Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Morning all!

Yesterday I went to unload the TD after getting back for a 4 day camping trip with the kids and went to go wash it and this is what I found.



Not sure why or how...used a lot of glue...what I thought was good wood...my only thought was the sealing ability of Duraback on the wood.
Any other thoughts?

My TD will have a nice little aluminum trim piece on the top now.

Yup, Elmo, That will make ones butt pucker.

That goes to show you, it only take one little bitty spot for water to penetrate and start its havoc.

Any other signs of leakage?

I would trim out all seams if I were you.

Mk

That is the only exposed seam...the other on is safely tucked and sealed under the diamond plate in the front. I am going to get a hold of Duraback and check on painting over the top.

No leaks or water damage...other than the water I sprayed up there before I attempted hitting it with the soap. It wasn't there when I left the campground.

Holy Cow...That is not nice... I can imagine that happening to me...and I wouldnt be too happy either...

How about using a Sika Product on it.. ?That works on anything..

Hope you can get it fixed...

Classic Finn

Classic Finn wrote:Holy Cow...That is not nice... I can imagine that happening to me...and I wouldnt be too happy either...

How about using a Sika Product on it.. ?That works on anything..

Hope you can get it fixed...

Classic Finn

My other thought is do the aluminum trim strip for now and come winter time go back in and refinish the whole thing in aluminum.

Oy...

Go to HD and buy a roll of roofer's tape. If you have a roofing supply place near you, they'll have Eterna-Bond, which is the REAL good stuff.

Eterna-Bond is not cheap and comes in long rolls, because roofers use a LOT of the stuff, but maybe they sell smaller rolls.

The stuff will stick to anything (there's a chemical reaction when you remove the thin plastic backing), so I'm sure it'll stick to the DuraBak. Then you can use a piece of trim to cover.

Ira wrote:Oy...

Go to HD and buy a roll of roofer's tape. If you have a roofing supply place near you, they'll have Eterna-Bond, which is the REAL good stuff.

Eterna-Bond is not cheap and comes in long rolls, because roofers use a LOT of the stuff, but maybe they sell smaller rolls.

The stuff will stick to anything (there's a chemical reaction when you remove the thin plastic backing), so I'm sure it'll stick to the DuraBak. Then you can use a piece of trim to cover.

I will look for this today at Home Depot...have to go there for trim and .20 a piece screws any way. Thanks for the suggestion.

Elmo... so so so sorry to see the mess... yeah, that would lead one to have a bad day. Is this "water" or "heat" expansion? Was it hot when you went camping? Another option might be: remove your roof vent, use a router and straight edge and dado out a grove/strip along the seam and sand back the duraback an few 5-6 inches on both sides. Fill the void with epoxy, a couple coats put on over a couple days, and feather it back into the sanded area, let it cure for 4-6 days, lightly sand w/ 80grit for some good "grip" and then reapply the duraback for a transparent fix.

If it's "water" cut out all the ply that shows evidence of moisture and "cap" with epoxy, or it will just keep seperating. I'd try this before you spend a bunch of time and money on aluminum, etc.; you have a router and you have some Duraback, maybe try just investing in a little "time" right now. You may have had just a little pin hole in the duraback or something. Did you seal the wood prior to applying the Duraback?

Man, I'm terribly sorry about the mess; I hope you get 'er fixed and can keep on enjoying.

elmo wrote:

Ira wrote:Oy...

Go to HD and buy a roll of roofer's tape. If you have a roofing supply place near you, they'll have Eterna-Bond, which is the REAL good stuff.

Eterna-Bond is not cheap and comes in long rolls, because roofers use a LOT of the stuff, but maybe they sell smaller rolls.

The stuff will stick to anything (there's a chemical reaction when you remove the thin plastic backing), so I'm sure it'll stick to the DuraBak. Then you can use a piece of trim to cover.

I will look for this today at Home Depot...have to go there for trim and .20 a piece screws any way. Thanks for the suggestion.

Elmo... I think your idea of an aluminum strip is a good one (1.5" or 2" x 1/16"?). If you bed it in a good urethane product like PL Urethane or Sikaflex I doubt you will ever have another problem... plus, you could screw it down to pull that wood back together. The Eterna-Bond roof patch tape is good stuff too; I've used it... But it is about 1/8" thick black gooey stuff with a thin aluminum foil skin... Methinks your first idea would look better and prolly work better too. Just my .02...

Keith B wrote:Elmo... so so so sorry to see the mess... yeah, that would lead one to have a bad day. Is this "water" or "heat" expansion? Was it hot when you went camping? Another option might be: remove your roof vent, use a router and straight edge and dado out a grove/strip along the seam and sand back the duraback an few 5-6 inches on both sides. Fill the void with epoxy, a couple coats put on over a couple days, and feather it back into the sanded area, let it cure for 4-6 days, lightly sand w/ 80grit for some good "grip" and then reapply the duraback for a transparent fix.

If it's "water" cut out all the ply that shows evidence of moisture and "cap" with epoxy, or it will just keep seperating. I'd try this before you spend a bunch of time and money on aluminum, etc.; you have a router and you have some Duraback, maybe try just investing in a little "time" right now. You may have had just a little pin hole in the duraback or something. Did you seal the wood prior to applying the Duraback?

Man, I'm terribly sorry about the mess; I hope you get 'er fixed and can keep on enjoying.

I believe it is heat...doesn't look like any water damage. I pulled it back a little and all was dry underneath. It has been 85-90 and humid the last couple of weeks...no rain.

Didn't seal the wood, because I wanted to follow the Duraback instructions exactly. I actually put extra Duraback on the seams. The seams also had bondo to fill the crack, and I don't believe water would crack it, but expansion would.

Oh well...how does the saying go about crying over spilt milk?

Elmo that Sikaflex that Brick also mentions is certainly a great product..
You can also seal that strip of Al with it in addition to using the screws..

Im using Sikaflex products on our tear ...

Good Luck in getting it sealed up so no more worry about possible damage.

Classic Finn

Classic Finn wrote:Elmo that Sikaflex that Brick also mentions is certainly a great product..
You can also seal that strip of Al with it in addition to using the screws..

Im using Sikaflex products on our tear ...

Good Luck in getting it sealed up so no more worry about possible damage.

Classic Finn

I never heard of Sikaflex before, but it sounds like something I need to look into.

Anyone know what area it is in at HD? I hate asking questions there.

elmo wrote:
I believe it is heat...doesn't look like any water damage. I pulled it back a little and all was dry underneath. It has been 85-90 and humid the last couple of weeks...no rain.

Didn't seal the wood, because I wanted to follow the Duraback instructions exactly. I actually put extra Duraback on the seams. The seams also had bondo to fill the crack, and I don't believe water would crack it, but expansion would.

Oh well...how does the saying go about crying over spilt milk?

or maybe missing bondo. Is the bondo still there? Looks like maybe the bondo cracked or went flying like some old cauk

Elmo, there is your problem. Bondo has zero structurial strength. Putting bondo on a straight seam is a no no, a soon as the wood flex the bondo will crack. Sorry to see that happen to you.

apratt wrote:Elmo, there is your problem. Bondo has zero structurial strength. Putting bondo on a straight seam is a no no, a soon as the wood flex the bondo will crack. Sorry to see that happen to you.

Now you tell me...I never said I knew what I was doing. I could of swore people used bondo for seams!