CHEAP RV Fiberglass Delamination Repair Video

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Shows how to fix an extreme case of RV side wall delamination caused by water damage for about $100 using epoxy and a ratchet strap clamping system. Removes delamination bubbles from RV siding and walls permanently.

[@Rangerjoey76]

One tip to make this easier is to purchase empty refillable caulk tubes. They are cheaper than the syringes and easier to use in any standard caulk gun. Getting ready to tackle this repair as soon as my supplies get here from Amazon.

[@jimccc9467]

How did your repair go, I need to do this to mine? Any tips?

[@Rangerjoey76]

@@jimccc9467 not good. Didnt work at all. Stripped the siding off . Replaced all the structure then reattached the siding with weldwood contact cement. This method leaves behind all the moldy wood and insulation

[@savr4429]

Thanks for taking the time to make the video. Have a class c that had ever so slight crack in the caulk on the roof that allowed water intrusion. Sidewall bubble. Gonna try West system epoxy as soon as the weather is warm enough.

[@herewegofans]

I've been fixing RV's I buy/sell for many years. This is the way. Epoxy EVERYTHING and use coring in pourable spaces. Use exterior walls to make jigs using 4x4, plywood sheets (for are pressure) and push together. Brace interior before of course. And Pro Marine is a great place to get material too. Great video.

[@billholland9152]

do you think this method would work for the ceiling/roof?

[@herewegofans]

@Esoteric Investigations my friend so sorry didn't see comments. Coring is a type of material you can buy such as pourable trandsom or expanding foam for flotation. You can get sheets from box store if in pinch, but planning will make the job smooth and lasting. Boat manufacturer and repairing shops can get all parts needed. Using plywood to make 4x4 squares to brace exterior of fiberglass and whatever size shape you need inside. Use 2x4 or 4x4 wood to make bracing to whatever will push back. Using two part resin w catalyst will make forever fixes. Scuff us areas where using first w 60 grit. Lots more but that will get you started.

[@herewegofans]

@@billholland9152 roofing is the hardest to repair. If not epdm issue, then gonna be hard. Structure repair on roof is imo the hardest repair on campers. Its all about the manufacturer and how they tied together to walls and whats broke and whats not. I personally pass on anything with bad roof. Ceiling inside is usually 1/8 plywood skinned so that isn't so bad. As for how to hang the plywood, usually stapled and glued. Would need to crib area and support panels as they cure. But again, all depends on rv manufacturer and how they did to determine how to fix.

[@klutchdust4346]

Nice job . I enjoyed your explanations and your willingness to tackle a really tough project.

[@mechanicforlife9468]

Nice job. Going to attempt my old rv sometime this year.

[@Harleyjon1]

Thanks alot for the video. I have a class C with serious delamination and tought about doing something like this. Because of this video I found the epoxy you used and have come up with an injection system and a clamping system that works for my situation. It is working wonderfully. There are some small areas that still have a little bubbling, but it is still 1000% better than it was. I also had to rebuild the over cab bunk area where the floor of that rotted out. in that area I used both epoxy and Liquid Nails. Many people talk about the roofs leaking, but in my case the roof is perfect. the water leaks on my RV were at the corners of the walls where Winnebago did a LOUSY job of sealing the trim pieces. I will say that in my research and experience I have found that Silicone is NOT the sealant that needs to be used in these areas. I have found that the butyl tape that the manufacturers use IS the thing to use but be careful to get full sealing on both sides of the joint. The manufacturer job only put tape up to the corner, when to seal the corner requires wrapping the tape around the joint. Anyway my suggestion to anyone doing this type repair is to work with the situation you are given. There is no " One Size Fits All". Just make sure that what you are doing makes sense, that is my barometer.

[@DieselCamper]

Silicone is a monster. Use proflex or some other acrylic based caulk. You can get it off with gasoline when it's time to reseal. The only thing that gets silicone off is all day for a full weekend!

[@marbear297]

Jon - sounds like I have a similar problem as you. The back of my Class C is pretty bad and the floor of the overhead bunk (not the top or sides) is damaged as well. I am about to embark on this adventure when the weather warms up.

[@jilisepiete2711]

I have a Minnie Winnie Winnebago and my back wall and overhead bunk area floor is my issue as well!! I'm hoping I can tackle this project and save my home.

[@ecamper6619]

Great job and showing all the tricks. Thanks for sharing.

