How to Repair major damp in your Motorhome/Camper van
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- čas přidán 9. 05. 2013
- My beloved campervan had damp around the window frame. After investigating how much it cost to have it repaired professionally, I decided to fix it myself. See the results and method here.
Parts were purchased from O' Leary Motorhomes - www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/
Hope it can be of some help as I found no resources on the INTERWEBENZ.
window seal vid below thanks
• Damp!
just copy and paste any of the links to your address bar - Jak na to + styl
This was the first video I found after discovering that 'Brigitte L'Escargot' has a damp problem in her garage! Everyone of us who has discovered damp in their campervan or caravan knows that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach and five minutes of viewing Mark's story should give confidence to those who are not afraid to get 'stuck in'! Thanks, Mark :)
thanks for watching good luck and injoy
thanks for watching good luck
hi Mark
I recently bought a caravan I knew it had problems at the front end externally but knew i could sort that so I got the caravan for a reasonable price. it wasnt til I got the van home I revealed the true horror of the damage. the caravan was damp along the whole of the nearside when I removed the front window blinds I could see the timbers from the front window were rotten and falling apart my stomach wretched at the thought i'd bought a lemon. However watching this video raised my hopes and my spirits I decided to make the van at least worth what i paid for it. I completed the rebuild including full front rebuild, timber frame replacement and boarding out to the whole nearside in just under 3 weeks. in all with a repaint inside and new upholstery I now have a caravan worth more than twice what i paid for it. without this video (and i have to say everything went 'text book', right down to ordering sealant and window rubbers from oleary's )I would have scrapped the caravan and took the loss on the chin and written the whole thing off to experience. thanks so much I am now subscribed to your channel and see you as a demi god of youtube lol cheers mate you saved my bacon.
Your persistence is remarkable! You tickled me when you said"piece of cake"! I know this work is not as easy as you made it look. You ARE A FiNE CRAFYSMAN Sir!
you're the greatest. Bought my first caravan and found a huge leak running along all the aluminium strips/rails outside and a leaking window. This was exactly what i needed. Thank you!
I've just found your video. Thank you for explaining and showing everything so clearly. This must be one of the best 'how to's' on You Tube. You have de-mystified an extremely daunting project and made it look pretty straightforward. Well done.
Amazing! We have a 1992 aprite major xl that's needing damp repair in the front and after a ridiculous quote for repair we have decided to embark on a bit of DIY. This has eased the feeling of impening dread in starting it quite significantly.
Brilliant job x
Fair shout dude, I've done loads of repairs over the years and I can tell you what you have done is spot on!!
thanks very much thanks for watching
mark
Thanks Mark, very Informative.
I just bought a camper as a project and quickly realised why it was pretty cheap, lots of rot in the corners etc. So I'm starting into that fix now and keep finding more. Your video has been very informative. Thanks for taking the time to video it.
really helpful vid, cheers mark. Im ripping out an old caravan and dealing with this level of rot in the roof and corners. this has given me the little boost of faith I needed!
An excellent, no nonsense video. So valuable to anyone with a similar problem. Shows that the job is “Do able” ! Thanks👍
Hi mark watching the video has given me the confidence to tackle the problem I found in my caravan over the weekend thanks for the in depth video and the link to where you got all your parts from
Mike
Thank you so much for putting this video on. I have just discovered very similar wet area in my touring caravan. This has helped me so much!
Thanks so much Mark, you gave me the courage to diy my old camping car’s damp issues :) Really enjoyed your tone and detailed explanations. Thx!
We just bought a motorhome and found out its rotten.. Your amazing video will help me and my hubby takle this massive job.. Thanks fella your a god send x
I feel with you mate! I've just encountered a major water damage on my old 78 Mercedes Benz auto camper. Thank you for the video! Now I know what I need to deal with and how!
Interesting, and actually pretty straightforward. I'm going to be buying a caravan for accommodation while away racing next year, this gives me a lot more confidence in tackling the inevitable damp. I did view a caravan today, but the rot had got so bad the whole front of the body had separated from the floor.
Great vid, ive just started to knock out the front and side wall of the caravan, was a bit freaky when i saw how much damage and how wet it was. thanks i will keep this vid as a reference.
