Community Forums

CamJam1 · 02-12-2021, 07:48 PM

Had some discussions in another thread about water leaking into my bedroom slide. Decided I should start my own thread rather than continue hijacking that one.

I had a little spot of water on the carpet at the front of the slide after a recent rain (slide closed at time) and GREGORYJ has given me some ideas on what that might be. We're expecting rain over the new couple days here so hopefully I'll be able to see where it's getting in.

I do have what I think is a separate leak that has caused a slight amount of wood swelling under the fiberglass on the outside of the slide (see photo). Can't be sure yet, but I think I can see where that it's coming in above the frame work at the bottom of the slide. The caulking there has cracked and I see a gap. I suspect it's getting in there and wicking up into the wood. I don't see any evidence that it's crept to the inside. The metal frame is not rusted, at least not that I can see from under the bed.

It looks like that bottom part of the frame around the outside of the slide can be removed by taking the screws out at bottom of the slide, does that sound right?

Not sure how to go about fixing where the wood has swelled once the leak is fixed. Any ideas?? Since it's still minor I wondered if body filler and repainting might work?

CamJam1 · 02-12-2021, 08:27 PM

Assuming it is plywood under a fiberglass skin, one idea I had for fixing the surface bubbling on the exterior of the slide is to remove the frame, remove the rotted wood with a pick or angle grinder and replace the wood with some wood epoxy. I've seen some stuff on a display at my local paint store for repairing dry rotted wood and it looks amazing. Not sure if the fiberglass would flatten out again if it were clamped until the epoxy dried?

cashmore · 02-12-2021, 08:34 PM

Search YouTube for “fix rv delamination” and you’ll get a ton of things that come up. Essentially you have to glue and press it all back together with epoxy.

There are lots of great videos showing the steps people have taken to fix delaminations along with the material they have used.

CamJam1 · 02-12-2021, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashmore

Search YouTube for “fix rv delamination” and you’ll get a ton of things that come up. Essentially you have to glue and press it all back together with epoxy.

There are lots of great videos showing the steps people have taken to fix delaminations along with the material they have used.

Thanks... I check them out. I guess I was thinking most RV delamination were with foamcore sidewalls, but perhaps I was jumping to conclusions,

cashmore · 02-12-2021, 09:13 PM

It really doesn’t matter what the wall makeup is, the issue is the Luan or plywood that is typically used as the backer to the fiberglass skin. The wood acts like a wic and sucks up any water that can find it’s way in and when it starts to rot the fiberglass that’s bonded to it starts to come off (delaminate) as well as the plywood starts to come apart causing the bubbles you see.

Good luck on your search!

Thewellz · 02-13-2021, 12:07 AM

The one issue you have with the side wall is common among older national coaches, they often seem to swell around the bottom of the fiberglass where it meets the transition to the bay doors. And at the bottom of the slide walls like yours. Its nothing to worry too much about as long as it stays solid and doesn't loosen, and if course make sure your seals are kept in good condition. Both Nationals I've owned have done this to some degree. Even with no obvious leaks and good seals.