theoldwizard1
SE MI
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Desert Captain wrote:Azdel has a number of benefits...
It is impervious to moisture, will not absorb drop. It its far lighter and stronger than Luan much less the cheaper plywood many manufacturers still use.
I would love to believe that statement but I can not find pricing on individual sheets of Azdel for comparison.
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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BurbMan wrote:Which brings you full circle...if you have to seal the trailer anyway, luan and wood framing is every bit as good as azdel and aluminum if they stay dry....
I have to agree with you ! I don't understand why RV manufacturers are so reluctant to put an extra $500-$1000 into their product and maybe upgrade their warranty to 3 years (minus appliances).
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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goducks10 wrote:If you take care of your RV with regular maintenance you should avoid most problems. I've seen 10-15 year old RV's with fiberglass over laun walls that look fine. I've seen new ones that have had delam within a couple years. Those latter are rare IMO. Get a plumbing leak and there goes you floor regardless of what walls you have. Maintenance, maintenance maintenance.
Roof leaks will destroy a floor also.
Repairing rot in a wood floor is very difficult ass everything is built on top of it. If the section is small, maybe. Large, hopefully your insurance will cover it.
I would like to see manufacturers go back to honeycomb laminate sub floors, but my guess that the extra support does not warrant the cost.
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GDS-3950BH
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theoldwizard1 wrote:Desert Captain wrote:Azdel has a number of benefits...
It is impervious to moisture, will not absorb drop. It its far lighter and stronger than Luan much less the cheaper plywood many manufacturers still use.
I would love to believe that statement but I can not find pricing on individual sheets of Azdel for comparison.
Far lighter? Its about 1/2 the weight according to the manufacturer. On a TT with a 30' box RV manufacturers such as Coachmen use @ a total of 15 sheets of the stuff overall. 1/8" luan weighs 21 lbs so Azdel weighs @ 10.5 lbs. Do the math, hardly a ground breaker.
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mr61impala
Versailles Ky USA
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I was initially convinced that the Azdel was the only way to go until I learned it was almost exclusively used only on sidewalls.
Since delam on a back wall is as bad as delam on a side wall I decided to disregard the presence or absence of Azdel as a deciding factor.
Just my 2 cents.
Shopping for Travel Trailer
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GDS-3950BH
DC
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mr61impala wrote:I was initially convinced that the Azdel was the only way to go until I learned it was almost exclusively used only on sidewalls.
Since delam on a back wall is as bad as delam on a side wall I decided to disregard the presence or absence of Azdel as a deciding factor.
Just my 2 cents.
Rear walls are usually only a sheet of filon with no backing substrate. All that holds the filon in pace is the corner trim, roof trim, and apron trim at the bottom and a window if it has one. It just hangs there. Thats why you see waves in rear walls of TT's and 5ers without caps. Very few manufacturers use a laminated assembly for rear walls. Rockwood/Flagstaff is one of the few.
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mr61impala
Versailles Ky USA
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BurbMan wrote:
Which brings you full circle...if you have to seal the trailer anyway, luan and wood framing is every bit as good as azdel and aluminum if they stay dry....
Hang on, this sounds too much like common sense.
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GDS-3950BH
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D
* This post was
edited 10/26/20 03:12am by GDS-3950BH *
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GDS-3950BH
DC
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GDS-3950BH wrote:theoldwizard1 wrote:
I have to agree with you ! I don't understand why RV manufacturers are so reluctant to put an extra $500-$1000 into their product and maybe upgrade their warranty to 3 years (minus appliances).
Because all they care about is the bottom line. Putting an extra $1000 into the build would come from bottom line, and the goal is to make it to the warranty date without them having to spend a dime. You basically need to be a huge sucker to buy an RV in most cases. I've learned my lesson and will never buy another. They're mostly all overpriced garbage crammed full of junk provided or made by LCI, unless you want to spend a few hundred thousand and even then you'll most likely get handed a POS.
They're on a huge covid inspired roll now and pushing lots of junk out of Indiana to folks who are clueless as to the garbage theyre buying. Its the perfect scenario in the eyes of the RV Industry. Most of those covid commando folks don't even do a PDI nor know what one is. They run out and buy the biggest thing they can afford or find and head off to a campground. Most of that trash will be on the used market next year.
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lane hog
Tucson, AZ & NW Chicago Burbs, IL
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When we were shopping for our latest RV (sixth), my requirements were either Azdel or stick & tin construction. We wound up with stick and tin.
I know if we ever get a leak, it's a matter of removing the siding and repairing the damage with regular carpentry tools. You can't do that with a laminated wall.
With Azdel, I would have been willing to take more of a chance because the wicking effect that luan has would be eliminated.
- 2019 Grand Design 29TBS (had a Winnebago and 3x Jayco owner)
- 2016 F-150 3.5L MaxTow (had Ram 2500 CTD, Dodge Durango)
- 130W solar and 2005 Honda EU2000i twins that just won't quit
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