Water damage self repair?

[t-smith]

I’ve got a 2012 Grey Wolf 28bh. It’s the floor plan where the back right is the bathroom, and the back left is a full bed with a single bunk above. Storage below the full bed.

The rear corner trim had lost its sealant and it seems like water worked it’s way in. The back corner under the bed is soft - the 2 walls and the floor. About a 2’ sq section on each.

It’s all hidden under the bunk which is nice.

So is it a DIY capable? I’m very handy and do most home and car repairs but haven’t done a TT before.

I’m assuming remove linoleum, cut out bad floor. Cut out sections of wall. Let dry. Replace insulation. New floor and glue back down linoleum. What about the wall? What material for that?

Any other tips suggestions or posts with walkthroughs for similar repair?

[BobsYourUncle]

BurbMan wrote:
Dang Bob that's a pile of work!!

LOL, it was!
I plead temporary insanity! :B

[BurbMan]

Dang Bob that's a pile of work!! The TC tarp did good, that was the HF "premium" tarp and it survived trop storm Isaias! It let me work in the rain, etc. The other pic was when I replaced the slideout floor in the TT, that was January and it started snowing! Went thru a lot of propane on that project!

[BobsYourUncle]

BurbMan,
Nice setup for working on the TC, looks great!

Here is one of mine. I had a massive tarp and usually could flip up one side for access to work on it. Worked OK I guess. I had many days, weeks where I couldn't touch it for the constant rain.

[Krusty]

It is totally do-able. I have done the same to my trailer. Just remember that water damage is like an iceberg. It is going to be much more extensive than you originally thought. The walls were built on top of the floor, and the framing is likely to be rotten and need replacing too. Will probably turn into a bigger job than you first thought.

[BurbMan]

BobsYourUncle wrote:
Every time I worked on it I had to remove the tarps, take the siding off, take things apart etc to start my days work. Then at the end I had to put everything back together and tarp it off again. A lot was to keep peace with my neighbors.
This process consumed a lot of time.

I set the tarp up like a tent that I could work under so I didn't have to open it up and close it up every time.

[pinesman]

You always have the option to get the outside sealed back up to prevent further damage and leave it alone. Unless it is a true structural issue or you just can't stand it, you could spend your time camping rather than working on it.

[jdc1]

You are already ahead of the game, by having the "can do" attitude. I think one the hardest parts is maybe having to swallow the fact you'll need to buy whole sheets of plywood of which you might only use 1/4. Then you'll find yourself wanting to do other projects to utilize that extra wood.

[BobsYourUncle]

BurbMan wrote:

BobsYourUncle wrote:
It is essential to have a closed place to do this, a shop, barn or something similar.

It's certainly nice but not essential. I've done all 3 of my projects outside under a tarp.

I say that because I did my rebuild in my driveway at the west coast where there is a lot of rain.
Every time I worked on it I had to remove the tarps, take the siding off, take things apart etc to start my days work. Then at the end I had to put everything back together and tarp it off again. A lot was to keep peace with my neighbors.
This process consumed a lot of time.
Having an enclosed place to work would have been a huge help, to just walk away and leave it at the end of a session, and to start where I left off at the beginning of the next.
That's why I say essential.
Yeah, it can be done under a tarp. I did but it was a super big hassle.

[BurbMan]

BobsYourUncle wrote:
It is essential to have a closed place to do this, a shop, barn or something similar.

It's certainly nice but not essential. I've done all 3 of my projects outside under a tarp.

[Grit_dog]

You’ll get replies from no problem, dig in, from mechanically inclined folks like Burbman who did a beautiful job completely re-constructing a camper. And you’ll likely get replies that warn you of toxic mold and how this has trashed your camper and it may or may not be repairable. Followed by this is major, OMG, “take it to a pro”, it’ll never be the same, etc from those who’s abilities or understanding are lower than average in this realm.
Bottom line, what you’ve described is akin to maybe remodeling a bathroom. If you’re a reasonably capable diy handyman, there’s nothing magical or high tech about the assembly of a camper. Dig in and get ‘er dun!
Worst case, you have a few questions that you sort out and in the end, you’ve performed a repair for pennys on the dollar compared to the risks/benefit of taking it to a shop.


Good luck.

[BobsYourUncle]

You have to be careful trying to just piece in patchwork. Everything inside was installed after the floor was built, so the floor sheeting is in one piece across the entire width of the unit. This is needed for strength. To repair it properly, all the stuff in the way needs to come out first.

In answer to your question, yes, this can be done as a DIY. It is essential to have a closed place to do this, a shop, barn or something similar.

To get an idea of what is involved taking a trailer apart, have a look at my Rebuild Project.

There are different construction methods amongst the various brands. Check to see what yours is.
Mine was 2X2 wood stud framing, 2X3 floor joists. The aluminum siding was stapled directly to the studs, no sheeting because that adds a lot of weight. The interior was 1/8" wood paneling.

[theoldwizard1]

t-smith wrote:

So is it a DIY capable? I’m very handy and do most home and car repairs but haven’t done a TT before.

I’m assuming remove linoleum, cut out bad floor. Cut out sections of wall. Let dry.

The real problem is the floor. The water could have traveled a long way damaging the plywood. All walls and cabinets are built directly on top of the floor and attached to it. You might have to disassemble more than you think.

t-smith wrote:

Replace insulation. New floor and glue back down linoleum. What about the wall? What material for that?

This depends on the manufacturer and model. Typical wall are 2x2 studs. If it has aluminum siding the exterior sheathing is probably 1/4" plywood. Interior is usually luan plywood. Nothing really tricky.

Some models use aluminum studs and Azdel sheathing. Azdel should not rot, but the Filon flexible skin can delaminate.

This is a big job. The average DIYer could spends months working nights and weekends.

[BurbMan]

It's not bad, you may need some specialized trims and sealants, but everything is available on the web if you look. Here's a link to the slide out floor replacement in our Terry TT, there's a link in my signature to the Lance truck camper rebuild we did.

Forum member JBarca rebuilt an entire Sunline travel trailer, top to bottom due to multiple leaks. John is a great guy but even you are a fast reader, there is hours of reading here with hundreds of pictures.

If you have a place to work and keep the exposed part of the trailer dry, you won't have any problems. I'm handy like you and like anything else new, you take your time, it's nothing complicated. PM me if I can help.

[Lwiddis]

You’ll need to “cut out” until the damage stops. With sufficient time, a DIY repair is possible. Lastly, nothing hidden is nice.