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Now then.  You wise old elfs will no doubt enlighten my darkened mind.   But, nothwithstanding the latest Baileys and Elddises which as you know, are of different construction methods. the rest of us if not the caravan manufactureres, tend to pack the awning rail and other aluminium sealing strips (which exist to disguise the joint between sections, or roof and sides/ back/front in an acceptable way) with various sealants so it oozes out the sides and prevents water ingress.  Indeed, some of you old hands may do this every 5 years or so, I don`t know because I`m new to the game.

So here I am, wi Daisy.  No moisture in the van or even a whiff of damp.  But there`s plenty up front, in what remains of the timber frame lol!  I dunno what holds the elderly lasy together, but thought I`d better do something, so I replaced the timbers in the front RH side, which was easy enough.  And I`ll hopefully get the LH ones done in the coming week.

But I have to ask the question - WHERE does the water get in?  Not through the overlapping joints.  It can only be through the screw holes in the wood, and those in the caravan sides.  So, if you inject some sealant just into the hole, then that should theoretically suffice!!  Nothing more required.

Now I know my logic is suspect at times, `cos SHE tells me so.  But in the event of having to remove the aluminium strips, I really don`t want to deal with clods of sticky stuff that looks like it comes out of noses . ..

Comments please! (I`ve got sloping shoulders and a feeling I might need `em)  

"Thats a good point, having just stripped our down I was amazed to find water sitting inside the mastic and silicone joints of the awning rail I stripped down a few days ago and the caravan has actually been stored inside for the last 3 weeks."

There`s no water, and STILL it gets in??  Ha ha, time to send for the Nauti Squad and effect a marine solution . .  One floating caravan COMING UP!

I put some PVC masking tape around the area where the alu strip was whilst I cleaned it up.  Since then, it`s rained heavily which is good really.  Because I learned that water gets underneath (or through) the tape.  And goes on into the places where its never gone before!

Honestly wouldn`t believe it!  Gets into the big rubber seals, top of the front openers and takes the scenic route down the sides!  The rubber seals here have very generous overlaps form the perspex windows.

It`s time for the Big Guns!  I have bought a product called Geocol "The Works" and I`ve tested it as an adhesive on aluminium extrusion and oily plastic.  It works!  Suitable in wet conditions, it dries like a good Silicon sealant.  At the moment, it`s drying on a wet test piece.

This is serious fun for an ole fella.  We`re off in  it in a fortnight.  Without masking tape SHE hopes!

Quote: Originally posted by tango55 on 25/8/2012

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People only think of rain water slowly seeping in to joints but it's far more destructive than just that when you think about it really. Even with light rain travelling at 60 mph. the force of wind is much more like a pressure washer and we all know how to avoid those when cleaning the caravan. Wind will force rain water into any crevice so by sealing behind the strip itself is forcing the pressure of rain water directly over the surface of the seal which is exactly is what is required. Cutting corners by only covering the screw holes won't prevent excessive wind pressure from forcing rain water into the smallest cavities.

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