (we've had a ton of rain over the last week).

My question is, does anybody know of a solution to fixing this without ripping the slide apart? Even if it's temporary and lasts for 6 months, I could at least buy some time. I have heard some use a marine type of epoxy to harden the wood, but wanted to put this out to the forum before I chose a solution to the problem.

Any advice is fully appreciated. Below are pictures from under the slide.

[Ivylog]

I would use pressure treated plywood and you can buy it at Home Depot. I'd wrap all the seams with Eternabond tape but you need to clean the areas really well. If you are having water problems in the slide, you probably need to check all of your seams...roof and walls.

[old_guy]

check with your insurance company. we used to fix TT's with water damage and insurance paid for it

[CA_Traveler]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:

Slide floors normally support the slide and floor replacement involves removing the slide. Unless you have the skill and tools to do this it won't be cheap.

This is a rear slide which is being supported with a cable system, so the floor probably isn't supporting the weight of the the rest of the slide. I wouldn't bother to try and salvage the floor with a wood hardener. From the picture it looks like it can't hold a screw from the side. You'll probably have to put the slide part way in to get access to some of the screws. Once you have the floor out, don't move the slide until the new floor is in place.
My biggest concern would be to make sure that water can't get in again. It looks like someone tried to caulk the side seam. I'd wrap the side and top seams with Eternabond. In addition the gasket that wraps around the slide should be inspected and possibly replaced.
Good luck!

The cable system moves the slide in and out and does not provide any weight support. It appears that the marks on the outside edge are from the rollers and that edge looks like it's no longer attached very well. And that metal strip is supported by the slide floor. I wouldn't wrap it with Eternabond which would then ride on top of the rollers.

Maybe the slide could be supported and the floor replaced w/o removing the slide but doubtful IMHO.

Possibly a piece of stainless about 6" wide with a angle up the side for a inch or so with good calking could be a cure and lots of Git Rot or similar hardener.

I agree about the hardener but the OP asked about a short term solution.

Agree that water leaks should be a priority. His floor looks like OSB plywood which is very intolerant of water.

[Mortimer_Brewst]

CA Traveler wrote:

Slide floors normally support the slide and floor replacement involves removing the slide. Unless you have the skill and tools to do this it won't be cheap.

My biggest concern would be to make sure that water can't get in again. It looks like someone tried to caulk the side seam. I'd cover the side and top seams with Eternabond. In addition the gasket that wraps around the slide should be inspected and possibly replaced.

I edited this post in order to avoid giving the OP potentially bad advice.

[CA_Traveler]

Git Rot could help, but the wood has to be dry first. So the slide would have to be in for an extended period of time. Git Rot is installed from top in drilled holes so everything has to come out inside. And then you could find side wall damage as well.

Slide floors normally support the slide and floor replacement involves removing the slide. Unless you have the skill and tools to do this it won't be cheap.

[SoundGuy]

That wood rot will also be under the slide flanges so the only way to truly fix this is remove that wood entirely and replace it with marine grade plywood, as already suggested. I'm dealing with a similar wood rot issue in my stick house, discovered when I pulled the main floor toilet and found the wax seal had leaked. :M I've cleaned out the mess but am left with a rather large cavity around the floor flange that I need to fill in before installing the new flooring and toilet. No way I'm replacing a whole section of sub floor so if I could I would use an epoxy filler designed just for this purpose called Rot Doctor. It's hard to find here in Canada though so the best I could come up with is a similar product called P.C. Woody which I hope will work as well.

Whether stick house or trailer water is your worst enemy. :M

[colliehauler]

behing19 wrote:
Anybody know what I'm dealing with to replace it with marine grade plywood? We full time so no cutting, but have a truck so if I can get the right size cut for me I can handle the rest.

Lumber yard should be able to cut to size. Might be able to recommend a local carpenter to help you repair as well.

[dodge_guy]

You say it's solid? If it is find the source of the leak and fix it then dry out the wood.

[behing19]

Anybody know what I'm dealing with to replace it with marine grade plywood? We full time so no cutting, but have a truck so if I can get the right size cut for me I can handle the rest.

[colliehauler]

Simply replace with marine grade plywood. Why spend money and time to fix it twice.

[donn0128]

There are a few products out there that when painted on convert rotten wood to something solid. Personally I would aimply bite the bullet, tear it apart and fix it right. Until you open things up you never will know the extent of damage your looking at. Most things on RVs, especially wood framed RVs are not beyond the realm of the average DIYer.