Delamination Lamentation

[GPW]

For a really Quick (temporary) Drip Edge , we’re finding Gorilla tape works dandy , and doesn’t look that bad either ... Seems to hold up waaaaay better than regular duct tape...

See drawing ... Something like this will last for sure till the end of camping season ... and probably lots longer till you can get something serious installed ...

[KCStudly]

I don't recall, was the floor covered with canvas and paint underneath or just the mix?

How about on top inside, was that treated with the mix or paint?

I guess it is really important to determine how the water got in. If the pillows were saturated it sounds like the water came thru the window or the door and then sat on top of the floor seeping down in.

If it had been from the edge or underside of the floor coming up thru a bolt hole would it have been able to wick up enough to soak into a pillow? I would have thought that it would have soaked the wood but not been able to get up on top of the floor (unless it was untreated).

Just thoughts. I am not close enough to the situation to do a proper analysis, but maybe you can still figure it out. You want to fix the actual problem.

[tony.latham]

The floor was solid plywood.

1/2" ACX? Was it sealed top, bottom and edges?

I looked on your build log and the the photos wouldn't load.

Tony

[GPW]

The floor as I recall had the canvas ( plus reinforcing strip )wrapping underneath ( No drip edge , we didn’t know then) Then 2 coats of thickly troweled on Black Nasty stuff , allowing drying between coats ... (see Pic) It was the NICE (pricy) good both sides Birch plywood from HD ... Saved a bit of weight over the heavier ply ...
The inner floor was left plain till all the fabric gluing was in place (bedsheets + inner reinforcing strips too ... I was serious) Then heavily primed and painted ( 2 coats paint, 1 primer)
The crosstimbers that the floor rested on (bolted to) was Treated wood ... We do not recall making any allowances for the bolt holes , now we squirt them with caulk , but then they would have been susceptible to moisture entry and that was right in the front too ... Another Clue ...

[KCStudly]

So water could have come in thru the window or door (even with an eyebrow drip edge over the door it sounds like there was driving rain there); soaked the pillows then sat on top of the floor (kept from evaporating by the pillows) and soaked down thru the bolt holes into the plies thru the untreated bolt holes.

This seems more likely to me than water creeping across the underside of the floor and wicking up to the degree that it could saturate a pillow. I'm not saying don't do the lower drip edge, but i would surely have someone douse the door and window with a garden hose while I sat inside and checked thoroughly for leaks. Slipping a dollar bill between the jamb and door seal and feeling for drag all the way around the seal is also a good diagnostic technique.

[GPW]

Schmaybe' check that roof vent too I’ve Never trusted a hole in the roof ... Just goes against good sense ... but then I was wrapped up in “traditions” ... Hadn’t learned to Foam for myself .... " In the Old days " ( Here we go again ) We’d test Kustom Vans for leaks by sitting inside , having somebody play the hose forcefully on the van everywhere, simulating heavy rains from all angles ... if a leak happened it was Usually on the roof ... or bad (factory) door seal ...

oops !!! KC beat me to the hose ... Those young guys hahahaha

[GPW]

KC , yes , water gets in all kinds of places , the tiniest opportunity and it will either fall onto , or wick upwards (capillary action , like plants work). We learned that from the Boats we had .. .. and then there’s the Humidity that doesn’t help either . but could there be “sweating" (condensation) inside the trailer from extreme temperature changes... just exploring possibilities ...

[tony.latham]

I'm throwing this in this thread for future builders.

it was the NICE (pricy) good both sides Birch plywood from HD

The birch plywood I see on Home Depot's site uses something labeled PureBond as an adhesive. It's soy-powder based. This is not an exterior grade plywood. I'm convinced this problem wouldn't happen with ACX or CDX (exterior grade) plywood. (I prefer the ACX since it has less voids.)

I seal the inside of my floors with a coat of thinned polyurethane oil based varnish followed by an unthinned coat. (The walls are over-butted to the edge of the floor and glued in place.) In my galleys, I coat the floor with two coats of epoxy (and up the side walls about 6"). I do this because it's a kitchen and water does spill plus we've got a seven gallon water container that occasionally leaks a bit. Any water on the epoxy puddles like rain on a waxed car hood.

Primer/paint is a surface coat that works well on the side of a house but not where moisture can build up. If the wood moves from moisture––and it does––the paint can't match the expansion contraction and you'll get cracks where moisture enters.

A good grade of exterior plywood, well sealed with the edges unexposed to moisture should last for many-many years.

I apologize if this post sounds critical, it's not my intent. All our builds are learning experiences. It's important we share what we learn here.

Cheers,

Tony

[GPW]

Ton’ we appreciate your candid views and well thought out procedures !!! I believe when I bought it I would have insisted on EXTERIOR ply ... Especially after building that first wooden trailer ..
Note: Since we started going to REAL Lumberyards we see HD carries the Worst of materials and not the best of prices either ... We found real lumberyards are less expensive all the time and for the Good wood , not some unnamed species all warped in the racks ...

Time for my Plywood Rant .... but just not today ... We know how many other things are better , simple board floors for example ... Hindsight is always so accurate ...

[bonnie]

Here's the pictures. Apparently my crawling on and out weakened that area.



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[bonnie]

So I probably assisted the breakdown and water seepage. There wasn't much water, the cushion covers were damp. The roof vent hasn't ever leaked.


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[bonnie]

So I have 250 4x8 pink foam. $5 more and a bit more rugged, I hope. A 9x6 drop cloth. A gallon of TBII a piece of that plastic stuff, FRP and some oops door paint. So I now must straighten the garage up and get the canvas on the foam and drying.


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[wagondude]

I would put something along the frame rail to support the new floor under the door. Actually, just make sure the floor is supported everywhere there is a frame member under it. As it was built, it looks like it just allowed too much flex while occupied.

[bonnie]

I'm actually going to move the entire cabin forward a foot to allow the door to open without hitting the wheel well thingie. I agree the lack of support probably contributed to the problem.


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[tony.latham]

Bonnie:

I feel your pain. These trailers become almost family. Lots of great times tied to them.

Tony