Georgetown Construction Methods
We had a problem late last year when the living room slide topper rotted out and a significant amount of rainwater got into the overhead cabinets in the slide.
When we started our delayed season this year we found a nasty smell which we traced to mold growth in the overhead cabinets. I have removed the cabinets and will be building replacements.
I was surprised, as I took the cabinets out, by the way they were built. Firstly, it seems that they were constructed inside the slide-out with raw lumber and cheap, nasty plywood. I can't imagine why FR wouldn't build the cabinets separately and then install the completed units. Secondly, I was shocked by the fact that the cabinets were held in place by wood screws into the 1/8th-inch lauan plywood that is glued to the underside of the styrofoam insulation. All but two of the screws were in plywood that had rotted. We're lucky the whole assembly didn't fall on our heads during breakfast!
In the overhead there are three steel 3/4" square tubes that run the entire length of the slide-out. Why weren't the cabinets hung from them?
I'm bulding replacement cabinets with oak-faced 1/4" plywood. They will be complete boxes before they go into the RV and will be using those steel tubes to anchor them in place. The origiinal facia woodwork will be re-installed.
One wonders what other Mickey Mouse construction methods were used elasewhere in the vehicle. I'm not sure I want to find out!
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Frank and Eileen
No longer RVers or FR owners
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