Quick Version:
-Install panelling
-Install 2x2 wall
-Install 2"thick rigid foam insulation
-Install layer of visqueen
-Install metal siding
Long Version:
In part 2 we left off with a replaced bathroom floor and the fixtures put back in. It was at this part of the process that I got pretty bad about remembering to take pictures, so there are not that many to help explain it all. I mentioned that as you remove the rotten members, we laid them out along an open area of ground so that we knew where they go for the rebuilding process. Essentially this was also our template for cutting new pieces. This is also the point where you wanna dig out that drawing of the open back wall with ALL the dimensions on it, horizontal AND vertical distances. You know...the one that I said was a crucial step to take PRIOR to tearing it apart that we did not do for ourselves?? Yeah...that crucial step...now it's time to see why it's so crucial.
Hubby put in the new piece of panelling before I could take a pic of what he did to prep it. He measured the bathroom window opening and lower storage opening then cut them out using a handheld jig saw (I believe, I'm not the best at tool names). He measured those areas based on the existing openings because the existing piece of ROTTEN panelling was removed in hundreds of pieces therefore could not be used as a template. We then measured every rotten 2x2 that we pulled out to cut a new 2x2 of the exact same length. These lengths CANNOT be too long nor too short, they MUST BE EXACT. Now, because we were measuring rotten pieces, I'm guessing that hubby cut them somewhere between an 1/8" to 1/4" too long...I'll explain later further down.
Once you have all the pieces cut, you can start assembling them back into the back wall. BE SURE to refer to your accurately dimensioned diagram and install the horizontal pieces as dimensioned!! We did not measure the vertical distances and were off in a couple places but did not learn this until I put the metal siding back on. We also cut all the 2" thick ridid foam insulation to fit into each spot. I actually just used the hand held jigsaw. You can see the areas where I had to piece together pieces because of the duct tape holding them together. We only bought one sheet of it. We also cut two new pieces of plywood supports for where the tail lights get screwed into. We got all these parts in then hubby had to work two days in a row. One day I yardsaled, the other I put on the visqueen and metal siding. We chose to put a layer of visqueen because of how the metal siding forms condensation on the interior. Originally, the pink insulation was in between all the wood and the siding creating somewhat of a vapor barrier. Since we went with a rigid insulation that fit in between 2x2's, those 2x2's would still have been exposed to condensation buildup on the aluminun siding. 
Hence a layer of visqueen, that's what we had. I cannot say it's the best option nor the worst. It's just what we had on hand (we're currently finishing our basement too) without having to make another purchase.I installed the visqueen layer without hubby's help. Lets just say a slight breeze does not help and makes for a longer session of visqueen installation. Oh, and it was all done with a weak, weak staple gun because I then had to go back and hammer every single one. Luckily I had a friend take pity on me and come over to help install the metal siding back on. Lets just say it was also a lesson in patience for her (yes she admitted that), because this was the part that we realized we were 1/8"-1/4" too long for the width of the wood and we realized (more importantly) that we did not have horizontal 2x2's to staple each piece of metal siding into!
THIS is why it is SO IMPORTANT to measure all those distances and write them down on a little drawing. Below is a pic of the siding as we were taking it off. You can see the bottom portion of it is folded into an "S" shape. The lower half of this "S" bend gets stapled back into the horizontal 2x2's (this was where we made a mistake.) The lower piece of siding fits up into this "S" bend. Once again, the purpose is to keep out moisture from the inside. Two whole rows did not have a single spot to staple into along the bottom edge, just on the two ends at the corner joints.
Once my friend and I got all those back metal siding's on, this is what we were left with for hubby's third day of work...in need of a window installation, a storage door installation and two corners to be re-puttied and screwed back in.
Well, I once again managed to NOT take pictures because we were down to the wire. Over the weekend, I went to an RV store and purchased three rolls of 3/16" thick putty tape. Putty tape is not easy to come by! I knew it was at the RV store just 20 minutes away, but shouldn't the hardware store(which is closer) carry this stuff too?? Apparently they don't. I was surprised at the number of people who have never even heard of the stuff!! I grew up knowing what this stuff was, for some reason I thought it was as common as duct tape. WRONG!
Well, I feel that this post is long enough. In part 4 I'll go into putty tape and our process for the corners. But before part 4 a quick tip.