Awesome job, I'm working on almost the same repair. You make it look easy. I only hope my repair looks half as good. Thx
Excellent job! Just amazing the damage water can do when you have shoddy workmanship and repairs. Missing or unsealed screws and improper bonding. Now you know it's done right!
Enjoy all the money you saved and pride of a job well done!
Brilliant informative video I have damp all over the front of my caravan which is coming in through the window seal and the window hinge rail your video really helped me and given me the confidence I need to tackle the problem myself thank you
My pleasure thanks for the complement and good luck
Good on ya ,mate. I’m just about to embark on a damp removal mission and this and other vids have given me hope!
Best of luck!
Thanks for the complement ,I did enjoy doing the job after I could see the light
cheers
mark
Spot on video Mark. My heart sunk when I found a similar problem, bottom corners. But your vid has given me a boost thanks. Will be giving it a go .
+David Smith thanks for looking if you have any pics post them ,good luck
Very impressive presentation and outcome. A friend and I are about to plan a similar job at the rear corner of our camper van on the rear corner where the shower and kitchen are located.
We have looked at a number of similar CZcams postings but none as informative as yours. Great job, very well executed and a tremendous aid for those thousands of caravan and camper van enthusiasts who are refurbishing their own badly designed, poorly built and abused vehicles. Congratulations on a job very well done.
Thanks Alan glad to help
I know your pain. Took my caravan in for a damp repair estimate and it was deemed uneconomical to repair. Couldn't even give me figure! Thanks for sharing this video, it will be very helpful should I be brave enough to repair it myself!
Thank's Mark my camper is just the same as your, after watching you filming I will go for it.
thanks once again. Kevin
Kevin Weir good luck and enjoy
Mark
Hi William good luck, would love to see your photos when you have finished ,just washed all carpets today .toped up food cupboards ,fixed lobster pots ,ready for next trip ,.feel like a kid in a sweet shop lol
good luck Tessie ;-)
thanks for looking
Cheers for the vid mate. I have a thirty year old motorhome that has damp everywhere, Now I know what to do to get it livable. Like you, I searched everywhere for some how to tips and then I found you. Brilliant job!
Thanks very much, just enjoy the job you will fix it better then new or as good as
mark
Mark Davies thank you. :)
Mark thank you have the same problem with my caravan in South Africa. Your video is very helpful...Regards Pine
well done mate. great video . its gave me the nerve to fix a similar problem. im thinking of using an exacte depth circilar saw to get the gubbins off.
Very cool vid, I have just found some damp along the bottom of the rear wall in my autotrail and I’m just plucking up the bottle to do it myself
Thanks William for the complement, are you going to give it a go, please let me no how you get on
mark
EXCELLENT stuff, really informative helpful video, I started to dig out the rear wall on my Jayco last week, your video is exactly what I was looking for.
Fortunately, the damp is in two lower corners.
William :D
Brilliant! Just tackling some rot and damp in our old 1984 piper caravan and thus will help a lot. Thank you!
thanks for watching all the best
Brilliant video, very informative, now have to start and do the same to my caravan, complete new rear wall to build, thanks for all the information,
Hello William, good luck, a dehumidifier helps a lot . just been showing off are video's of france to a family friend he loved them, and thinking off getting a motorhome , I said if he dose he can follow us next year I cant wait . someone at work said are we cramped !!! I said I have the biggest back garden and swimming pool in the world lol
Good vid I am in the middle of rebuild my back wall on my 88 Ford Vanguard motorhome.Its always worse then it looks I've found that out once digging into it .
I have exactly the same problem with my Swift camper. Your explanation and video will likely help me very well for the next repair. thanks. Your video is the only one I found on Utube it describes so well. Greetings from Flanders
+drekovskio thanks for looking glad it could help you if you do a video of your repair please let me know all the best mark
Hey mark, I will try but I'm not so good at making videos like you. grts Dre
Your a star, I now know exactly what to do with my campervan. Many thanks to you Mark!
+james todd thanks james glad i could help enjoy your fix
Hi, Good JOB. I live in Texas, " so rain ain't a factor" ; however, I have found that a good pitched roof with metal siding is the only thing that stays dry. Wet climates will kill even an Airstream, and it's all metal. All RV are fair-weather and need a good roof in wet weather. The old RVs are better because of sturdy metal bonded to ply with foam core center. I have a 1983 Ford 7.5 C Class with water damage that is still good to go. The only way to learn is by doing, and you did a good job. Thanks for the excellent video.
