Waterproof wood hardener, to use or not to use?

[geebee]

Hello again and a happy new year!

I'm still trying to stop the rot in my caravan without removing any wood, so far it seems the soft damaged areas are below the level of the front seating frames. A lot of the wood has gone very powdery on top and some sections are still wet as I continue to dry them out slowly with a oil filled radiator. Also the front floor sections still within the seating frame structure are doing the same.

My question is after I hopefully stop the ingress of water could I use waterproof wood hardened to solidify these areas and re-laminate with fablon?

I've recently found another big leak which seems to be coming in from the front gas locker and pooling in one corner (as the caravan is on a slight slope). Here the water is going through into the floor and it looks like it's been causing damage for some time although luckily I don't think it's too much of a nightmare and maybe possible to repair with the hardener? I've ordered a new seal to go around the locker door and I've cleaned up the loose rusty hinges and used mastic underneath them when replacing.

Although I'm very tempted to rip out the old wood inside, mainly on the walls I just can't find the heart to do it yet as I've only had the caravan for a few months. Yes I'm still gutted and angry with the bloke I bought it from, and embarressed of buying it without properly checking it. Still, Im looking to remove the rotten wood perhaps next autumn before the winter kicks in again and to be completely sure that the re-sealing work that I have been doing will hold.

Thanks, Graham.
p.s Best wishes on a new year of caravanning!

[Trooper]

Happy New Year to you Graham.

A wood hardener would help in the short term. I used it on my Motorhome as a temporary fix until I had the time to cut the out and replace it (which I have since done, the cause was a cracked shower tray that must have been like that for quite a while).
I was working from below the MH and used some syringes bought from Ebay to inject the hardener in to holes I had drilled into the soft wood.
The main thing is to stop anymore ingress.

Good luck

Trooper

[geebee]

Great idea about injecting hardener Trooper, thanks for that!
Just received locker seal and putting it on today, and after taping the edges up after a day of rain only a few drops got in, so I'm hopefully that the new seal should all but remedy the water.

I seemed to pulled more and more to ripping all the wood out but I'm determined to get at least one spring and summer season without doing that!

I'm also wondering if it's possible for the lower skirt rail track to cause issues on the floor if leaking? I seem to be getting a section where the damp patch is rising although it is dry just below the window it is under!

Thanks, Graham

[Trooper]

Jan 4, 2015 10:37:37 GMT geebee said:

I'm also wondering if it's possible for the lower skirt rail track to cause issues on the floor if leaking? I seem to be getting a section where the damp patch is rising although it is dry just below the window it is under!

Thanks, Graham

It is possible as the Rail will probably be Screwed through the side wall and into the floor or the Rail may be hiding other screws which are holding the sidewall to the floor. I am not sure about the construction of caravans, my MH uses the later method.

Trooper

[geebee]

Thanks,

I had the upper rail of a couple of months ago when I replaced the mastic although yet to tackle the lower rail. But this rail stops before the front fibre glass section so hopefully should not effect the problem although I will be replacing the mastic with the next few weeks.
There's some big rain coming so we shall see if the new seal does it's job, looking at the old one it's likely that the water was going under it and into the gas locker.

Bring on the rain!!