Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

What should we do to remedy the separation from the aluminum and wood on our used trailer? It wavers like that the length of the bottom of the door, but doesn't get any worse/more separate than what's pictured. I can't imagine it will cause any leaks into the galley, but it still doesn't feel right to leave like that. Caulk?

Is there trim at the bottom of the door, covering the aluminum?

If there is, I would remove the trim and inject a sealant between the aluminum and wood, then rivet all three (trim, sheet, and ply) back together.
The layout and holes should be done prior to injecting sealer.

Water will run uphill, or more precisely, be drawn uphill.
There is a bit of a drip edge formed by the trim/aluminum, but not enough to keep water from getting in there and causing damage.

Rob

Thanks for the reply!

There isn't a piece of trim that goes over that gap. The aluminum is layed on/adhered to the wood. If appears that the wood has shapeshifted a little bit, and if we glue 'n' clamp the aluminum to the wood we'll have out of shape aluminum.

For the quick and dirty fix should be just inject some silicone up there?

It appears that moisture is wicking up from the bottom edge of the plywood. I think Rob's idea will be a permanent fix. Squirting silicon sealant will stall the permanent repair but when you need to do the permanent repair it will make it harder.

Since the plywood is not sandwiched by aluminum, I'd try a variation of Rob's method. Get a tube of PL Premium or other polyurethane adhesive. Wet down the plywood to make it flexible. Apply a substantial bead of PL Premium in the gap. (Don't worry about mositure. PL Premium is moisture-cured.) Place a backer board on the aluminum and a second backer board along the plywood. Clamp the assembly. Begin clamping in the middle and work your way clamping out to the sides. Remove any squeeze out of the adhesive. Leave the assembly clamped for a day or longer for the adhesive to cure.

You may want to try a "dry run" with no adhesive to see if the clamps will draw the gap closed before commiting to adhesive.

Good idea Tom!

To the OP; I looked closer at your photo, and it looks like there is a piece of aluminum trim at the bottom of the door covering the raw cut edge of the aluminum sheet.
I realize the trim doesn't wrap under, but it doesn't need to.

The trim that is there will work just fine, for its purpose is (after covering the cut edge) to stiffen the bottom of the door.

If you use Tom’s idea and use hot water or steam to soften the wavy area, clamp with support on both sides until dry, you will probably be able to get it to lay flat enough to use rivets to hold it permanently.
Do use sealant of course after clamping and before riveting, so no more damage will occur.
Or as Tom suggested, just the sealant without rivets.
Polyurethane glue is good stuff, it it holding my wood bodied trailer together, along with many other projects.


Since the builder was not aware of the possibility of water getting into this area (most people aren't) a close inspection of all areas "at the bottom" of the walls, doors, et. is warranted.

Good luck, and please let us know what works/doesn’t.

Rob