Repairing Subfloor and walls from water damage

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mtonepa

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Apr 19, 2009
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I just got a 1999 Fleetwood Mallard 29S. I knew there was a floor damage in the master bedroom, from water. When I started to pull up the floor I now see the damage is also in the walls, the panelling and the studs. I now have to remove and replace the long cabinets on each side of the bed. What I am noticing is that the studs are secured by screws that are coming from the outside. I am capable of doing the work but I am concerned about the how to do it.

If I removed the damaged studs how do I secure new the one since the originals where screwed from the outside. Do I have to Remove the siding, not something I want to do?

How do I rebuild the cabinets they too seemed to be secured by outside screws?


 
Dunno, that's a tough one. It sounds like the screws were applied through the framing before the outer side walls were put on? Or are the studs in question part of the rear cap?  Fiberglass sidewalls are usually assembled in one piece by vacuum bonding and then placed whole onto the floor and screwed down.

Might it be possible to place new studs along side the old ones and leave the old ones in place? Glue and screw the new studs to the old ones?  Tough to make suggestions without seeing the construction and the damage. Could you post some photos?
 
Yes it seems like that is what they did.
It is alluminum siding so I don't think if was vacuum bonded. My thinking is that I can remove the bad sections of wood and replace with new pieces using glue, toe nailing/Staples or other fastener methods. Sister to any existing boards might be tough because they are just falling apart.

I am worried about the strength of the walls once I start chopping it up and replacing only pieces.

 

 
I was looking at that earlier and it seems to be the same kind of frame and structure but My damge is not as extensive as his. I am hoping that I can just replace some wood from the inside without tearing down the outside walls.
 
Dryrot in wooden boats is a continual problem.  One solution that is commonly used is a water like epoxy similar to dryrot repair epoxy.  There are other products that do the same thing.  I have not used this, but came close.  West Marine has similar products.
 
Well I got the inside paneling off , the front of the trailer. The floor is an issue and I think the floor joist along the outer edge might be a real probem. But what is puzzeleing is the damage on the front wall. The wood is destroyed on each side on the front corners but only halfway up the walls. Basically right at the bend and below. I am now wondering where this water was coming from. The Seller said he replaced the roof but the walls at the top are in good shape. And if it was the roof how did the floor get so bad? Could it be a leak in the siding? Also the wood was still moist So I am wondering if the leak was fixed could the moisture stay trapped for a long period of time?

 
I had a very similar problem with my Keystone, except it was on the rear. What had happened is that the outside corner trim/molding had been jarred loose and water was seeping in behind it. On one corner, the corner stud actually crumbled as I touched it and I am convinced it leaked there from day one. It was an extensive job but I did manage to rebuild it completely by myself. My unit tho is fibreglass so I can't comment on the alum siding you have.

My unit also was approx 1-1.5'' out of plumb so I had to "rock" it back plumb. I used a ten foot pipe clamp for that. Good luck, sometimes you never know what even lurks behind the walls.

Also, if fairly well sealed from the inside, yes, the moisture could stay there and stay wet for sometime. Best to fully expose it and then see if it dries out. If not, you may have a plumbing problem.
 
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