Have our first Toy and found some things we weren't expecting

[Ashevillian]

So we went ahead and bought our first camper. It's a 1990 Dolphin 900. Apparently we didn't look for rot as well as we should have before buying it, but it's done now and there's no turning back! It had a few stains on the ceiling which had all of our attention but they turned out to be OK. There are a few soft spots under some of the windows but the soft areas don't seem to extend very far from the windows (maybe an inch or so). If the rot is really bad, we'll replace the plywood but if its just a small spot, has anyone used bondo or an epoxy to fix small spots?

Thanks

[Derek up North]

Best is to cut out the rot and replace with good wood. Or try something like this:-

http://www.homedepot.com/p/PC-Products-16-oz-PC-Petrifier-Wood-Hardener-164440/100649629#.UkyTAlOWhjl

[Ashevillian]

If it is a small spot of rot in plywood I chisel it out and rebuild with an epoxy putty stick. Most any brand of epoxy stick will do.

If it is a larger square you can create a patch from plywood. Cut a square of matching patch material out of the plywood paneling underneath the sink or at the back of a closet. Then step or bevel the edges of the patch and the hole that you have sized to match each other. The bevel or stepped edge allows the patch to stay on top of the panel you are fixing with a near invisible seam. Good sharp razor knife, a straight edge, steady hands and patience are adequate tools for this job. You can cover over the hole where you scavenged the patch with scrap wood from some other source. Wood glue is the only adhesive you should need.

You may need to remove the inside clamp/retaining ring that holds the window in place to do the fix as part of the damage could be under that ring.

Thanks for the responses. If I removed all the rot and stopped the leak, could I take off the inside clamp/retaining ring for the windows and cover the whole wall with very thin plywood and then put the clamp/retaining ring back on over the new layer of ply? Or does it have to stay the same thickness?

Thanks again

[linda s]

Thanks for the responses. If I removed all the rot and stopped the leak, could I take off the inside clamp/retaining ring for the windows and cover the whole wall with very thin plywood and then put the clamp/retaining ring back on over the new layer of ply? Or does it have to stay the same thickness?

Thanks again

I think you need to reseal the windows to be sure you have stopped any leaks. It's got to come in from the outside somewhere. \

Linda S

[Ashevillian]

ok, so the clamps need to be returned to their original position, eh? They can't have another piece of ply between them?

[linda s]

I disagree with Karin. You shouldn't make it too much thicker but you can use slightly longer screws to attach it if the current ones won't catch.

Linda S

[Dolphinite no longer here]

Ashvillian,

What Linda said should probably be your first step. Stop the water from getting into the walls in the first place. Where you go from there is pretty much up to you. The window trim/retaining ring will fit over a second, very thin layer of plywood on the inside but you'll need to use slightly longer screws to hold the trim ring in place since the original screws won't be long enough to reach the window frame.. The inside plywood will show, too, so if you can, cut out the rotted, delaminated interior plywood after removing the window and replace it with new stuff. You'll be glad you did. Sometimes you have to replace an entire panel from the ceiling down to a counter top or bunk or wherever the bottom stops so that your repair looks like original stuff. I've repaired lots of the interior of my '85 Dolphin and I used regular door skins from Home Depot or Lowe's. The door skin is about 1/8" thick and matches the original stuff in thickness. Its easy to work with, too, and can be cut with a box cutter. You don't even need a saw! Since the color and grain probably won't match the original stuff, you'll probably have to paint if you can't live with the mis-matched wood.

Also, be prepared to find more soft wood than you can see with the window in place.

To stop window leaks, each window should be removed and new butyl tape used to re-bed the windows and stop the leaks. Just running a bead of caulk around a window in place probably won't work very well.

John

[linda s]

I've done the wIndows on several; types of motorhomes.. Some of them the screws go on the outside with a rubber insert to cover the screws. The Sunraders have inside trim to screw into. Sometimes just new butyl tape will mean you need a longer screw. Somtimes age means you need a larger diameter screw. You just have to get in there and see what the job needs. manufacturers info doesn't always work 25 years later.

Linda S

[Ashevillian]

Ashvillian,

What Linda said should probably be your first step. Stop the water from getting into the walls in the first place. Where you go from there is pretty much up to you. The window trim/retaining ring will fit over a second, very thin layer of plywood on the inside but you'll need to use slightly longer screws to hold the trim ring in place since the original screws won't be long enough to reach the window frame.. The inside plywood will show, too, so if you can, cut out the rotted, delaminated interior plywood after removing the window and replace it with new stuff. You'll be glad you did. Sometimes you have to replace an entire panel from the ceiling down to a counter top or bunk or wherever the bottom stops so that your repair looks like original stuff. I've repaired lots of the interior of my '85 Dolphin and I used regular door skins from Home Depot or Lowe's. The door skin is about 1/8" thick and matches the original stuff in thickness. Its easy to work with, too, and can be cut with a box cutter. You don't even need a saw! Since the color and grain probably won't match the original stuff, you'll probably have to paint if you can't live with the mis-matched wood.

Also, be prepared to find more soft wood than you can see with the window in place.

To stop window leaks, each window should be removed and new butyl tape used to re-bed the windows and stop the leaks. Just running a bead of caulk around a window in place probably won't work very well.

John

Thanks for the responses. After reading all the posts about window removal/replacement, we will tackle this in new year, however, we can't right now as we've got a baby on the way and too many house projects going on right now. So...if we rake out all the old caulk (around windows and on the corner trim pieces), what type of caulk/sealant will work best? would an exterior grade construction silicone used to seal windows on a house work? Or should it be some sort of marine grade caulk?

Thanks

[WME]

Do it the right way or put a tarp over it. Re-redoing windows is a PIA so don't go there.

[linda s]

Thanks for the responses. After reading all the posts about window removal/replacement, we will tackle this in new year, however, we can't right now as we've got a baby on the way and too many house projects going on right now. So...if we rake out all the old caulk (around windows and on the corner trim pieces), what type of caulk/sealant will work best? would an exterior grade construction silicone used to seal windows on a house work? Or should it be some sort of marine grade caulk?

Thanks

The windows should be bedded in butyl tape. Has a very sticky play dough consistancy but easy to work with. It will squish out when the window is screwed back down and you just use a putty knife to clean up the edge. Some people use more caulk around the outside after but I don't and 6 years later no leaks. When your ready to do the job get back to us for more detailed info

Linda S

[Dolphinite no longer here]

You can squirt some goo around the windows and it will probably work well enough to get you through the Winter, but don't use silicone. The stuff collects dirt like crazy and looks terrible after a couple of months. Plus its VERY hard to remove when you get around to doing the windows. I would recommend using an acrylic-based caulk. Its sold at Home Depot or Lowe's or Ace, etc. Comes in Clear and colors, too. Its easy to work with and its easy to remove. The caulk, combined with a tarp, should be all you need until you're ready to do the windows properly.

By the way, removing and re-installing windows is surprisingly easy to do, especially if you have a battery operated screwdriver. It takes me about one hour to remove a window, clean off the old caulk on the window and the motorhome, roll out new butyl tape around the window opening on the wall of the motorhome, place the window in the opening and go inside and screw the retaining ring back in place. Of course, the "one hour" time doesn't apply to the big picture window in the rear of the motorhome. I had my wife's help holding it in place on the outside while I went inside and got a couple of screws in the retaining ring.

John