Aww....now this just isn't fair! The bathroom strikes again....

[Tina]

When I went searching for spongy ceilings in that RV I made a point of testing that bathroom and when I pressed and knocked on it, things sounded and felt just fine. Based on the walls having been rebuilt, I assumed they had replaced the ceiling in there as well. Even the wood around the fan/vent looked great, not stained or soft.
My first mistake was assuming anything, and second only testing one half of it....

I was in there yesterday morning removing trim to get ready for new wallpaper and the light fixture on the right end of the celing fell down, just hanging there by the wires and the screws were heavily rusted. Nooooooooooo! Unfortunately.....Yes. I cut into the ceiling paper and found, or rather it found me, a whole section of wet and rotted luan. Removing the rest of the paper on that end revealed that whole end was still wet and just fell apart as I pulled on it.
Funny, how the rotted area stopped in almost a perfect line before that ceiling fan, as you can see clearly in the third pic. Now, this makes perfect sense. That broken up air vent on the top is above there a few inches away.

Damn, I thought I was done with rotted fixings.

Okay, on with the show...It's a small area, I guess I can do that. It's a disheartening thing to happen just when I thought that crapola was all done. I hope I can get to it all. It's a difficult area.

While I was in there I checked out the space behind the medicine cabinet that I removed a few days ago. I'm not sure why it was done this way, but there is a space there like a cubby hole that is perfectly dry, with a bottom/top/sides, almost like they just brought the wall forward for some reason. The air vent pipe runs through the top of it. So, I kind of think that would make a handy secret compartment. I'm going to attempt placing hinges on the medicine cabinet sides, and attach it to the inside of the frame, making a swing out cabinet. I hope that works. Have to make sure the hinges are hidden somehow though....

I hope today doesn't bring any more unwanted surprises. I'm getting leary of walking in there lately. LOL

Have a great day all.

:)

[Dawn Michelle]

Sigh. I felt your pain. Well, sounds like you got it well in hand and after the initial disgust at the new discovery that it isn't as bad as it could have been.

Neither of the awnings I ordered were right - the patio was too big and the window was too small, so back they go and have to wait another week plus for the correct ones. It is disappointing only because we are doing our shakedown cruise Wednesday and it's supposed to rain - would have been nice to be able to put an awning up so we could at least sit outside even in the rain.

BUT, as much as there still is for me to do, I think I'm safe until next season on any rot issues. We determined that the overcab area soft spot was from an old leak. I just replaced the trim, did some caulking to keep the warping from looking so obvious between the top and front panel, and will keep an eye on it. Next season when I'm off the road I can look into taking down the ceiling, replacing those panels and resealing that front window. I'll be putting in new vents then anyway.

Funny how some things just slide over to that "next season" list - ROFLOL. And how I'm learning the fine art of compromise!

[Tina]

You hit the fish ....er....nail on the head, Rich.  I seriously contemplated a good beer session. LOL

I got all the junk off the ceilings, and I'm heading out to get some Lauan ($16.00 bucks a sheet!!!  Good Lord)  so I can get that installed this weekend if everything is bone dry.  I'm not going to put anything up until I feel no moisture whatsoever up there.

Have a great day all.  :)

[Rich Thomas]

This is one of those times you just have to reach for the fishing pole, a cooler of beer and leave the bait on the table. Putting worms on your line just interferes with the therapy. 

[Tina]

Thank you Russ. That was inspirational. :)

I'm pretty much at the end of a total gut out.  I can't imagine that there is anything else of a major area like these were. (other than the roof that I have yet to tackle. LOL)  I've gone from front to back ripping out and replacing. There is only one wall left, and that one is dry and solid. I've checked it top to bottom.  

Now that the rotted lauan is all gone from the ceilings in the closet and bathroom, the wood supports and foam insulation appear to be in usable decent shape.  I don't see any that have to be replaced, just a good long drying session with those fans and I should be good to go.  They look awful, but they're pretty darned solid. ;-) Now if I were thinking I wanted this to last another forty years, I would replace it all....but just a few years of good use is what I'm aiming at for myself.

I have to keep reminding myself of this, and stop myself from wanting to build a whole new RV. LOL

[Tina]

Thank you Terry.  Those look like they will work out well.  I've never seen any like that before.  The hinges will completely hidden if I can get them to work in the side of the medicine cabinet.  :)

[Russell E Johnson]

UGH, not fair is right. I guess this is just another good example of expect the worst and be surprised when it does not come to pass. Of course you could do a complete gut of the interior and be sure of finding all the wet/rotted/composted paneling in one fell swoop, but I think that would be a project killer, at least it would be for me. I am not into total rebuilds, and what I have going on it just about more than I wanted to deal with. Be that as it may, I gotsted faith in youse and believe you will overcome.

[Terry H]

These are very inexpensive, easy to install and work very well.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=64335&cat=3,41241,...

[Tina]

Yeah, it caught my attention. Haven't found anything of Hoffa's, but ya just never know.  LOL

So much so that I decided to tear the ceiling paper off the closet....below the OTHER broken air vent.  Yepper...same thing. And here I thought I was all done crawling in and out of that closet. LOL  It is not beyond repair, the wood supports seem pretty solid although wet. It was all of the Luan that was completely rotted. The water pattern followed a defined path in the way the RV had been sitting during it's unattended storage years.  I have fans blowing in both areas and it's drying quite nicely.  Might have to replace one piece of 2x4, and then put some new luan up there and we should be good to go.  The 2x2's on the edges seem fine. I just want all the wet and dry rot out.

That cubby hole is pretty cool, just have to measure the depth to see how much room I have for a possible hidden shelf.  Definitely plenty of room for hiding small things, wallet.....purse...whatever.  :)

[Lakota Wolf]

Its those little suprises that catch your attention, Now, if you find jimmy Hoffas tennis shoes,,I would drop everything and run.(collect the millions in royalties later). Its always fun finding little cubby holes and hiding spots.