Painstaking tedious work getting that luan off the foam board. And you sir are correct in noting that the ribbon holding the cabinets off is a "bloody nigjtmare"! Trowel idea is fantastic! Thank you for that! 700 quid. Lol! Great video thanks much!
Hi Christine thank you for your lovely comments ❤️👍
Really enjoyed watching that. Iv got a vw compass moterhome. Iv got water damage at the front of the van over the cab. So I tuck it to a garage that deal in this type of work. He told me it was going to cost me a lot. £5000 @#$% what .hopefully iv sorted the problem from outside as it's drying out now 🤞. So I'm thinking of doing it myself. So I was look at CZcams videos to see how it could be done. Yours is straight to the point. Watching your video makes me want to try it now. Thanks buddy 👍
Thanks for watching Jeffery ATB
Well sir. Im only 15mins in and you.ve helped me tons. You see iv got to do some work on my inlaws caravan and its got the same problem. Iv got a few tricks up my sleave and as well as your help with wgere i can source window seals and new boards il have it done in no time. The only problem is my brother said he wants to be here everytime im doing anywork at all and the bloody git isnt exactly very enthusiastic about it.
But iv made an executive decision and will start the work without him asap.
The sooner the things done the sooner iv get my bloody driveway back lol.
Great video man. Loved it
Hey there please go check out the first part of my caravan project.
1700 seems a good price. From start to finish, Inside and out side you got around a full weeks work there.At 60 pounds per hour plus parts at around 200 Sealer. Mastic and wall board Strip out and refit. also your 1 year workmanship guarantee.
Nice Job, Motorhomes leak equally well on both sides of the pond. I am just finishing the same job on a 27 foot Airstream. I bought a Pocket Screw Jig by Kreg to build new cabinets in my rig and found that it was invaluable in securing all the new framing in the wall. Also I am using urethane construction adhesive in combination with the pocket screws to attach the framing members to the aluminum superstructure. I am considering purchasing a moisture meter to detect water intrusion. Its very difficult to detect in the early stages behind paneling and surface finishes, and as we who have been through this exercise know, early detection is critical.
Hi Stephen thanks for watching, if you have any pictures of the work you have done would love to see them
ATB
Mark
Stephen Ritson I think being completely sealed from any kind of leaks is even more important in your part of the world. Constant moisture means a constant battle to find and seal even the slightest of leaks.
You have done a fantastic job. Carefully taking it all back down to solid material was the only way to do it properly.
thanks for comment and thanks for watching
thanks keltin and thanks for the comment take care
mark
Sir you are a life saver! Thanks for being so brave so the rest of us can follow your steps. A truly amazing video. Thank you so much for sharing
You are so welcome good luck
Mark, this is without doubt an amazing and inspirational video diary packed with great information and ideas thank you for taking the time to help other people in similar circumstances. Best Regards, John Ratcliffe
WOW john thanks very much take care
mark
Wow that didn't happen overnight. I bought a used 1992 motorhome a few months ago. Yes window surrounds get brittle and are better replaced.We "amateurs" can at times do a better job. Although my window seals looked good, on closer inspection they had shrunk away from the corners when I stayed in north Queensland region where the heat is a killer, especially when the back of my motor home was facing the rising sun for for three months. With gentle persuasion the seals were moved into position and clear sealant held them in place. I discovered old water ingress and tracked it down to a screw not being fitted in the rear cargo light after running a hose over the roof to find where water was getting in and onto the floor under the seating. Also another screw had come out of the awning track and was sealed back in.
Repairers price for the same motorhome to repair rear underfloor damage to the back panel started out at between $550 and $800 Australian including 10 hours work. Repairers final bill to insurance company was just under $4,000 including 32 hours work 6 hours to remove, clean, reseal and refit corner guard. Repairer doesn't know I got a copy from the insurance company. He charged $385 for a $35 piece of checker plate. A 1200x2400mm sheet is about $50 to $80. They also quoted for new liner and refused mine. Quoted for new timber frame, but mine is aluminium and was repaired. I have informed the insurance company because the corner guard sealant is a mess and all over the corner reflectors and cargo lights. Finish was nothing like the two caravan I was shown being resealed. Also sealed at the lower end onto one corner guard which will hold moisture in. Did not use new stainless steel screws as requested and used my old screws, covering with sealant which has prevented the liner to sit flat and pushed up into the roof side surround, also will let moisture in. I had bought the sealant before the insurance repair to do the corner guard myself but did not think I had to do rear guard when included in repair. Hindsight unfortunately comes after a bad experience. I marked my liners and took photos and video before delivering to the repairer and have used this to show insurance company.
