# Damp / Rot in overcab bed. How can I dry it out?



## mattjevans (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi all,

We are nearly ready for the big off in our Renault Trafic Elddis Eclipse ('92). Last weekend we gave the van a thorough clean and going over and to my dismay I discovered two damp patches either side in the corners of the overcab bed . This has obviously been an issue for a while as the wood is rotten and very soft. I'm not sure if this is condensation or ingress. We can live with some rotton panels for a while as we are heading for (much) warmer climates, however, my first priority is to get it dried out and monitor it to see if we have a serious leak.

Does anyone have any effective suggestions? I was thinking of getting some bags of silica and placing them against the damp areas?

Thanks in advance,

Matt.


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## Autoquest (May 16, 2007)

I have dealt with this problem in my van. 

You need to expose the wet wood by removing the vinyl covering
Dry the area out thoroughly with a heater for at least 24 hours
Find the seal that is leaking and replace the sealant or tape over the seam with some thick metal tape
Remove the dead flaky wood once dry
Treat the area with Ronseals 'Wood Hardener' 
Fill the hole with wood filler and sand till smooth 
Replace outer covering with a vinyl overlay

Voila!

After fixing my leak I left it for a year before filling the wood and replacing the vinyl covering just to make sure it was water tight. Now you wouldn't know it had been done.

Good luck!


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