How much rot before I stop?

[lizysu]

Hi Vintage Vanners, I've embarked on a project that has way more rot than I imagined, and I'm trying to get it ready for Christmas holidays!!!
This is my plan....First step, getting rid of the rot on the edges adjoining the J moulds.
Second step, use a resin filler to bog up the rot.
Third step, repaint..
Fourth step......then seal the hell out of the j moulds on the Aluminium ends, ..these are really badly bruised up and bumpy and the reason why so much water has got in.

Today I peeled back the j mould to get a good look at some of the rotten holes I'm planning to fill with Botecote. But now I just keep sanding,and discovering more rot! The paint seems to have been keeping all the plywood together, and there is heaps of rot underneath. Do I keep feathering it out with the sander or cut it out.
I know I need to get under than aluminum at the back, but this is another job for another time....not even sure how exactly I can screw the j mould back on as the edging is really rotted out??
What to do? Is a product like botecote able to help with these holes. OR should I treat the timber first with a wood rot treatment.
The interior of the the van is amazing and feels way to good to muck around with, the only problem being the outside wall of this bondy is the same as the inside wall?? So the plywood outer is very precious and keeping it all together really.
My main aim for these upcoming holidays is just to keep the van water tight.
This baby could come up such a treat with a new paint job - its just such a shame about the dents to the ali roof, front and back.
Any help and suggestions to my next move would be so amazing about now.....................help!!!

[Franklin1]

Crikey, lizysu, your photo shows you've got a fairly extensive repair job ahead of you, and you might not make the Christmas holidays if you start hacking into the van too much now.

Bote Cote is not designed for the sort of repair you're looking at. I would think the sensible option is to cut the affected plywood out and insert new plywood and framework in that area.

Given that you've only got about a month left before the holidays, you might have to go to Plan B and make temporary repairs to get you by.

Without seeing the full extent of the problem, I can only give you some possibilities to think about. I'd slap some paint on that ply that you've sanded back (any paint...I wouldn't care what it was). Then I'd stick the J-mould back in position as best I could. Then I'd get rolls of waterproof duct tape and stick a length of tape either side of the J-mould and another length on top of the J-mould overlapping the two side lengths. That (I would hope) would hold it all together and make it waterproof for a few months. Enough to get you away on holidays and back home again, and then you can have time to think about a proper repair. (Orrrrr...the van will fall apart during the trip and you won't have to worry about repairing it anyway. )

Oh, and take a plastic tarpaulin with you on holidays as well - one big enough to cover the van.

cheers,
Al.

[lizysu]

Thanks for the reply Al, its always hard to know how far to take your reno without opening up a 'can of worms'...
We've had some great trips away in this beauty so far and I was hoping to just spruce her up a bit, especially the holes in the ply wood.
I can see how the previous owners where able to just recut and place new ply on the lower part of the van, (because the beds inside hide the join.)
In regards to the sanding of the ply I have done, I have got it down to hard surface again, with about 6mm remaining. Is there any product out there I could fill it out with, mainly because if I cut it out, I'm worried, it might ruin the look of the van, showing joins etc.
I also though about using rubber seals under the j mould next time to allow for the bumpiness of the Ali against the j moulds. The duct tape is a great idea too.
I'd welcome any advice here....
Thanks

[cruisindoug]

For those small areas why don't you biscuit join a new piece in? Takes some time so maybe leave till after Christmas, but a buscuit join will be unnoticable - just be careful not to use where there is too much structural integrity, around the edges in a couple of spots will be fine.

Cheers

Doug