Hi. We have recently bought a older eldiss 4 berth caravan and unfortunately after getting it home discovered it has damp issues in the front. The damp is around the lhs and rhs front windows plus the corners and in the rhs wall cupboard. I don't have a damp meter but the plyboard in the front is very very spongey in places and in the lhs lower corner the mounting for the top of the bed has pulled out which I have managed to bodge for now. There is also a few small cracks where the front window closes down onto the front plastic panel. My question is how hard is this going to be to fix and can it be done outside with just a plastic sheet to cover the removed windows. It looks like the wall cupboards will need to come down and also the bulkhead that separates the front locker from the caravan. I have very little woodworking experience but can turn my hand to most things. However I'm a bit concerned that this job is going to be to big for me to tackle.What tools will I need for the job. I have a saw and a drill. Also is it safe to tow with damp in the front or is it a recipe for disaster. The caravan is a 1998 eldiss knights bridge. Thanks
we had to do ours last september, on the storage yard with no power tools at all, so yes it can be done. like you my husband has only minimum diy skills when it comes down to woodwork, we also had to remove the bulkhead and replace it along with the whole section of the front end. we worked with a tarp cover over the lot of it, which had been taped down across the roof so rain couldnt run under it, but the windows could be replaced back at the end of each work section.
the biggest expense was replacing the window seals, that cost nearly £100 for all 3.
As for being able to tow it as it is now, well without being able to see its condition i doubt anyone is going to say its safe, but then again they will also tell you it will be fine too! its down to you to judge that one and how far etc etc
I don't know if this website may be of some help to you.
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Thanks I will take a look at the website tonight after work. When you removed the bulkhead can you remember how it came out as can't see many fixings for it inside the van. Did you replace all the insulation aswell a
Or did you dry it out? Mine will definitely need 3 new seals but possibly 5 depending on how far along the side the damp has spread
That is a very useful website that blueexpo97 has shared.
Probably the most difficult thing will be removing things like cupboards as there are few fixings inside. Caravans are built from the inside out, which means that they start with the base, build the various structures on it, then put the aluminium cladding on the outside. This means that most of the fixings are effectively inside the walls. However, caravan construction is relatively simple so it should all be do-able with perseverance. Start by checking out that website to know what you will be letting yourself in for.
Quote: Originally posted by happycamper987 on 20/3/2022
Hi. We have recently bought a older eldiss 4 berth caravan and unfortunately after getting it home discovered it has damp issues in the front. The damp is around the lhs and rhs front windows plus the corners and in the rhs wall cupboard. I don't have a damp meter but the plyboard in the front is very very spongey in places and in the lhs lower corner the mounting for the top of the bed has pulled out which I have managed to bodge for now. There is also a few small cracks where the front window closes down onto the front plastic panel. My question is how hard is this going to be to fix and can it be done outside with just a plastic sheet to cover the removed windows. It looks like the wall cupboards will need to come down and also the bulkhead that separates the front locker from the caravan. I have very little woodworking experience but can turn my hand to most things. However I'm a bit concerned that this job is going to be to big for me to tackle.What tools will I need for the job. I have a saw and a drill. Also is it safe to tow with damp in the front or is it a recipe for disaster. The caravan is a 1998 eldiss knights bridge. Thanks
If the seller advertised it as damp free even though its private you can asked for your money back.
because our "windowsill was rotten, it literally snapped in half when removing it, if you take off the moulding over the corner it reveals the screws you just need a sharpe blade to get them to part. we used upvc window board to replace it and covered in the right fablon colour and you cant tell its ever been off.
We bought it around 5 months ago so don't think that would be an option unfortunately. I've watched a few videos online and it definitely looks involved but I haven't really got much choice. We can't afford to buy another one and overpaid for this one originally as we thought it was in good condition even though it was old. I'm hoping the batons aren't rotten right at the bottom as they look the most difficult to replace. How are the batons fixed to the inside of the van and are they easy to remove once the wallboard is removed. Also am I best replacing one baton at a time?
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Topic: Eldiss caravan front end damp repair
via mobile 20/3/2022 at 11:41pm
