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Hello
I am starting a caravan renovation. The van is a 1990 Evernew. It was mostly gutted when I bought it. I would like to replace the ceiling, but I would rather not pull all the walls out. Is it possible to do this? Do you have recommendations for removing the ceiling? Do you have any recommendations of what type of panelling to replace it with?
Thank you
Vicki
"@vickis.van" on insta
Community manager's note: Check out How to renovate a caravan for expert advice.
Hello again
I was working on the kitchen benches in the van and i found some wood rot in the corner. I had to pull out a lot more of the kitchen than i had planned. Anyway, there is some rot in the floor that will need to cut out. Pics included. What type of fastener is pictured and how do i get it out? What is the sealant used between the floor boards?
Thanks again
Vicki
wood rot in floor, most of the rotted wall battens havebeen removed
floor fastener
rot was under window too
Hi @VickiD,
I must say that I haven't seen a fastener similar to that before. Perhaps it's something that is used exclusively in caravans. I'd imagine it employs some type of crimping action to connect the floor sheeting to the skin/frame underneath. You could try drilling out the centre to see if that releases them.
Could we get a close-up picture of the sealant between boards? Does it look like it could be a standard construction adhesive? Or even just a wood putty filler?
Let me mention some of our knowledgeable caravan renovation experts @FloTheCaravan, @twocutekelpies and @Peggers to see if they've come across these fixings before or know of what the sealant could be.
Mitchell
Here is a close up of the join
Is the sealant soft or hard @VickiD? If it's softish, then it's likely just a silicone sealant suitable for timber.
Mitchell
I'm afraid I can't help with the adhesive/sealant but the fasteners are countersunk rivets, I found most of mine had sheered and popped out with a flat screwdriver, others drilled out quite easily. I replaced mine with the same size using 72 AS 6-10 countersunk rivets I found on ebay. 6 is the code (drill bit 4.8mm or 3/16") and 10 refers to the grip range, in this case 12.70 - 16.00mm. If your floor plus chassis is more or less than this range, you need a higher or lower number. A standard rivet gun with the right size tip will work with these.
Whatever sealant you use, make sure it says it's flexible.
Hope this helps
Shelley.
Hi @VickiD,
Ultimately, Marine ply would be your best bet. The sheets are made from hardwood, and the glues used will not break down due to moisture exposure. However, typically caravan walls would be made from a lower grade, like Premium Plywood if it is an exposed surface or Ecoply if it's just for construction purposes. These lesser grades are not moisture resistant, and it's why you're now needing to remove the rot.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