[@nmcalmond]

Thanks for the video. I tried this and it worked pretty good but my mixture was pretty watery so it didn't go into the smaller edges or hard to reach places. I ended up going back with 3/4" PVC stuck on the end of a caulking gun to squirt construction adhesive into the spots I couldn't get with the epoxy.

[@yuraseadoo]

Excellent job, thank you Just about to start my project

[@mikeymike3194]

Wow, you did an awesome job, I am researching for my own RV Delamination, very nervous attempting repairs. Thanks for Sharing.👍

[@claymcmullen3430]

Let me know how you do , I will attempt as well

[@awareness1001]

I have watched 3 different videos. To help with the spread of the injection epoxy resin. Used a roller to help spread it.

[@oleniak1421]

Friggin genius! thanks!

[@seanabarca4828]

MVP thanks for uploading.

[@robertcrawford5240]

Great video and advice. I’m thinking that using a paint roller on the outside to spread the internal adhesive might help.

[@louiestinson8979]

good job and thanks for the video. i need to do mine now.

[@fixinggrace]

Nice job.

[@jyharris]

Very nice video. You've inspired me to fix mine.

[@DieselCamper]

Cool post back on how it goes!

[@DieselCamper]

Cool post back on how it goes!

[@xxlxpman]

That really does look nice now, what a difference.

[@DavidHBurkart]

Thanks for this

[@bobbeanbags]

Awesome video!!!!!

[@cubey]

My old class c motorhome has such bad delam and rot, I'm going to have to just open the wall to do repairs. On the plus side, its corrugated, in two pieces (upper and lower) and not nearly as tall as your trailer. So it should be easier to apply the epoxy. It's on the side, not the rear, so I can just run long straps all the way around it to clamp on wood. Anyway good video. I will look for the epoxy you used when I get around to tearing into it.

[@robertleeevans]

Nice detailed information. I have a bubble from an old roof leak. The previous owner had a new expensive roof put on and didn't care much about the delamination. Wall is totally dry and only the plastic/fiberglass sheet is separated from the wood. Thank You.

[@DieselCamper]

Hope this helps with the repair!

[@reynolds_family1266]

How did your repair go? We in same situation

[@DieselCamper]

Still holding up for the most part. It never looked as good as factory but I'd say it got 90% there.

[@bruceprigge5212]

Thanks!

[@konstantinchudnovskiy8430]

Can this be applied on exterior bunk door repair? I am wondering if it would have been a bit cleaner job if tear up the entire laminate panel sheet to expose any damaged wood.

[@uglysteve1]

Could you use a inch by four in roller to apply the epoxy since there is so much space?

[@thesetruths1404]

I am about to buy a very small RV trailer that I may have to repair its front cap and front portions of the sides that adjoin to the front cap. The exterior skin is delaminating like this and has bubbles. I'm thinking of buying 2' by 10' corrugated metal from a hardware store and bolting them thru the front every 16" or so. Then on the seams I'm going to cover them and the bolt heads with white EDPM "eternabond" tape. Should this work well enough?

[@talps2]

Did you have any concern or problem with using the clamp system on the ladder? It looks like it pulls it back?

[@agreetobeagnostic1322]

You could’ve used some adjustable shims under your clamping 2x4’s and clamped the whole back end tight at once. The way you had it clamped, all you needed to do was put a vertical strip of plywood near the corner and tap shims between the clamp strap and plywood. 3 points of pressure is better than 2, especially when the third turns two steps into one.

[@grast5150]

No. pull everything off, scrape the Luan 1/8 ply wood off of the fiberglass carefully, then do the same with the foam insulation, then use Stabond E-183 to glue NEW LUAN 1/8 ply to the foam, then use Stabond 440C to glue the fiberglass back to the LUAN. use a Vinyl Floor Roller at each stage to press on the contact glue. Then reseal the top side and bottom. the hardest part is having someone help guide the Luan and fiberglass to match the holes. FYI oversize the luan and cut to fit but the fiberglass has to match perfect. I have done this twice, You will get a great results. NOTE: Of course fix any wood rot in the wall before putting back together.

[@DieselCamper]

Very nice thanks for posting this!

[@grast5150]

@@DieselCamper No worries glad to share info. For myself it was finding the correct contact glue which was the key. Stabond is expensive but what the pro use. I guess it depends on the job. The hardest and most tedious part of the job is striping the luan off the foam and off the fiberglass (technically I think it is Filon). Later and happy RVing.

