Help fixing dinette. Never knew you could use nails in metal.

[Evereddie]

The dinette in my Rockwood 2306 is slowly coming apart. Had some aluminum welds come apart but have found a way to fix without welding. But another problem has left me without a firm solution. The outside wall panel of the dinette, the one that faces along the entry doorway is held in by wire brad nails into the aluminum structure. Small wire brads go into the aluminum tubing. Never in all my days have I seen nails into metal. Screws go into metal, not nails, especially not tiny metal brads. They are pulling out and I don't know what to do to fix it without screws showing. Maybe a really small counter sunk screw wouldn't look too bad. Also thought about using a silicone glue to hold the wood panel in place. At least it would be invisible.

Anybody else run into this?

[RSchleder]

I have not had the problem so I'll only offer up a couple of comments based on my experience.
(1) I think if you can get behind the panel to glue it, construction adhesive or Gorilla glue might be a great alternative to Silicone. After gluing, find a way to put pressure on the glue joint, perhaps a 2x4 spanning the rv (wall to wall) will do the trick.
(2) If you decide to use a fastener, I'd go to my local "Fastenall" (sp?), tell them what you want to do and they should have the screws you need that will work and blend in with your interior. Stainless steel screws can actually be polished to look like chrome or you could just use steel screws and paint the heads to match the color of the wall.

[Ford Idaho]

Is the panel wood or cloth or ???
Seam tape?

[Evereddie]

It's a wood panel. I'm going to take pictures. I didn't mention it I my previous post but I tried some resin glue at the bottom when this first stared to happen and it came loose. Too stiff. That's why I thought something flexible that could take all of the movement that a trailer gets would work.

[Ford Idaho]

Would you be against something like screws with decorative caps?

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

Would you be against something like screws with decorative caps?

Generally not but... this is in the walkway and as you can see by the nicks and scratches in the area (in the photos below) a decorative cap would likely get hit by something we are carrying and get knocked off.


I've decided to try glue and clamps. If it doesn't do the trick then I wi8ll go to small countersunk screws.

[conceptumator]

You'd need to test it to see how it looks, but maybe pop rivets? Black?

[gfarmcafe]

I had to get our dinette rebuilt at the dealer due to these staples pulling loose and the bench coming apart. Poor choice of design and materials! We're going to tear the entire unit out this winter and go with another dinette unit with free standing chairs.

[Mrt2607]

I had the same thing happen on my 2011 Rockwood 2607. Never heard of using nails to attach to aluminum. Must be some new type of engineering, but we must advise them, It doesn't work. I, like you, was able to repair the broken welds on the frame, but had not come up with a suitable method of attaching the panel. For a temp fix I used Duct Tape. It worked, but I am thinking the adhesive on the tape might attract bugs. Being I have a light wood finish, I was thinking of using brass screws, as it might give it a finished look.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

Generally not but... this is in the walkway and as you can see by the nicks and scratches in the area (in the photos below) a decorative cap would likely get hit by something we are carrying and get knocked off.


I've decided to try glue and clamps. If it doesn't do the trick then I wi8ll go to small countersunk screws.

I see what you mean.

After using what ever screws you need you could cover the screw heads with 1/2 round trim stapled or finish nailed to the panel?

[Myrle]

These are more than likely hardened brads/staples with seretted points these would penetrate aluminum. Big problem steel to aluminum don't mix. The oxidize and come loose. A spreadable contact cement or spray contact cement wou be your best bet. Just make sure all surfaces are clean so they will get a good bond.

[Gramps42]

As a former contractor, I would advice against countersinking screws in thing metal. Gorilla glue bonds materials that absorb moisture-that is what makes it work. A good construction adhesive like liquid nails for paneling or better yet an instant bonding adhesive would be your best bet.

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by royboy334

As a former contractor, I would advice against countersinking screws in thing metal. Gorilla glue bonds materials that absorb moisture-that is what makes it work. A good construction adhesive like liquid nails for paneling or better yet an instant bonding adhesive would be your best bet.

The countersink would be in the wood. Screws go through the wood to anchor in the aluminum. Probably won't do that anyway. Some kind of adhesive.

Here is something interesting., When I pulled the wood panel I discovered what looks like a weak attempt at gluing the wood to the metal. See the glue line below. The photo doesn't quite show it but the glue is exactly where the metal frame was. It's a bad attempt but maybe the procedure is to glue then staple it so the glue could dry. Eventually it broke loose and then the brads came out as it moves around while bouncing down the road.




Right now I had to take a step back and am reinforcing the frame. it was anchored into the wall but all of those screws only hit very think wall board and have pulled loose. In one important area they missed a metal stud in the wall by 1/4 inch. It could have been so strong if it hit the stud. I am moving those anchors and when done will be much more solid. Then I work on the paneling.


Thank you all for help and advise.
.

[traveltrailerrookie]

You could countersink or counter boar a hole, fill with wood filler or wood plug then find some matching wood grain tape to cover the hole.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

The countersink would be in the wood. Screws go through the wood to anchor in the aluminum. Probably won't do that anyway. Some kind of adhesive.

Here is something interesting., When I pulled the wood panel I discovered what looks like a weak attempt at gluing the wood to the metal. See the glue line below. The photo doesn't quite show it but the glue is exactly where the metal frame was. It's a bad attempt but maybe the procedure is to glue then staple it so the glue could dry. Eventually it broke loose and then the brads came out as it moves around while bouncing down the road.




Right now I had to take a step back and am reinforcing the frame. it was anchored into the wall but all of those screws only hit very think wall board and have pulled loose. In one important area they missed a metal stud in the wall by 1/4 inch. It could have been so strong if it hit the stud. I am moving those anchors and when done will be much more solid. Then I work on the paneling.


Thank you all for help and advise.
.

That all most looks like school glue or something like it....

[Evereddie]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

That all most looks like school glue or something like it....

The glue didn't stand half a chance. You have to score up the aluminum if you want anything at all to stick. Look at the aluminum where the glue was.


Frame stronger now but not done. Off to Atlanta on Wed for Stone Mountain campground. Will work more in it in 2 weeks.

[Bobaloo]

A flat head screw with a finish washer would look nice and be durable

[kcdelan]

Originally Posted by Evereddie

The dinette in my Rockwood 2306 is slowly coming apart. Had some aluminum welds come apart but have found a way to fix without welding. But another problem has left me without a firm solution. The outside wall panel of the dinette, the one that faces along the entry doorway is held in by wire brad nails into the aluminum structure. Small wire brads go into the aluminum tubing. Never in all my days have I seen nails into metal. Screws go into metal, not nails, especially not tiny metal brads. They are pulling out and I don't know what to do to fix it without screws showing. Maybe a really small counter sunk screw wouldn't look too bad. Also thought about using a silicone glue to hold the wood panel in place. At least it would be invisible.

Anybody else run into this?

Had a similar problem in my 2014 Flagstaff V-Lite. Paneling surrounds on corner settee's discovered to be held with steel staples shot into aluminum frames??? Most of them had not even penetrated the frames, just collapsed. Any idiot should know that you don't mix mild steel and aluminum anyway, let alone expect the staples to actually penetrate and hold!!! Apparently Forest River thinks differently??? I replaced all the staples with stainless steel sheet metal screws and washers. It looks fine just fine.

[magpi26]

Had the same problem with molding in my bunk room. The brads actually were driven to the frame, but they did a U turn and did not penetrate the aluminum frame so the molding fell down. No glue behind it either. I also noticed on other moldings, they used these brads about every two inches in an attempt to make them stick. It reminds me of someone handing 9 year old kid a brad gun and telling him to have fun.