Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Rear Corner Rot

December 24, 2025, 01:50:03 pm

Hello, my name is Cameron and and I’ve been following the forums since last spring. This is my first post. I own “Tent”, a 2003 26.5’ Rear Bath originally built for the Cooks.  I’ve really appreciate this Lazy  Daze community and thought I would share my journey as I tackle some of the more challenging repairs ahead of me. So far I’ve resealed the roof and replaced the vents/fans. Nothing to difficult.  

I’ve started on replacing the rot in the rear driver’s side corner. ( I suspect that I have the same on the passenger’s side behind the shower, but one side at a time.  So far I’ve removed all the rot  until I found “good wood”.  Next step is to build back better.  

Re: Rear Corner Rot

Reply #2 – December 27, 2025, 03:59:31 pm

One step forward two steps back.  After cleaning all the rot in the corner I quickly realized that the wood between the bumper and the floor pan was also rotten and that I would have no foundation for the vertical 2x3”s I needed to replace. So today I ripped out the rotten bumper wood and replaced with new pine 2x3 Looks like the original design only had black paint to protect the bumper wood so I am debating just using paint or if I should use something like flex seal or automotive rubberized undercoating.

Re: Rear Corner Rot

Reply #4 – December 27, 2025, 11:41:21 pm

There is  very good chance the rear window is leaking and allowed water to get into the bottom board. I saw too many rigs with this issue when I was still working on LDs. 
When replacing the bottom board, I would paint them with primer to seal the wood. The Factory undercoated the wood, making it water tight, trapping water above the wood, leading to rot. I would drill holes up through the new wood to provide an escape route for any water that enters. Consider doing this.
Rot in the ends of the bottom board usually is from leaking end caps, rot in the middle of the board almost aways is caused by a leaking window and/or its frame.

Larry

Re: Rear Corner Rot

Reply #6 – December 30, 2025, 07:38:16 pm

Hi Tent; Thanks for connecting the Cooks as previous owners of your 'new to you rig.  If you just got it, there may have been an interim owner before you.  I was at the Caravan Club meeting when Ann passed.   They would have been appalled by the condition of the back corners. I'm hoping that the back corners on my rig are in better condition than that.  I appreciate what you will need to do to fix that problem.
     I take hints from others here  on how to detect issues before they become too apparent, and what people do to fix them. I've had to do other fixes, most obviously on the rear running board attachments.  I haven't mentioned what I did, because I'm not certain how 'Fixed' they are. Time will tell.  I do have some rot on the back corners but it is hard to tell how bad it is, for now.     RonB

Re: Rear Corner Rot

Reply #8 – January 02, 2026, 03:05:14 pm

Finished up both corners this week. t Used great stuff low expansion foam for windows in the small gaps of the newly installed wood and the next day I  covered everything with erternabond tape before I fitted the end caps with 3m 4200 and stainless screws.  Once the 3m 4200 dried,  I used locktite pl marine to caulk the edges with painters tape to keep some of the mess contained. Once the sealant cures I’ll go back and clean it up with a razor blade.   Next up is dealing with the interior repairs to the back wall.
Cameron