cwarmouth
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Post by cwarmouth on Jul 12, 2019 6:58:31 GMT -8
Hi folks,
I'm getting started on some repairs and fix-ups on my lil loafer. So far I have gotten the two layers of paint all stripped from the interior walls and and am prepping the interior surfaces for fresh paint and primer. I notice that the welt between the ceiling and walls is in really bad shape. Brittle, breaking, gross, coming loose in places. I've read in other posts that the only way to replace it is by taking off the roof and/or walls. I also understand that the reason for having welt, besides looking nice, is to prevent squeaks as the trailer flexes going down the road. Here is my question... Instead of using welt can I fillet the corners with two part epoxy thickened with wood flour? I build and restore wooden boats and I have lots of this on hand. I can see a disadvantage to doing this would be that the walls and ceiling would be permanently attached to one another and would make future roof and wall replacement very difficult. Are there any other solutions? Thanks! CW
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 12, 2019 17:39:19 GMT -8
Hi folks, ...this would be that the walls and ceiling would be permanently attached to one another and would make future roof and wall replacement very difficult. Are there any other solutions? Thanks! CW I wonder if this epoxy and wood flour mix would be too rigid. The added benefit of welting is it allows the walls and ceiling to shift while being bounced down the road. I always thought Boats use much firmer wood or layered wood for the epoxy to bond with. |
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Post by vikx on Jul 12, 2019 21:49:21 GMT -8
Flexible synthetic trim will work instead of welt. It won't cushion the gap but will dress the edges up a bit.
Yes, the only way to replace welt is to lift the ceiling and attach new to the wall tops and cabinets. I think you should be VERY suspicious that wall and edge wood repairs need to be done. Most of the time, welting is in good condition if the wood is OK.
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cwarmouth
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Post by cwarmouth on Jul 13, 2019 7:28:53 GMT -8
Hi folks, ...this would be that the walls and ceiling would be permanently attached to one another and would make future roof and wall replacement very difficult. Are there any other solutions? Thanks! CW I wonder if this epoxy and wood flour mix would be too rigid. The added benefit of welting is it allows the walls and ceiling to shift while being bounced down the road. I always thought Boats use much firmer wood or layered wood for the epoxy to bond with. I wondered the same thing regarding the rigidity. It would certainly stiffen it up a bit. There is a method of boat building called stitch and glue where the sides and bottom plywood are stitched together using wire (or zip ties) then the outside edge is sealed with a strip of fiberglass "tape" and epoxy and the inside is sealed with thickened epoxy (epoxy and wood flour is what I use) and pressed in with something like a popsicle stick. I always wondered why trailers were not similarly sealed. Is the ability to flex and shift that necessary? |
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cwarmouth
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Post by cwarmouth on Jul 13, 2019 7:33:08 GMT -8
Flexible synthetic trim will work instead of welt. It won't cushion the gap but will dress the edges up a bit. Yes, the only way to replace welt is to lift the ceiling and attach new to the wall tops and cabinets. I think you should be VERY suspicious that wall and edge wood repairs need to be done. Most of the time, welting is in good condition if the wood is OK. Thanks for the tips. I have all the paint stripped off the inside down to bare wood and there is no evidence of water damage to the interior paneling. I'm currently repacking bearings, sandblasting the tongue and frame, and a few other little things like that but I will be taking the skin off one panel at a time to inspect it all in the next couple of weeks. |
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Post by vikx on Jul 13, 2019 9:55:46 GMT -8
[/quote]Thanks for the tips. I have all the paint stripped off the inside down to bare wood and there is no evidence of water damage to the interior paneling. I'm currently repacking bearings, sandblasting the tongue and frame, and a few other little things like that but I will be taking the skin off one panel at a time to inspect it all in the next couple of weeks.[/quote]
It's the edge wood forming the trailer shape that may have rot. Edge wood (on top of the side walls) gives the J rail screws a good purchase to squeeze the new putty and form a good seal. It's often flaky and/or rotted so the screws spin in place. The bad can be just below the front and rear windows, but sometimes it crawls up and over the trailer. Very good that you will be inspecting by lifting the skins.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 13, 2019 17:52:42 GMT -8
"Is the ability to flex and shift that necessary?" I believe it is necessary. It sounds like you've worked with epoxy for a long time so forgive me for stating the obvious, welting separates the walls from the ceiling it doesn't bond them together like a rock hard epoxy.
And as you said above, even if the epoxy works the ability to take the camper apart, for any reason, is lost. And savvy people will wonder why you didn't use welting. |
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Post by Teachndad on Jul 14, 2019 4:36:05 GMT -8
Hi Friends, I am calling out our member, Kirkadie, who has been a boat builder in his early life.  I wonder what he would say. Rod |
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Jul 15, 2019 5:07:31 GMT -8
okay Rod, I'll add my 2 cents worth. No to the epoxy idea on the inside, for all the above reasons. I'd like to get into more details but typing is very difficult today; I fell and broke my left clavicle Saturday and right now every little movement hurts.
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cwarmouth
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Post by cwarmouth on Jul 17, 2019 10:39:28 GMT -8
Thank you, all. The epoxy idea is officially abandoned. I will be replacing the welt the correct way in due time.
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Jul 18, 2019 7:09:43 GMT -8
Kirkadie... Hamlet’s people wish you a speedy and comfortable recovery.
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Jul 18, 2019 7:49:57 GMT -8
thank you Hamlet's people. I'll do my best to leave my new grouchy-old-man attitude off this board.
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Post by bigbill on Jul 18, 2019 16:08:46 GMT -8
okay Rod, I'll add my 2 cents worth. No to the epoxy idea on the inside, for all the above reasons. I'd like to get into more details but typing is very difficult today; I fell and broke my left clavicle Saturday and right now every little movement hurts. Sorry to hear that,hope it heals quickly. My wife feel and broke her neck at C2 the end of May and has to wear a special brace for 12 to 15 weeks. She is down for the entire summer, she can't even get in our pool. |
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Jul 18, 2019 19:53:58 GMT -8
bigbill, best wishes for your wife and thank goodness a neck brace will eventually get her back into the pool, altho for us in Ohio, with this approaching heat wave, I wish her recovery could be sooner.
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kirkadie
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Post by kirkadie on Jul 18, 2019 20:12:35 GMT -8
cwarmouth, I apologize if my clumsy accident seems to have hijacked your welt problem. Have you been able to remove all that brittle welt? Because of epoxy mix fillet you first mentioned I have been imagining a welting that could be trimmed and contact-cemented in as replacement. You probably haven't been able to remove the original where it fits between ceiling/cabinets and walls so that might still work as a 'squeak' insulator so all you need then is decorative. Also, a number of people have used qtr round as a joint cover between walls and ceiling, simply pin nailed in place, but that involves bent wood in some areas...
break out the steam box?
But if there are any signs of water intrusion around the ceiling area you probably should bite the bullet, pull the skin, and see if anything else is amiss.
Late night babbling.
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