6 Best Online Forums for RV Wall Repair Advice That Nomads Swear By
Tackling RV wall damage? These 6 forums are where nomads share proven DIY advice for water damage, delamination, and other common repair challenges.
That sinking feeling when you press on your RV wall and it feels… soft. It’s a moment every nomad dreads, signaling a hidden problem that could range from a minor leak to major structural rot. Tackling RV wall repair is one of the most intimidating DIY projects, but you don’t have to go it alone. The collective wisdom of thousands of other RVers is your single greatest tool, and knowing where to find it is the first step to a solid, lasting fix.
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Diagnosing Your RV Wall Damage Before You Post
Before you type a single word into a forum, you need to become a detective. The quality of the advice you get is directly proportional to the quality of the information you provide. Posting "My wall is soft, help!" will get you vague guesses, while a detailed post with pictures will attract the experts.
Start by defining the scope of the problem. Is the damage from an impact, or is it the dreaded delamination from water intrusion? Delamination is when the outer fiberglass skin separates from the luan or foam substrate, creating bubbles or waves. Water damage often presents as soft spots, staining, or a musty smell. Your first job is to find the water source. It’s pointless to repair a wall if the window seal or roof seam that caused the problem is still leaking.
Get specific with your documentation. You’ll need this for your forum post.
- Take clear, well-lit photos from multiple angles: a wide shot for context, and close-ups of the damaged area.
- Measure the affected area. How big is the soft spot or delaminated bubble?
- Note your RV’s make, model, and year. Wall construction varies wildly between manufacturers and eras.
- Describe what the wall is made of, if you know. Is it a pinch-rolled wall with luan and a fiberglass exterior (Filon), or an aluminum-sided rig with wood framing?
A good post looks like this: "2015 Jayco Eagle – soft spot under the passenger side window. Measures 12"x18". I’ve checked the window seal with a pressure tester and found a small leak at the top corner. Photos attached. Has anyone rebuilt this section before?" That’s a question someone can actually answer.
iRV2 Forums: Tackling Delamination & Water Damage
When you’re facing a complex, multi-stage repair like delamination, you need more than a quick tip—you need a dissertation. This is where iRV2 shines. It’s one of the oldest and most respected forums, populated by long-time RVers, retired engineers, and meticulous DIYers who document everything. The knowledge base here is deep, especially for the chemistry and structural theory behind major repairs.
You won’t just learn that you should use epoxy to re-bond your fiberglass wall; you’ll find a 15-page thread debating the merits of West System epoxy versus TotalBoat, including discussions on application temperatures and curing times. Users post incredibly detailed, photo-heavy build logs of their wall repairs. You can literally follow someone’s two-month journey of peeling back the fiberglass, replacing the rotted luan and wood framing, and vacuum-bagging the new wall back together.
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The key to using iRV2 effectively is its search function. Your problem has almost certainly been solved before, probably multiple times. Search for terms like "delamination repair," "wall rebuild," or "water damage" along with your RV’s class or manufacturer. Be prepared to read. The solutions are not quick fixes, but they are thorough, tested, and documented by people who have already made the mistakes so you don’t have to.
RV.net Forum: Sourcing Wall Panels & Materials
Fixing the wall is one thing; finding the materials to do it is another challenge entirely. RV.net is an invaluable resource for the "supply chain" part of your project. Its massive user base means someone, somewhere, has recently tracked down that specific wallpaper-matched luan panel or a roll of Filon siding for their 20-year-old motorhome.
This is the place to ask, "Where can I buy a 4×8 sheet of Azdel composite?" or "Has anyone found a good match for the interior wall paneling in a late 90s Fleetwood?" You’ll get links to specialty RV suppliers, local building material shops you’d never think to check, and even advice on navigating freight shipping for oversized items. The community is great at sharing discount codes and warning others about suppliers with poor quality control.
Beyond sourcing, RV.net is a hub of practical, real-world experience. It’s less about the deep engineering theory of iRV2 and more about the nuts-and-bolts execution. You’ll find conversations comparing the weight of different substrate materials or the best way to cut fiberglass without creating a cloud of irritating dust. It’s a workhorse forum for the practicalities of getting the job done.
Forest River Forums: Model-Specific Wall Schematics
Generic advice is good, but model-specific advice is gold. Every RV is built differently, and knowing where your aluminum wall studs are located or what type of adhesive the factory used is a massive advantage. This is the core value of manufacturer-specific forums like the Forest River Forums (or similar ones for Jayco, Grand Design, etc.).
Here, you connect with people who own your exact rig. They can tell you that on a 2018 Rockwood, there’s a wiring harness running right where you plan to cut. Someone might even have a wall schematic they got from a friendly factory service tech, showing the precise location of every structural member. This information is impossible to find elsewhere and can be the difference between a clean, successful repair and a disastrous one.
