Community Forums

jackreese108 · 05-27-2018, 11:31 AM

I recently purchased a 1997 Wildwood 5th wheel. It's about 27 FT.

I wanted to remove the flooring and fix it up a bit as I feel there is some mold and mildew. I took the bed frame apart, had to destroy the base. Then started ripping up the carpet, but the closets on either side are sitting on the carpet so I started to try and take those apart, and I ripped up one panel.

I feel like I'm opening up a can of worms here. Can these panels be replaced easily? I still have not figured out how to remove the closets (or whatever they are called) as they are secured in there pretty good.

I'm also considering taking the interior walls off so that I can bleach any mold behind them, but again worried that they will come off without being destroyed, or that I can replace them without it costing a ton, or being hard to find.

Thanks.

Ray,IN · 05-27-2018, 08:55 PM

Before getting carried away in a search for mold/mildew, this product has a good reputation for remediating mold and mildew. Home - Concrobium
A buddy is head of maintenance for an apt. complex in this college city and that is the only product he uses to remediate mold/mildew.

The carpet may be cut at the junction of the closet wall and floor instead of tearing out everything.
If you find small sections(difficult to replace) of wood that is soft, there is a product that is injected into the soft-DRY wood, that makes it solid again, can't remember the name though.

bddadles · 06-03-2018, 08:53 AM

What type of walls do you have? Are the vacuum laminated? My HitchHiker has that type wall so it would probably be hard (I have not checked into this) to remove the interior panels since mine are all glued together. If you can get the panels off and happen to bugger them up a bit you could probably replace them with then sheets of Luan. I do not know of any refurbishers to ask except Kansas RV Center. That is the old NUWA (HitchHiker) manufacturing facility. They do referbs on RVs and may be willing to pass along some tips.

tuffr2 · 06-03-2018, 09:33 AM

I would think everything in an RV can be replaced. Watch a few YouTube videos to get some ideas. Most of the videos show the end result that looks much more residential. To renovate a RV is far less sq footage than renovating a house. You could rebuild it much better than original.

Brob · 06-03-2018, 09:38 AM

Luan is the thin plywood panels that likely comprise the walls of the RV. The way these units are typically constructed is the "box" of the trailer is first built and the flooring installed prior to the interior walls being built. Therefore the likely best course of action is to cut the carpet around any interior walls.

Gordon Dewald · 06-03-2018, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackreese108

I recently purchased a 1997 Wildwood 5th wheel. It's about 27 FT.

I wanted to remove the flooring and fix it up a bit as I feel there is some mold and mildew. I took the bed frame apart, had to destroy the base. Then started ripping up the carpet, but the closets on either side are sitting on the carpet so I started to try and take those apart, and I ripped up one panel.

I feel like I'm opening up a can of worms here. Can these panels be replaced easily? I still have not figured out how to remove the closets (or whatever they are called) as they are secured in there pretty good.

I'm also considering taking the interior walls off so that I can bleach any mold behind them, but again worried that they will come off without being destroyed, or that I can replace them without it costing a ton, or being hard to find.

Thanks.

Anything can be done if you have the interest, skill, time and money. Each is dependent upon the other for how much of each you put in.

Check out the threads "Total Rebuild" or "MountainAire - Back from the Dead". Both are excellent and may answer a number of questions.