QuestionI recently purchased a 2000 Holiday Rambler Vacationer. It is in good shape interior and exterior but I did discover a small area behind the drivers seat, exterior a wall, that has some water damage. Floor level, 6 - 10 inches wide by 3 inches up from carpet. The rest of the wall is solid. Suggestions on repairing
AnswerFirst find the source. Once the cause is stopped, you can repair.
The problem with water damage is that you see only part of it. In the wall may be worse. Is the wall soft in areas around it that look dry?
Apparently, this leak is well secluded; since you didn't see it prior to buying the RV. That is good. How handy are you with tools?
Not knowing the interior scheme of your RV, I googled some pics and if yours is similar, your scheme has oak trim.
I would carefully, with a non-aggressive saw, cut out the bad spot. That is so it doesn't contaminate the good wood. Your walls are only paneling type material. Try to keep at no more than the 3" high you stated.
You may have to carve out some styrofoam insulation behind the wall.
Go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy a piece of paneling, or Luan (sub-floor) wood. The thickness is the main issue. Then get some type of wood you can use as a backer, that will accept a small screw without cracking.
Make a frame behind the wall, over lapping the opening you cut out. This frame will be about 3" wide. 1 1/2" attached to the remaining wall, and 1 1/2" exposed in the hole. Pre Drilling for the screws would help the frame wood not crack.
Cut a piece of wood the size of the hole you made. Put it in place and attach it to the exposed frame.
Now the repair is fixed. You just need to fix the cosmetics. At Home Depot, for sure, they sell pre finished composite molding. You can buy 4" or 5" thick base molding in oak. This never needs maintenance, and looks very similar to your trim already in the RV. This should completely cover the repair.
If you like, you can also put another smaller type of the same molding in front of the base molding; which would give the camper a nice finished look. What I mean is 5" base molding with maybe quarter round in front of it, at the floor. I actually did that through my house, and I get compliments on it all the time. The finish looks almost exactly like your RV's.
Since this repair is in an obscure place, this should be a great repair, and for those analytical type people, the two molding look will draw their eyes to the beauty of the finished look, and not the reason why it is there.
If this is confusing, reply back and I will try to be more specific.
Good luck, maybe see you at the campground sometime.