[@garylewis327]

Nice job. I've got this going on on the left side of my 5th wheel. Unfortunately, it is corrugated fiberglass siding, so I'm going to have to think about how to clamp that down. Question - what were the multiple layers under the siding made of? Nothing that would develop dry rot, I assume? That was my biggest concern. But if I can do mine this way it would be a big relief, because it's a 29-foot 5th wheel and that siding goes from one end to the other without any breaks in it. It would be very unweildy to handle if I had to remove it. Side note - it's too bad that those decals on your 5th wheel are peeling so bad. I have never understood why these manufacturers use decals on these things - they all start looking bad after just a few years. Mine was bad too, so I sanded them down and spray painted over them. It looks so much better now.

[@DieselCamper]

Hi Gary, the layers are actually thin plywood. I've thought about painting the trailer a few times but just haven't had the will to take it on yet.

[@markstench4470]

So after 3 years how's it holding up

[@rogerdickinson920]

With there being 3 layers of separation, when you were injecting the epoxy, did you inject epoxy both sides of the middle layer. In other words between the inside of the Filon or fibreglass and the rear of the middle layer and the frontside of the middle layer and the backside of the foam layer...Hope I'm clear enough.Thanks

[@DieselCamper]

That would be ideal but in certain areas no, I would have had to drill holes to do it.

[@slowlane5032]

Sexelent! Very nice. I'm looking at a motorhome that has delam under the decals-only under the decals. Wonder What would cause that? What did they Do when they put the decals on? Great video. Thanks.

[@DieselCamper]

Delam can be caused by heat as well. I suspect the decals get hotter than the rest of the siding.

[@readyeddy1401]

Where can I buy Pro Marinel laminating Epoxy all I found was pro marine table top epoxy are they the same. your video was very helpful thanks

[@DieselCamper]

I'd be willing to bet either one will work fine. I got mine on eBay.

[@WilliamEdom]

I gonna have to try this on my slide out. Both sides delaminated

[@DieselCamper]

Post back with how it goes!

[@marineswarm]

fiberglass resin stuff from the auto parts store? whats your alls take on that think it would work?

[@DieselCamper]

Probably would...

[@apetro45]

That was a great job. Where did you get the epoxy?

[@DieselCamper]

I ordered it off eBay. It was a 1:1 laminating epoxy.

[@therenys]

this link says "page not Found" can you find us another link or where to get it?... Cant find it anywhere

[@garryfoster6037]

put bubble wrap on your clamping board and it will do even better..

[@gilley76]

I did this repair above my slide-out using the same stuff. I injected the wall and then place wood over it and press it tight using the side of my house. 24 hours later I pulled it apart and it revealed bulges in the wall like the siding swelled from the heat of the epoxy. Where the bulges are there is not adhesion but, the rest adhered. I'm at a loss now of how to fix it because it is where the gasket goes for the slide-out. Any suggestions?

[@DieselCamper]

Most likely you have 2 layers of delamination and you fixed on layer but not the other. You may need to drill holes in the siding to inject epoxy directly into the bubbles and then do some body work to cover the holes.

[@vickischeffler21]

can you use this in a rv floor also to make it less spongy

[@DieselCamper]

Possibly... Depends on how you would access it and how bad the floor is

[@michaelclaflin5880]

Could you use table top epoxy or does it need to be laminating epoxy?

[@DieselCamper]

Use whatever you can get your hands on... It's not going to make it any worse... 😁

[@bottymanrique]

Thanks for making this video! You inspired me into fixing mine. Question, the pro marine suppliers I’ve found on Amazon say for wood table top, is it the same one you used?

[@DieselCamper]

Yeah I used laminating epoxy from ebay and thinned it with acetone.

[@bottymanrique]

Diesel Camper Awesome!!! I will probably do this closer to fall. I live in New England. Just got back from a trip to Copake, NY and I noticed it bubbled up more and where I applied Dicor that wall where the trim is it came apart a little. So I’m wondering if it was the hot weather and or we had the AC going on and water is leaking through somewhere. But again thanks for the video man!

[@DieselCamper]

Could be either. Delamination has been known to occur as a result of high temperatures and most certainly water intrusion.

[@jamesblevins7115]

Nice repair. I think it will work for awhile but the long term effects may not last for ever...

[@lemuelhenderson2145]

actually not true a repair done with epoxy is much stronger than than the original panel.

[@DieselCamper]

The only issue I've had so far with the repair is some separation in direct sunlight, but even with that its far better than before.

