Hi I'm new to here. We recently got a old Elldis sunseeker 2002. It's our first ever caravan as previously owned a Pennine folding camper. But unfortunately we have come across alot of damp around the front window frames. Well it's quite bad. We can't afford to get it repaired so my father in law who is very handy with wood is going to replace the rotten wood. He's never done this before . But does anyone know what wood I will need to get and what other materials I shall need like window seals adhesive and sealants please . I'm very upset about it as it's lovely apart from this issue and I've always wanted a caravan . I do hope someone can help and give us advice with what we can do. any advice will be appreciated. Thank you
damp around the bottom of those front windows isnt as serious as it seems..
it not really structural more a case of giving width to the window rubbers..
mine was like that when i first got my van.. i just cut out the lose bits stuck a few bits of wood in place and covered it up with thin white plasticard..
that was eight years ago and my repair is still fine..
Thanks trog. When my husband peeled back the seals you can see it's very crumbling. What adhesive did you use. We haven't got a clue about caravans so you imagine how gutted I was when my hand went through the wood when cleaning
Damp and rot around window frames is a pretty common problem because the adhesive that seals the rubber to the outside body degrades over time. The secret is to check it regularly and that is one of the reasons for an annual service. Catching it early reduces the amount of damage that the water ingress will cause as wood that is constantly wet will rot.
It is both horrifying and daunting to find your dream caravan has damp anywhere but it's not generally too bad if you are in the least but practical with some DIY skills and basic tools. Caravan construction is very basic woodwork as you are likely to find out but help and information is available to all who need it. You will need to remove all the rotten stuff back until you reach sound wood to join it back onto, it looks daunting but there is no other way of finding out just how much damage there is underneath.
I don'y know if you have looked at the pinned articles by the 'Fixed it Club' at the top of the Repairs page on this forum but they have done wonders at fixing up some huge damp/rot problems.
As for parts suppliers, they are there too but Seald Direct is a good place to start as you are likely to need new window frame seals. Glues are simple construction types like Gorilla which will bond both wood, aluminium and ply. Sealants tend to be non-setting types like Sikaflex 622 or Soudal RV61. Wallboards can be purchased but you usually need to buy a minimum of two 8' x 4' sheets and that is expensive as you won't need that much. Do as I did, find a company locally that does damp repairs for your local caravan retailers (they tend to farm that work out to specialists) and get some off-cuts from them.
Dave.
------------- Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you on experience.
Mark Twain.
I am currently in the middle of doing that very same job myself to our 1992 Elddis Wisp. I had never done anything like it before, but I am a fairly handy sort of person who enjoys a bit of woodwork, along with fixing electrical issues and plumbing.
It's not turning out to be that difficult a job in itself although my own physical limitations are causing it to take longer than I would like as I'm in my 70s and with back problems. As a result I am not very flexible anymore. Nothing very elaborate is required, it's all fairly basic stuff. For the pannelling I bought an 8 x 4 sheet of 3.5mm plywood from a local stockist. Much cheaper than going to a specialist caravan supplier.
Thank you Dave and Colin so much for your help . When my husband showed me the damage well that just ruined my holiday I was in tears thinking this can never be done by us and of course the quotes we had to fix were in the thousands. I'm having faith now. Also the awning strip the silver bit on the outside do we need to seal that aswell and what sealant do we use. Sorry for all the questions but I'm thinking you guys are going to be the best people to help us. Chez
Hi Chez, ask away, that's what this forum is for. There are plenty of people on here with all sorts of knowledge and experience and I've always found people on here very helpful.
I got a quote to fix ours from the dealer we bought it from nearly 6 years ago, and they wanted nearly twice as much as we paid to buy it. The thing is though it is all labour charges, the materials to do it yourself are just a tiny fraction of the total. I've got virtually all I need to finish the job now, and I've barely spent £200. £65 of that was a step platform to do the outside as I can't reach from the ground.
If you are taking the awning rail off to seal it I would use a sealing strip which you can buy on a roll from a caravan dealer. If you can't find any locally Kenwood Caravans is where I got mine from on their ebay shop, they are very good for all sorts of bits.
The other sealant I use comes in a tube and is called Sikaflex. You need a flexible sealant as caravans flex when they are moved. A hard sealant will crack. Good luck with your project and if you think of anything else just ask.
Thanks Colin your a diamond. I'm sure I will be back to you with more questions as we aren't knowledgeable at all with caravans. So I need window frame seals. Ply wood and do I need the foam stuff that's sits between the frame and the ply wood. It's very daunting when you think you have to take all of the stuff out. Like the drawers and will the pelmet thing need to come out . Just hope it all goes back in ok.
I didn't take out the shelf above the windows as it all seemed quite sound up there. I try to make myself as little work as possible. My caravan is 31 years old now so I know its not going to last for ever. It does us though.
I have re-used some of the foam insulation, but in other places I have used expanding foam in a can. You have to be very careful with that stuff though as it tends to go everywhere. I didn't take out the drawers either, as once again it all seemed quite sound. I think the caravan will do just fine for the rest of our time with it, and it might even outlast us.
Unless you intend to keep the caravan for the next 20 years I would do the minimum you can get away with. If anything seems solid, leave it alone if possible. You won't add any value doing more, and the more you try and do the more there is to go wrong unless you are a real expert. I'm not! I'm off outside to do a bit more to ours now, as the sun has come out.
Oh thank you colin. I certainly would like to see how you progress if you don't mind . I think ours is going to be exactly the same as yours. It looks like a big job 😬 maybe I'm just fretting too much at this point .
Quote: Originally posted by chezben on 01/6/2023
Oh thank you colin. I certainly would like to see how you progress if you don't mind . I think ours is going to be exactly the same as yours. It looks like a big job 😬 maybe I'm just fretting too much at this point .
I'm guessing you are younger than me so if I can do it I'm sure you can. Yes it is quite a big job, but not impossible so I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's perfectly fixable. I'll take some more pictures as I go.
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Topic: Damp repair help needed
via mobile 31/5/2023 at 9:07pm
