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Subject Topic: Removing kitchen units Post Reply Post New Topic
Personkatie-caravan
26/2/2015 at 12:48pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Avondale Mayfly View katie-caravan's Profile View Profile   Reply to katie-caravan Reply   Quote katie-caravan Quote  
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Hello :)

We're new to caravanning and have just got our first 'van - an Avondale Mayfly 1989.

There's a bit of damp repair work needs doing, as the grab handles are loose. The problem is though that the kitchen is across the area we need to get at - how do we go about removing it?

We've read a a few threads on here and checked out the Fixed It pages...it looks like it's going to be a case of going at it with a hammer...carefully so as not to damage the outer shell?

Also the floor does seem to be affected too...thankfully not a large area, but the bit of floor in the corner under the kitchen cupboard is soft - is replacing the floor the same process as the wall? Repair damp - remove soggy/rotten material - dry out - replace with new polystyrene and treated wood?

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated :)


Post last edited on 26/02/2015 13:31:47


PersonGrampian91
26/2/2015 at 9:29pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram View Grampian91's Profile View Profile   Reply to Grampian91 Reply   Quote Grampian91 Quote  
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Most of the cupboards and units are screwed in from the outside before the put the final skin on.

You will need to find the fixings and cut through them.

A long hacksaw blade with a handle to squeeze between the wall and cabinet, if there is enough access or a dremel tool.


Personkatie-caravan
27/2/2015 at 9:34am
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Thanks Grampian.

Sounds like a more difficult job than first anticipated :(

Looks like we'll be off to B&Q this weekend for some tools!


PersonStixJimbo
27/2/2015 at 10:32am
 Location: Devon
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I don't want to be an alarmist but you may find a lot more damage than you can see. It may be the case that a leak has been there for a long time. You may well find that the soft boards etc are just a symptoms of a larger problem with structural timber framing etc.

But, at the same time you may well find that it is a straightforward repair, which I hope you do.

Good luck and happy DIY'ing

-------------
Give a man a fish and he'll feed his family for a day.

Teach a man to fish and he'll sit around on a boat all day drinking beer!


Personkatie-caravan
27/2/2015 at 11:51am
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StixJimbo - The wood that goes down the corner is definitely damp - is that part of the structural frame? Can't we just replace it?


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PersonStixJimbo
27/2/2015 at 8:17pm
 Location: Devon
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i'm not sure, to be honest. As far as know you can replace the structural timbers as long as you cut enough of the rotten stuff away. There s a thread on here somewhere relating to repairing damp etc.

-------------
Give a man a fish and he'll feed his family for a day.

Teach a man to fish and he'll sit around on a boat all day drinking beer!


PersonRune Caster
28/2/2015 at 11:34am
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Kitchen units, in fact any cupboards are not fixed in a caravan like you would at home.

You have to remember that caravans are assembled from the inside out - all the units are put in place, fixed to the floor or each other, then the side wall of the caravan is put in place and fixed to the units from the outside - of course modern caravans like the Bailey Unicorn et.al. won't be done in this way but seeing you are talking water ingress I'm assuming that your caravan is older than this.

To remove the units depends on how they were fixed, there are 2 choices long staples or screws if you are replacing the board behind it then you could just lever the units away from the wall not worrying about the damage you do to the wall board as you are replacing it. If you want to keep the wall boards then using a wedge to pry a gap between board and unit large enough to insert a hacksaw blade (make it a good one) and then saw through staples or screws (the saw blade is likely to scratch the wall board each side of the unit though).

Replacing the units: Before you replace the wall board mark off where each unit upright will come then stick a 2" (50mm) band of "caravan skin thickness" aluminium down through on that line followed by the wall board - for adhesive I use Lumberjack 5 minute (also available as a 30 minute) polyurethane glue - it's the same properties as sikaflex but liquid so better to use on wall boards etc - The glue foams as it bonds so you will need to put pressure on the boards so use thick pieces of ply etc. and brace from one side of the van to the other using adjustable awning poles, use the pieces of ply on each end (you don't want to cause more damage ).

Leave a couple of hours, for 30 minute, or a hour, for 5 minute, before removing the awning poles (BTW the glue sets better and quickest in damp conditions). Fix the units back using modesty blocks screwing through the wall board and the aluminium strips you glued in using a "deep threaded" screw (you can get wood screws with a pointed drilling tip cut into them - these are good)

Good luck and have fun

-------------
Caravanning is a way of getting a cheap holiday out of an expensive hobby

rune@tabbytha.com



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