So valuable thank you for uploading. Although I must admit I didn't realise British caravans were made so awkwardly of that they had so little insulation!! (Did I miss you put a layer back in after you scraped that tiny bit of polystyrene away?). Made me think twice about renovating one, might as well do up a cargo box trailer or something if you want to be sure you can keep it warm and dry? Thanks again
Great job Mark. It really has shown that this job is easily within the capabilities of a reasonable DIY'er
Cheers Mervyn thank you very much all the best
mark
I just found this one, Excellent video, very informative.
Great vid nice to see someone doing it with tools that most people will have and not all the expensive gadgets,well done
Darren Wood Cheers Derren LTB
Thanks Mark, Great vid about to tackle same job, you have certainly taken the pressure off me now that ive seen how competent you were. Cheers
You can do it Chas take your time and enjoy
Thanks Mark for a comprehensive video, I appreciate it.
Regards
Very helpful and thanks for the info :-) Feeling confident now to tackle the job .
Hi Mark, I've just started removing damp damaged wallboard and refixing the window will follow and your video has given me the confidence to do it! Can you let me have the link for fixing the rubber seal . Thanks
Just about to tackle the same project , thanks for video and tips👍🏻
Good luck Mark
Well done.
Fantastic job
Hi Mate, absolutely fantastic, informative video... well done and like you quite rightly said... you really don't see any video's like this and so in depth... great job and thank you👍
Thanks Chris👍
Nothing better than finding out a fix is too costly.. and then doing it yourself! On top of that, making a video so other people can benefit from your hard work and risk. Thank you for that.
May I ask, are all caravans built from an aluminium exterior? I have read online that one should, when buying a campervan, check the outer walls to see if they feel soft, however, would that not just indicate a rotted wooden frame on the inside? Or can the outer walls feel soft because they are "rotten"? Thank you!
Gr8 informative vid mate it's good when we can see the actual makeup of the van and how it's constructed ,all we need is patience and a little patience ,well worth tackling unless you've stupid money to give somebody else ,and lose your self satisfaction and self esteem lol can't wait to start my caravan although it has 3 windows at the front woohoo bring it on .
This is an awesome job. Fair play to you.
I too have a rotten problem to the rear of my motor home, issue is the shower and the wardrobe in are the way...nightmare.
How is the motorhome looking in the year 2018?
Thanks Curly, just Mot'd her, needed sills & jacking points welding, otherwise OK & ready for French trip. Good luck with your repairs. :)
Mark Davies woop woop, I might see you there, depending If I can get this rot repaired in time. Is it a motorhome or caravan you have?
MOTOR HOME
great job and well presented easy to understand
Great job thankyou for sharing
Mark - 9 years on and this is still so valuable! My biggest worry now is how to remove and refit high level cupboards before I start on damp refurb. My repair is needed around the door with a new door required to. Have you got coverage of this? Can’t find it anywhere on line - ??
You can buy wall board here in Canada and it is far better to use as a repair for the walls. It comes waterproof as well. Save you a lot of work. But good video.
I repaired mine by stripping the old wall off and replacing it with wall board. It has a nice print on it that everyone admires.
so glad it could help, good luck
nice work. About to start on a full wall of an 18 year old rimor motorhome. this video is very helpful.
Amazing work! Wow. Such a great job. You are a great craftsman sir.
thanks very much for your comment sir
mark
Very useful. Just about to embark on a similar repair where the main dealer bodged putting the awning on the side. It has already been repaired under warranty twice. I'm now going to do it myself properly. This will include epoxy coating all the wood and panels before fitting it, so that it will not go rotten if there is any future water ingress.
Good luck!
