Small spots of delamination on drivers side

[Viet_Vet]

Greetings all! This morning when walking around the camper a friend pointed out that there are two spots where my 2015 Hideout 299RLDS is rippled. I'm posting 2 pics, but the delamination is hard to see. One spot is under the front window on drivers side, the second is under the rear window, also on the driver's side. Both spots are small, no bigger than 12 inches long and 4 inches wide.



I have no signs of any water leaks at all inside the camper. If there are no water leaks, is there another reason for the delamination? I don't want it to get worse, but I have no idea of the cause.


Suggestions?

[flybouy]

Your pictures didn't post. I don't think an area the size you described is small. As you stated both areas are under windows then it's likely the windows are leaking.

[Viet_Vet]

Sorry, let me try to post pic here.

[JRTJH]

If your concern is the vertical undulation, that is typical of the way the laminated walls are constructed. They start with a FILON outer sheet, followed by a 1/8" luan sheet, then the foam/aluminum studding, followed by a 1/8" luan interior wall with vinyl wall covering.

On "more expensive trailers" the luan under the FILON is "double sheeted" with the seams overlapped. That prevents the FILON from deforming where the luan "panel breaks" are located. That "more expensive" practice is not a part of the "Hideout construction". My Cougar XLite has the same "vertical undulations" in several places. Over the years, they have become a bit more visible. I'd guess that is because as the trailer ages, things settle... It's not "delamination" it's the way the vacuum formed walls were constructed with only "semi-solid foam" as a backer under the luan sheet breaks.

My butt seems to also suffer from that "age related sagging".....

[Viet_Vet]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

My butt seems to also suffer from that "age related sagging".....

It would seem we both have that problem!!!

[Bill-2020]

Originally Posted by Viet_Vet

It would seem we both have that problem!!!

To both of you... As my grandkids would say... "TMI!!!" (too much information!)

Anyway - good to know, John. Thanks for the details.

[Viet_Vet]

Amen. Thank.you very much for that information! You have no idea how relieved I am....... or maybe you do!.

[JRTJH]

Just this morning, a member posted a photo of some trailer damage. Apparently the FILON separated from the luan backing on their trailer and either broke away or was broken away, causing some significant damage.

In their photo, you can see the results of a "single layer luan backer" with the butt joint visible. That butt joint is what is causing the "undulation" you see in the FILON siding. There is only "foam board" to support the joint and it often "twists or sinks" causing the ripple to form. In the more expensive trailers, there are two layers of luan, so the butt joints are staggered, allowing for increased support and preventing the outer luan layer from "sinking into the foam". That prevents the "butt joint deformity"....

Anyway, take a look at this photo and you'll see what's under your FILON and how it's causing the deformity....

[Viet_Vet]

Thank you sir!!!

[JRTJH]

If you blow that photo up as large as you can get it (and maintain any clarity) you'll see that there appears to be some damage (possibly from hitting a limb or ???) to the upper right corner of the trailer, just in the bend from roof to front cap. That may have set up a leak that caused the side to "blow off" or the side may have been "pulled off" during the incident. It's hard to say, based only on one photo with no description of what happened....

Anyway, if you look at the luan panels, along that vertical butt joint, you'll see that the luan (3 ply laminated wood) has separated and is buckling from being wet. That's delamination, caused by water intrusion into the luan and likely the cause for the glue to soften and the FILON to separate from the luan backing.

Totally "speculation on my part" but I'd suspect he hit a limb, didn't reseal the roof afterward, rainwater seeped into the wall, softened the adhesive and the "next big gust of wind during towing" (think 18 wheeler "bow wave") and the sidewall started separating. Over time, the area got bigger and bigger until the FILON slipped out from under the front corner molding and the wind "broke it away" from the rest of the perimeter attachments, allowing it to "flap and flop" in the wind. Whether the owner broke it the rest of the way off or if the wind bent it backwards and it broke on its own ??? Who knows.

Anyway, you can see the luan "delamination" from water damage, which is the same thing you'll feel in your wheelwells if you run your fingers over the DARCO fabric cover and feel the luan immediately under the DARCO... Same CHEAP luan construction and the reason I installed 1/4" HDPE sheeting to my exposed wheelwells.