[@sissy99098]

its a RV how long do you want it to last also rv are not built tough there design to sucker you to buy one

[@claymcmullen3430]

What is the epoxy name? There's lots of different one's out there, I was looking at max gpe

[@mikerodland9776]

Hows it holding up? I have some minor delam I need to repair. Curious if the epoxy is safe for the styrofoam? Some melts it

[@changeyourlifebt]

yeah i'd like to know if it melts it too.

[@DieselCamper]

It didn't melt that I can tell. I would suggest applying more epoxy than I used. Some areas popped free due to the sun heating the fiberglass. But it is still way better than it was.

[@changeyourlifebt]

@@DieselCamper got ya and thank you :)

[@charlesdada6434]

In order to thin out the epoxy, he used acetone. Neat

[@sheilalapointe7828]

Can I do the same from the inside?

[@DieselCamper]

I don't see why not... Just keep good ventilation until the epoxy has set.

[@edwardmitchell7704]

How and whey does this happen . What do I look for so this doesn’t happy Elsewhere on my trailer

[@ssteele1812]

It comes from water leaking in from somewhere. Usually at the joint between the wall and the roof. Can happen anywhere there is a seam, i.e. windows, lights, access pannels.

[@javiergarciajr7589]

What about all the rotten wood behind the delamination pannel?

[@DieselCamper]

In this case it gets bound by the epoxy and basically turns into plastic. My case is very severe so obviously a lot will get missed. In a smaller case I think it's possible to get close to perfect.

[@jamesmarkjackson6079]

What was the name of epoxy And where did you get it

[@DieselCamper]

It is from pro Marine supplies (laminating epoxy) and I got it on eBay for about $50

[@antonmackey5814]

Diesel Camper nice! Great vid

[@DieselCamper]

Thank You, hope it helps!

[@50canadian]

I think there is water behind that means its rotted. What you are doing is putting the horse behind the card.

[@DieselCamper]

Yes the damage is caused by water. You have to open it up and let it dry.

[@claymcmullen3430]

Hey there nice repair are you able to contact me so I can get some information on the repair

[@claymcmullen3430]

Can you possibly post how it is now?and make of epoxy? also will epoxy melt Block insulation

[@tommybaez5260]

Nope.

[@igoski1582]

You did not address fixing the problem that caused the water leak, that caused the rot, that caused the delamination of the fiberglass. From what you showed on the video, I know what caused it because I had this problem before and fixed it. It was the factory installation of the marker lights at the top. They are the wrong lights for a camper. Note the very large hole in the wall, under the light, for the light mount. If and when the light lens cracks or the seal fails, water goes straight through the large hole, causing your major problem. The remedy; first, fill factory large hole with fiberglass, drill new small hole just big enough for the electrical wire, pull wire through the small hole and seal with silicone, replace those lights with the ones that mount flush to the fiberglass.

[@DieselCamper]

Great tip!

[@igoski1582]

@@DieselCamper I am working on one now with the light that requires the large hole. At least the manufacturer of this one fill the large hole with silicone, then embedded the light socket into it. I think that is going to work. The other one, the manufacturer put nothing in the large hole, the light lens cracked from tree branches and the water came through.

[@bradstinson1554]

I appreciate the fact that you are trying to save money. With that said, this is not the right way to do it. The structure integrity has been compromised and you are only dealing with the cosmetics. Proper way would be to take it apart and replace the rot/damage that came with the delamination. If you invested thousands into the rig; it’s a small skip to spend a few hundred in rebuilding the wall and relaminating it. My regrets are to you for the damage. Even more so to the next owner who has no clue what he has purchased.

[@DieselCamper]

I would never sell an RV without disclosing something like this. As for the repair, my RV my choice. Taking a wall apart is no small job.

[@jasonspellich2440]

There is no structural integrity to a fiberglass wall. It's only purpose is to keep out the elements. Most RVs are framed in aluminum...

[@oleniak1421]

@@DieselCamper Brad obviously has no clue what he's talking about. Once that epoxy cures, it's stronger than wood. Don't you just love how everyone is a critic? You did an awesome job bro,. people like Brad need to keep their comments to themselves.

[@jz4918]

@@jasonspellich2440 the plywood and aluminum work together as a system. Just like framing and osb or plywood on a house. Both are required to be structurally sound. Resin will only provide adequate integrity if it uniformly penetrates the rotted substrate.

[@jasonspellich2440]

@@jz4918 did I say the plywood didn't do anything? The fiberglass skin, which separated from the plywood, provides no structural value.

[@maxwolf2726]

The biggest problem why it delaminated it's because of the wood is rotten on the inside