Repairing Siding joints and attaching drip rail

[ladyrev]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the forum and could really use your help. My husband and I purchased a 1972 Neonex Comfort trailer as a fixer-upper. The most difficult problem we face is: the wood under some of the siding has swelled and rotted due to water damamge. This has caused the siding to separate at the joints and the drip rail to be ineffective.
Can you suggest a way of "pulling" the separated ends of the siding back together and the best way to secure them (acrylic, glue, contact cement, trying to find some "good" wood and screwing it that) then, reattaching the drip rail over putty tape?
A clearer picture: the "side" piece of siding has separated from the "rear" siding. Is it possible to post a picture on the forum?

We are both pastors and don't have a lot of money to spend on renovations but have taken care of the safety issues (tires, lights, brakes). We sold a beautiful 2003 Rockwood pop-up as it would have been to expensive to move it with us to Canada. We miss camping so much we thought we might try fixing this little puppy up and see how much use we can get out of it.

Thanks for your time and your help.

:laugh:

 

[TexasClodhopper]

Re: Repairing Siding joints and attaching drip rail

Catherine, the forum has an 'Albums' feature for posting photos. Look in the upper right of the menu bar.

You are right. A lot of pictures from various angles (including closeups) would be extremely helpful for anyone helping you solve this problem.

I can tell you that most of us abhor repairs from water damage. It is major construction, and you have to tear out the walls or the roof to find out how far the damage goes. If you don't, you might end up redoing it all later.

 

[C Nash]

Re: Repairing Siding joints and attaching drip rail

Catherine, welcome to the forum. The only way I can suggest is to remove the siding and replace all the rotten and water damaged wood. Sounds like you have a major problem but if you are handy with fixing it can be done. If you do all the work yourself you can really cut the cost. Good luck and keep us posted. Like Tex said pictures in the albums section would help.

 

[Kirk]

Re: Repairing Siding joints and attaching drip rail

I agree with C-Nash about the wood. If you do not replace the wood you will never get this RV water tight for long. The wood will continue to deteriorate once dry-rot has set in, unless you completely remove the rotted wood and replace it. Also, that wood is part of the structural work of the RV and it probably will not last long towing it over the roads with such poor support. Very soon the walls and roof will begin to sag and new problems will occur. Metal siding can be removed and reinstalled and that is what you need to do.