Hubby put in the new piece of panelling before I could take a pic of what he did to prep it. He measured the bathroom window opening and lower storage opening then cut them out using a handheld jig saw (I believe, I'm not the best at tool names). He measured those areas based on the existing openings because the existing piece of ROTTEN panelling was removed in hundreds of pieces therefore could not be used as a template. We then measured every rotten 2x2 that we pulled out to cut a new 2x2 of the exact same length. These lengths CANNOT be too long nor too short, they MUST BE EXACT. Now, because we were measuring rotten pieces, I'm guessing that hubby cut them somewhere between an 1/8" to 1/4" too long...I'll explain later further down.Once you have all the pieces cut, you can start assembling them back into the back wall. BE SURE to refer to your accurately dimensioned diagram and install the horizontal pieces as dimensioned!! We did not measure the vertical distances and were off in a couple places but did not learn this until I put the metal siding back on. We also cut all the 2" thick ridid foam insulation to fit into each spot. I actually just used the hand held jigsaw. You can see the areas where I had to piece together pieces because of the duct tape holding them together. We only bought one sheet of it. We also cut two new pieces of plywood supports for where the tail lights get screwed into. We got all these parts in then hubby had to work two days in a row. One day I yardsaled, the other I put on the visqueen and metal siding. We chose to put a layer of visqueen because of how the metal siding forms condensation on the interior. Originally, the pink insulation was in between all the wood and the siding creating somewhat of a vapor barrier. Since we went with a rigid insulation that fit in between 2x2's, those 2x2's would still have been exposed to condensation buildup on the aluminun siding. Hence a layer of visqueen, that's what we had. I cannot say it's the best option nor the worst. It's just what we had on hand (we're currently finishing our basement too) without having to make another purchase.I installed the visqueen layer without hubby's help. Lets just say a slight breeze does not help and makes for a longer session of visqueen installation. Oh, and it was all done with a weak, weak staple gun because I then had to go back and hammer every single one. Luckily I had a friend take pity on me and come over to help install the metal siding back on. Lets just say it was also a lesson in patience for her (yes she admitted that), because this was the part that we realized we were 1/8"-1/4" too long for the width of the wood and we realized (more importantly) that we did not have horizontal 2x2's to staple each piece of metal siding into!THIS is why it is SO IMPORTANT to measure all those distances and write them down on a little drawing. Below is a pic of the siding as we were taking it off. You can see the bottom portion of it is folded into an "S" shape. The lower half of this "S" bend gets stapled back into the horizontal 2x2's (this was where we made a mistake.) The lower piece of siding fits up into this "S" bend. Once again, the purpose is to keep out moisture from the inside. Two whole rows did not have a single spot to staple into along the bottom edge, just on the two ends at the corner joints.Once my friend and I got all those back metal siding's on, this is what we were left with for hubby's third day of work...in need of a window installation, a storage door installation and two corners to be re-puttied and screwed back in.Well, I once again managed to NOT take pictures because we were down to the wire. Over the weekend, I went to an RV store and purchased three rolls of 3/16" thick putty tape. Putty tape is not easy to come by! I knew it was at the RV store just 20 minutes away, but shouldn't the hardware store(which is closer) carry this stuff too?? Apparently they don't. I was surprised at the number of people who have never even heard of the stuff!! I grew up knowing what this stuff was, for some reason I thought it was as common as duct tape. WRONG! Well, I feel that this post is long enough. In part 4 I'll go into putty tape and our process for the corners. But before part 4 a quick tip.TIP: DO NOT LEAVE PUTTY TAPE LAYING IN THE SUN NOR TRY TO INSTALL IT ON A SURFACE THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE SUN.
Oh, the things we learn the hard way!
Happy Travels!
Did you know that RV water tanks are made from a type of plastic that will expand when it is overfilled with water from a hose that is jammed in the fill valve and turned on full blast? No really...this is true...at least in our case. Towards the front of our trailer, underneath the gaucho that turns into a full-size bed, our 50 gal (expandable?) water tank sits peacefully. This tank fills on the right side, is pumped out on the left side and up to the kitchen faucet and/or bathroom faucet or toilet.
When you park a trailer next to a steeper than average curb, the difference in water level from left to right is pretty close to six inches, meaning that the left side will become a pocket of air as the right side is forced in with water. Once that pocket of air is created, there is no more room for the water to go but to be forced back out (as it was 'pressure washing' the sidewalk) or through to the kitchen sink (as it was also squirting out of). If you are fast enough, you can run inside the trailer to see the water squirting from said kitchen sink AND watch that back gaucho cushion lower back down as pressure deflates from the (now expandable?) plastic 50 gal. water tank, as my husband claimed to witness. This occurred at 9 A.M. on the day of our departure scheduled with my mom in her camper van at 10 A.M.
LESSON: FILL TRAVEL TRAILER WATER TANK WHEN IT IS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND.
Where we stayed was so foresty and green and beatiful, that I had to include our trailers little patch of foresty, green sweetness!