Caravan rotted floor fix
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- We are seeing this more often,
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That is what the underneath of a caravan could look like if it has been subjected to prolonged water damage. In this video I show you how we fix this issue, how much it costs and even an on-the-fly upgrade on how our workshop guys do the job to make the joint neater.
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I have owned many older caravans & I’ve never come across all the issues that seem to crop up now with water damage. The caravan industry has gone backwards with their designs. Thanks for highlighting this issue. When checking out used vans I will now be checking underneath 🤨
Definitely, we never used to have this problem..
One of the best videos on floor repair on the who net that I have come across
Would be good to see it done on an alter where maybe the outer frame timber has rotten as well.
syou have such a mixed bag of videos you should have and deserve more subs
thank you as always
Thanks, think this was my most complicated video yet, I will do one on a more traditional interior repair when we next do one.
Not as difficult as I first thought.The hardest part would for me,getting the electric for the tools and the fact I don't have a work pit,but it doesn't look impossible.Thanks for an informative video(Bailey Orion 430/4,2012)
Take some pictures if you have a go and let me know how you get on..
Thanks for this - taking ours to be checked next weekend and will no doubt need it doing (Bailey 2017). Love the channel, keep the content coming.
Steve
Had two bailey caravans( 2019 unicorn) and a (2024 pheonix) both had damp floor issues (yes 2024). You need to check the underside of the caravan after heavy rain, particulary the side edges and corners. This is a design issue which Bailey have not addressed, rain water runs down the sides of the caravan gets behind the skirt rail and enters the floor edge and rots the floor. There is also an issue with the awning rail drain which allows water to drain in the corners and enters the floor edges. I found an easy and quick temporary fix was to stick white electrical tape along the top edge of the awning rail and the wall. there is a good you tube video by I think Vagabond caravanner, showing how he cured the damp issue.
At last - a video that actually shows how to repair the rotten ply. Thank you. I have known about this issue on my 2014 Bailey for years. I took the preventative measure of painting the underside of the prone areas with bituminous paint a few years back and it seems to have slowed down the damage, but it is now getting to a point where I need to take further action before the damage spreads much further. I am going to attempt doing this repair to one front corner this weekend and this video has given me the confidence required to start cutting and making good.
Cool, send some pictures over of before and after if you could, or a video would be even better.
Good video. Its probably a good idea to put a drip strip on the edge of the moulding to stop the water migrating back on itself.
On the Baileys the skirt rail is in two sections you can remove these and put a 40mm piece of 1mm strip of plastic between the outside wall and inner core to form a 15mm drip strip, when you re-fix these rails both need to be trimmed to clear the drip strip. You can get suitable plasti from B+Q or Eurocell.
@@paulbird3235great tip..
This has helped me massively. Doing both rear corners on my 2008 sterling europa 530 this winter as it’s very similar to the one in the video. Couldn’t find for the life of me a decent guide/video anywhere. It’s pretty much how I planned I would do it, but seeing this just confirms my procedure. Excellent channel thanks again.
No problem, be sure to share it around your socials if you be so kind..
Thanks for this. I noticed this on the rear corners of my 2011 Lunar. Rain water was running down the gutters and hooking under. To greatly reduce the problem I have awning rail protectors and leave them hanging about 6 inches too long. Seems to stop 95% of the water hitting the wood. It also helps to keep the caravan level (side to side) and nose slightly down when in storage.
Good tip..
Fantastic job posting and keeping us informed about "how to fix things" in caravans. Fantastic job ! 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, I've got underneath water damage on my Bailey vigo, going to repair it myself after watching this video, didn't know it was so easy to do.
Brilliant, glad it helped..
Great video..I have a 1994 Bailey Discovery Maru 2 berth..the underneath is as solid as the day it was made..I've lived in it for the last 4 years without any issues..I'll give it a coat of preservative when I get a chance..luv the channel 👍
Yes, it is odd that we don’t see this in older vans..
Caravan manufacturers' construction processes are verging on negligent
Maybe, could be considered maintenance, the only problem is people don’t know about it..
Hi,
We have a swift, it's only 3 yrs old but will check it.
Great advice for all and informative.
Can't believe that bailey are still producing vans with this issue ongoing.
Thanks Paul.
A 3 year old swift has no wood on the outside.
@tgburchick
Thanks, does that include the floor externally
Great to see that this can be repaired. Not cheap but cheaper than a new caravan.
A couple of questions:
What are you screwing into?
What about the strength after?
What paint did you use?
Thanks for another interesting video.
Great question, I am also interested about the strength of the repair especially in the area where the steady is attached. Just inserting a small piece of ply makes it look nice but it will have very little structural strength. The last repair that was shown going back to the chassis leg extension was much better but I still have reservations. If it were mine then I think I would be looking for a much larger repair patch going the full width of the caravan.
The screws are going into the wood towards the rear of the caravan, the ones in the front just go into the insulation just to hold the ply in place until bond and seal goes off. These is no real strength in that part of the floor, re bonding ply in that area will strengthen it to a higher degree than the damaged wood would be doing.
Need to add a lip or similar so the rain drips off rather than tracking on to the ply. I now have a 1994 Elddis which the ply is dry 16:47 and solid. Previously had a 2014 Bailey Pursuit with similar probs as the video
Thank you for making this video. Could you tell me which Cuprinol paint you used.