Hello Mark, yes I am, as I say, I took off part of the rear wall last week, I saw less damage than I thought, actually, half of it is dry already, it is a 30 foot American 5th wheeler, I've had loads of fun in it the past year, so now it is time to repair and maybe decorate too, no idea how long it will take, I have read these things can take 2 or 3 months to fully dry, I received a reply from Kitsmiller in USA today, advice on the damp in my trailer, let it dry, treat the wood.
Fingers crossed
thanks for posting this video an the links cheers
Great video. I think I would have coated all that new structural wood with marine spar varnish or some other protective coating so any future leak won't rot the wood like that. Regards!
good point thanks for watching
mark
Thank you all the best Thomas
Going through similar on a 1981 Hymer 550. Not as bad as yours, but a bit welding and fabrication needed. On a note, that might be a cheap knife, I got one, but it is a awesome knife. Hope you got it back to spec ;)
great job man I'm getting ready to do mine I'm nervous
Jared Wheat I was at first. Good luck let me know how you get on ATB mark
Extremely helpful video. My 2 cents; I used to use a plastic brush attached to a drill to polish large aluminium engine pieces on older show cars. Could be a faster option compared to the scraping. Get the softest and largest plastic drill brush you can and the softness combined with the large area of force distribution should help to avoid any damage to the aluminium. Dremel brush if you're feeling more timid. And use appropriate eye, ear and lung protection because aluminium dust doesn't work out well inside the human body. A chemical solvent might be the best option for this work though really.
brilliant thanks for the tip
Great Job Mate! It just goes to show what you can do if you take your time and think out the job well in advance.
Thanks Lawrence LTB
Gread work, very helpful, more importantly than the money you saved is that you now know that its been done properly !
Absolutely! Thanks for watching
Great video, glad I watched it as my ABI jubilee courier caravan has damp around the front window. Will be doing same as you 😎👍 wish me luck 😂
good luck Andy just do it ,easy
Very enjoyable 37:44, time well spent. Well done on an excellent repair.
Great video. Very informative. Thank you
Very interesting and informative , thanks for posting
UPDATEI went from putting the caravan up for sale as a caravan that needed to be repaired to finding ALL the holes and sealing them, it rained last night and when i wend to check if water was coming in i discovered that i have most of it sealed, i only have 2 more bits to do and i should be sorted when it comes to keeping the water/rain out. I have used loads of Tec 7 sealant which is what i could get here in ireland and its expensive 15 to 17 euro a tube and now im on tube 3 and have have wasted loads of it (my fault), its v v v exciting to see my work working, for me i want to do the caravan up just to get another year or 2 out of as its old and not sure how much longer it will last.
thank you for all the details!
Thanks for the tips Mark!
Danica Lambert my pleasure
Great video Mark, really helpfull
thanks very much
JUST SARTING THE SAME PROJECT TODAY GREAT VIDIO
You are the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!Many thanks,I'm off to sort out my DAMP.
+teddious jones thank you Mr jones enjoy ATB mark
hi got everything i needed for the repair from O'Leary's motorhome repairs
if you look at the description just under the link is there
cheers
mark
I just received all I needed from O'Leary's Motor Homes, they are great and excellent competitive prices. Thanks for the recommendation.
Great work did same but used multitool too remove old bonded wood and used plastic bathroom sheet on inside as you say the board is ridiculously pricy all the best donny
I'm just doing a talbot express bedouin. Complete roof internally and one complete side. It's bigger job than I thought but it's near on complete. Main thing to remember is coat the roof and relax seal or you will have the same issue in 12 months time.
Brilliant video. We have just bought our first caravan. Knew it would need a bit of tlc but as we cleaned and stripped things back we found lots of damp. we are going to try and do it ourselved and this video is really going to help :)
only problem is we don't have an abundance of tools and clamps so will be interesting to see how we get on. I will be taking pictures and short videos of the progress so will let you know how we get on.
With this being a motorhome though is there going to be much defference with a caravan?
At the moment we are just going through pulling everything that is rotten out to see the damage.
Thanks again :)
Matt & Shell
Hi both no difference between caravan or motorhome as for clamps you can buy them very cheap from any DIY store
drop me your links when you start your vid's
ATB mark
any videos for fitting the outside rails?
Thanks for the video, very helpful info
No problem David thanks for watching
Brilliant video glad I found it