These forums are also fantastic for understanding common failure points. If dozens of other owners of your model have experienced a leak from the same slide-out seal, you know exactly where to focus your diagnostic efforts. This shared experience fast-tracks your troubleshooting and helps you proactively fix other potential issues before they cause more wall damage.
Reddit’s r/GoRVing: Visuals for DIY Wall Fixes
Sometimes you just need to see it. Reddit, particularly the r/GoRVing and r/RVLiving communities, is a highly visual platform perfect for quick diagnostics and project inspiration. Its format encourages users to post images and short videos, making it an excellent place to get a quick "gut check" on your wall damage.
Posting a clear photo with a title like, "Is this delamination or just a bad paint job?" can yield a dozen helpful responses in under an hour. The upvote system naturally pushes the most credible and helpful comments to the top. It’s less about long, detailed project logs and more about immediate, crowd-sourced feedback. You can see how others have tackled similar-looking problems, giving you a visual library of repair stages and finished results.
The downside is that the advice can be less detailed than on dedicated forums. You might get a great suggestion, but you’ll likely need to head to a site like iRV2 to find the step-by-step instructions. Think of Reddit as your visual triage center. It’s the best place to quickly identify your problem and see what’s possible before diving into the deep research.
RV Forum Community: Best Adhesives & Sealant Talk
The long-term success of any wall repair hinges on two things: adhesives and sealants. Choosing the wrong product can lead to the repair failing within a single season of temperature swings and road vibration. RV Forum Community is a fantastic, if smaller, forum that excels in detailed discussions about these crucial components.
While other forums talk about what to repair, this one dives deep into the how. You’ll find meticulous debates on the best adhesives for bonding Filon to luan, luan to foam, and foam to an aluminum frame. Users share their real-world results with specific products, answering questions like, "Does 3M 5200 remain flexible enough for a wall repair?" or "Which contact cement won’t melt my foam insulation?"
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This is also the place for sealant expertise. Forget generic "use silicone" advice. Here, you’ll learn precisely why you should use Dicor non-sag lap sealant on vertical seams, ProFlex RV for windows and trim, and why you should never, ever use home silicone on an RV exterior. Getting these details right is non-negotiable for a waterproof, durable repair, and this community has the focused knowledge you need.
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Facebook’s RV Repair Club: Quick Mobile Feedback
Imagine you’re standing in the aisle at a big-box store, trying to decide between two types of paneling. You need an answer now. This is the power of Facebook groups like RV Repair Club. The mobile-first nature and massive, active user base mean you can post a photo and a question and get near-instant feedback.
The advice on Facebook is often more anecdotal and less technically rigorous than on traditional forums, but its speed is unmatched. It’s perfect for simple, direct questions: "Has anyone used this brand of contact cement?" or "What’s the best tool for removing old decals before a wall repair?" The community is generally supportive and quick to share their recent experiences.
However, it’s crucial to treat Facebook advice with a healthy dose of skepticism. Verify any critical recommendations (like sealant types or structural adhesives) on a more established forum. Use Facebook for quick polls and immediate feedback, but rely on the deeper knowledge bases of iRV2 or RV.net for the core of your repair plan. It’s a fantastic tool for solving small roadblocks in real-time.
Applying Forum Advice to Your RV Wall Project
After visiting these forums, you’ll have a mountain of information, some of it conflicting. Your final task is to synthesize this advice into a coherent plan for your specific RV and your specific problem. The best approach is to look for a consensus. If you see the same product, technique, or warning repeated across three different platforms by experienced users, that’s a very strong signal.
Pay close attention to the "why" behind the advice. Someone who just says "use Brand X" is less helpful than someone who says "use Brand X because its chemical composition is resistant to UV breakdown and it bonds well with Filon, unlike Brand Y which gets brittle in the cold." Understanding the reasoning empowers you to make your own informed decisions if you can’t find the exact product recommended.
Finally, trust the process but also trust your gut. No two repairs are identical. The forums provide the map, but you are the one driving. Use the collective wisdom to build a solid plan, but be prepared to adapt as you uncover the reality of what’s behind your wall. Document your own progress—you might be the one helping the next person on that same forum a year from now.
RV wall repair is a true test of a DIYer’s skill and patience, but it is absolutely achievable. By leveraging the specialized knowledge of these online communities, you transform a daunting, solitary task into a collaborative project. You’re not just fixing a wall; you’re tapping into a network of nomads who have been there, done that, and are happy to help you keep your home on wheels safe, dry, and solid for the road ahead.