I keep forgetting to ask, I’ll find out.. any wood preserve will do though.
The manufacturers need to have guttering on the inside on their present material and construction designs. The whole new build design is she-ite. Need a new approach from the topdown, or a new company.
Should consider using different materials like PP plastic faced plywood WBP green formwork panelFilm Face is a plywood made with a Hardwood core.
Faces are then coated with a high density overlay (HDO) resin impregnated finish that is smooth; perfect for use in applications that require a hard, durable surface.
Faces are then coated with a high density overlay (HDO) resin impregnated textured finish that provides an ideal anti-skid surface
other-wise known as Hardface, is a plywood made with a bond glue, radiata core and hardwood veneer faces with a high density overlay (HDO) resin impregnated finish that is smooth, perfect for use in concrete formwork and can be used several times.
Bonding:
‘A Bond’ (WBP) - a waterproof glue line produced from phenolic resins (WBP -Water Boil Proof adhesive) that will not deteriorate under extreme conditions. It is readily recognisable by its black colour.
I thought the manufacturers had water ingress covered, but it seems like they just don't want them to last.
Hi, great vid, what are you using to paint/ seal the ply wood under the van?
I’ll find out, but any wood preserve will do.
Great video what glue do you use please
We used a bond and seal that we get from swift, but you can use Sikaflex 522 or Ct1.
One thought. Why don't dealers include a refresh of wood preserver as a part of an annual service, or as an option add-on to a service? IIRC Hymer used to make it mandatory on Eribas that the floor was reproofed every year with a product they supplied in order to keep the warranty valid.
@@steamdrivenandy6880 that’s a good idea, we do check the floor but don’t offer a refresh service, I could offer that.
Maybe a standard service that is just checks and a gold star service that includes a floor preserving refresh and a valet.
@@steamdrivenandy6880don’t think I’ll go that far, you should see some of the states people leave their caravans in!
Our local Spinney won't valet vans and it's the one thing that I suspect most owners would happily pay for.
another great video.
Glad you enjoyed it
Another great informative video. We have a Swift, I normally store it nose down so the water runs forward away from the rear roof strap. Any advice about front or rear water shedding for storage?
As you said really, as to as water can’t stop anywhere that’s okay, and maintaining any troublesome areas is a good idea.
Could this still happen on 2023 swifts with the grp underneath the floor? Great video
No, totally sorted with the GRP floor..
Hi cane l fit a strip of upvc on the edge of the van so as help the water to run of the van.grat advise thanks very much ❤
Yes, them at would probably make the water run away from the wood.
I was surprised at how thin the plywood was ....my old Swift from the 90s floor is in perfect condition....
Yes, the strength is in the bonding.
Great video, awful music 😉 I guessing this was a Bailey Alutec?
If Bailey saw sense and used plastic coated flooring like Swift & Elddis do nowadays would that resolved the issue?
I've seen your video on the Coachman with it's longer panels and how it diverts the water away from the floor, so if a van was built combining those 2 technologies, along with plastic wood framing would that resolve a lot of damp issues?
I took ages picking that music! No, it was a Swift fairway.. it seems like it would be a good idea to use a GRP floor, I’ve not seen the 2025 vans yet, fingers crossed.
What was the thickness of the ply used as i obviously have to buy this first.
It’s 6mm exterior ply.
@@atlanticcaravansUK Thank you.
Caravan floors are 5 mm ply, which isn't easy to get hold of.
What size ply and what glue please?
I think it was 3 mm I’ll have to ask, and we use a Bostik bond and seal we get from swift, but Sikaflex 522 is good or CT 1.
why dont thery put a lip on thre caravan back and sides so the water doesn't touch the wood?
All of these problems are down to BAD DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER!.
I don’t think it would have occurred to them at the time of manufacture.
@@atlanticcaravansUK 7years later and the same design, how long does it take to solve a problem!.
What is the bond adhesive
We use a bostik adhesive suppled by Swift but any bond and seal will do, I believe CT1 is good or Sikaflex 522.
I would have thought that after the repair, the complete underneath of the caravan would have been re sealed.
You could do, but it’s only where water sits for prolonged periods of time it’s an issue, the res of the floor was fine.
wots the glue called
It’s a bond and seal, CT 1 would do it or Sikaflex 552.
@@atlanticcaravansUK cheers
at long last , all the videos and forum gurus all think caravan floors rot from the top down, no one ever menttions about the plywood delaminating
Yes, nothing wrong with the top of this one...
What a rip off for a temporary job is that plus vat
@@jeroemsmith566 it’s not temporary, it won’t go anywhere for years that..
I agree
Should have painted/sealed the ply both sides and end grain before fitting it under the van panel’s
Could have done, but it’s external ply that’s been treated anyway.
Yes but that’s not the point. As a builder by trade I was taught to prime all exterior timber before assembly even if it was H3 treated. I certainly wouldn’t be happy if this was my van.
@@allantaylor3288 fair enough, I’m sure it’ll last a good ten years with regular treatment, and it was sealed in as you saw in the video, so not quite sure how water could get into the areas you mentioned. But I’ll mention it to the guys.
I would have cleaned the green of the van and the underside first. Looks a sloppy repair to me.
@@LizKiddwe did at the end, not relevant to the repair. Out of interest, how would you have done it so I can maybe update the process?