Looking for some advice here from all you experienced caravan repairers.
I have an Elddis Crusader that is needing repair due to damp etc. It has been repaired in the past by the previous owner in various areas.
The main problem i have apart from damp in all 4 corners is that the floor at the front of the caravan is rotten and absolutely sodden for about the front 2-3 feet, this has been repaired before by the previous owner. As well as that the floor has come away from the walls as the the wood has rotted and the screws have rusted away.
Im doing the repair in my front drive as unable to find anywhere else to do it under cover.
So how do i go about replacing the front 3 feet of floor and the wood that holds the side of the caravan to the floor?
Thanks for that Jeff looked all through the fixed it club but couldn't find anything for replacing the floor at the front but lots of info on replacing the walls which I will be using shortly for the 4 corners lol
Good luck with that. I too look to be embarking on something of a similar scale.
The two front corners of the floor are saturated, the left side looking toward to front, the wall is also damp half way down more or less in the awning rail area. All around the front window has also rotted away.
I've stripped out all the "compost" from around the front window through to the plastic outer shell. I have a fan heater and dehumifier going 24/7 to try and salvage some of the floor.
My problem is the floor is wet and rotted in the corners and a foot up the wall from the floor. I am unsure how the make the wall structurally safe and attached to the fixed floor, as the batons have rotted where the wall sits on the floor.
I look forward to following your progress.
I was amazed that with using the fan heater and dehumidifier for just one day, it has substantially dried out. A few more days yet me thinks.
I am reluctant to do a perfect job, our van simply isn't worth it being an 89 van however I just want to get a few more years from it if possible, and of course make it safe.
For me it's going to be replace the obvious rot, dry it out thoroughly, glue in new batons, treat the wood I did't get out. Seal up thoroughly outside and toughen up the floor. Insulate and panel up.
I've definitely seen someone do a floor repair on this site before in the last year. Might take a little bit of time, but would be worth you doing a search on "damp" on this section of the forum and having a trawl through to find something.
Have you also checked wizard's site http://www.1carpc.co.uk/wcdr/favorites.htm
I've been looking but can't find the thread but someone was doing a repair where the whole side of the caravan the floor was detached from the van and rotten and they were repairing. I'll try and have a look for you later. Hopefully they'll pop up with a reply.
Well had some fun today as it was dry for a while lol
Took the front legs off and unbolted the floor from the frame, took back the linoleum on the right to find that im gonna have to take even more floor off as looks like the pump or pipes have been leaking as the floor was sodden underneath the linoleum and part was rotten.
By looks of it the previous fix will all have to be replaced Oh the joys lol.
It also looks like the previous floor was made up of a frame and sheet of ply either side with expanding foam in the void, so thinking this might be an idea instead of sourcing 40mm plywood, Wot does everyone think?
Will put up some pics the morn when i take them lol
On the good side ive managed to replace the spars and batons required and replaced the walls that needed done in the front end anyway.Managed to get my replacemen t ply coated in preserver and just waiting for a good day to start fabricating the floor so i can get some stability before putting the rails etc back on.
On the bad side though found that the fronts windows frame was soaken and parts rotten to hell so had to take all that out and will have to replace fresh lol
Its true what they say about damp if you think it looks bad on the surface it's 10 times worse underneath everything lol
Some task you have. But if you can fix it your van will be as good as new, if not better. I wish I had the skills to do this kind of project. It will be worth it in the end.
Pretty similar to the state ours was in. Spent the last month fixing up the front end, repairing floor, front panel, front window, and both front areas of the side walls.
I had never touched a caravan in my life, let alone repair one but I found it quite straight forward after the initial shock! I'm a machinist by trade so perhaps my engineering background might have helped, but it really is basic carpentry that an average DIYer can do.
The worst thing I've found is that god awful tacky mastic stuff they used years ago. It gets everywhere on the drive, in the house, carpets, under shoes etc! Spent an age scraping it off the caravan, and even longer cleaning up the drive!
It was a mess but thankfully we're all done and the wife is now giving the interior a new completely new decor!
Yeah hopefully it will be better than new and worth it Boston600.
The bloody mastic is a pain in the arse maritimesbob lol Specially the stuff thats had water soaked into it think it makes it eveb stickier lol Glad ive got a pressure washer for the drive afterwards lol
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Topic: Caravan DIY Repair
