Buying a Used RV: RV Construction
12-30-2015
Author: in RV Tips & Education
By Stephanie A. Mayberry
If you’ve read my harrowing used RV tale you have seen just how wrong it can go. Through this series I will give you some pointers on evaluating an RV as part of your decision making process before you buy. This segment focuses on RV construction.
When you are looking at used RVs to buy you can’t really consider price, RV type, or even manufacturer. While they can factor into the decision making process, you have to look at the big picture. An RV that is priced high could still be junk and one priced lower could be great. The RV type may seem great but if there are problems it’s worthless. Then there is the manufacturer. Many people will gravitate to a certain brand because it is what they know, but even an RV that is a well-known brand can be a hunk of junk – especially if it isn’t cared for properly.
Construction is the first thing to look at when you are thinking about buying a used RV.
The frame is the foundation.
The majority of RVs have steel frames that are fashioned together by rivets, huck bolts, or welds. A few have aluminum frames, but you don’t really see that as much. The frame itself is pretty standard; the thing you should be looking at is what steps has the manufacturer taking to protect the metal. Look for a frame that has protection beyond black paint. You want it to be powdercoated, galvanized, or treated with the type of undercoatings they use on cars.
When you start adding floors, walls, and ceilings, you are likely to see metal or wood, although sometimes you may see fiberglass. Wood is often the material of choice because it is lightweight, affordable, durable, and flexible. As long as you don’t have leaks you should be good. Metal framing lets you avoid the problems that wood can have, but there can be some problems with window installation so look closely to see that weatherstripping has been applied to seal and places where water might enter.
Fiberglass RV bodies are not as common, but you do see them from time to time. Typically, they are smaller although some larger rigs are fiberglass. You don’t get the corrosion with fiberglass
and it is a pretty hardy material, but it does add extra weight that you might not want.
What’s on the outside.
RV skin is usually either fiberglass or aluminum. There are pros and cons to each and people standing firmly on either side of the fence on which is better. There is no one material that is consistently used with either low end or high end rigs, so you have to take it all into consideration.
Aluminum skin can be corrugated panels with interlocking sections (typically associated with RVs that are lower in cost), or they can be large, smooth panels (typically associated with RVs that are higher in cost). Repair and replacement of the aluminum is where you will see the difference. The corrugated panels are easier and cheaper to replace while the larger one require a little more effort.
Fiberglass is pretty sturdy and is usually pretty easy to repair or replace. Some companies paint the fiberglass while others mold the color into the fiberglass. This method makes the RV less likely to fade.
A roof over your head.
There are lots of different materials used for RV roofs; the most common are rubber, Thermo Plastic Olefin, aluminum, and fiberglass. The sturdiness of your roof is very important, after all, it bears the brunt of the elements, especially if it isn’t under a cover of some kind.
Rubber is pretty common. EPDM rubber roofs can be found on RVs of all levels and types. It is pretty inexpensive, easy to work with, flexible, and quite durable. It can cause dark streaks to run down the sides of your RV but it is usually minimal. It can also bubble. TPO is much like EPDM but instead of a rubber base, it is plastic. Aluminum is sometimes used. It is long lasting and pretty easy to repair, but the rain will eventually wash away the oxidation causing unsightly streaks down the sides of your rig.
While fiberglass is the most expensive, it is also very sturdy and does not create the dark streaks like other types of roofing does.
Laminated or Built-Up
The RV construction itself is done one of two ways, laminated or built-up. Laminated construction creates a single unit out of the exterior wall, insulation, framing and interior wall. It basically layers them together using adhesive. It is a pretty sturdy construction, although repairs may be a little more difficult in some cases and more expensive. It is pretty lightweight too, especially considering the strength.
Built-up construction is a step by step process that assembles each section at a time so they are not all one piece. The interior wall is separate from the wiring and insulation and they exterior wall is separate from all of that. In some cases, a built-up RV is less expensive and easier to repair or replace because of the separate components.
A word about insulation.
Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) and spun fiberglass are the two materials most commonly used for RV insulation. Foam-Cor is a thin sheet or Styrofoam and may be used to insulate RVs with aluminum sides and wood frames. It is typically an add on. Fiberglass insulation is used in homes as well as RVs and is easy to install, fire resistant, durable, and pretty expensive. It is also effective and lasts a long time. Styrofoam is more expensive to install and to purchase but it works great as insulation. It is lightweight but extremely effective. Our Travel trailer (a 2012 Keystone Vantage 32FLS) has Styrofoam insulation and it is incredible.
Do your homework before buying a used RV. Research they model’s construction, user reviews, and various components. Ask the seller if there have been any modifications, repairs, or replacements. Protect yourself. This is one lemon that makes some pretty nasty lemonade.
If you’ve read my harrowing used RV tale you have seen just how wrong it can go. Through this series I will give you some pointers on evaluating an RV as part of your decision making process before you buy. This segment focuses on RV construction.
When you are looking at used RVs to buy you can’t really consider price, RV type, or even manufacturer. While they can factor into the decision making process, you have to look at the big picture. An RV that is priced high could still be junk and one priced lower could be great. The RV type may seem great but if there are problems it’s worthless. Then there is the manufacturer. Many people will gravitate to a certain brand because it is what they know, but even an RV that is a well-known brand can be a hunk of junk – especially if it isn’t cared for properly.
Construction is the first thing to look at when you are thinking about buying a used RV.
The frame is the foundation.
The majority of RVs have steel frames that are fashioned together by rivets, huck bolts, or welds. A few have aluminum frames, but you don’t really see that as much. The frame itself is pretty standard; the thing you should be looking at is what steps has the manufacturer taking to protect the metal. Look for a frame that has protection beyond black paint. You want it to be powdercoated, galvanized, or treated with the type of undercoatings they use on cars.
When you start adding floors, walls, and ceilings, you are likely to see metal or wood, although sometimes you may see fiberglass. Wood is often the material of choice because it is lightweight, affordable, durable, and flexible. As long as you don’t have leaks you should be good. Metal framing lets you avoid the problems that wood can have, but there can be some problems with window installation so look closely to see that weatherstripping has been applied to seal and places where water might enter.
Fiberglass RV bodies are not as common, but you do see them from time to time. Typically, they are smaller although some larger rigs are fiberglass. You don’t get the corrosion with fiberglass
and it is a pretty hardy material, but it does add extra weight that you might not want.
What’s on the outside.
RV skin is usually either fiberglass or aluminum. There are pros and cons to each and people standing firmly on either side of the fence on which is better. There is no one material that is consistently used with either low end or high end rigs, so you have to take it all into consideration.
Aluminum skin can be corrugated panels with interlocking sections (typically associated with RVs that are lower in cost), or they can be large, smooth panels (typically associated with RVs that are higher in cost). Repair and replacement of the aluminum is where you will see the difference. The corrugated panels are easier and cheaper to replace while the larger one require a little more effort.
Fiberglass is pretty sturdy and is usually pretty easy to repair or replace. Some companies paint the fiberglass while others mold the color into the fiberglass. This method makes the RV less likely to fade.
A roof over your head.
There are lots of different materials used for RV roofs; the most common are rubber, Thermo Plastic Olefin, aluminum, and fiberglass. The sturdiness of your roof is very important, after all, it bears the brunt of the elements, especially if it isn’t under a cover of some kind.
Rubber is pretty common. EPDM rubber roofs can be found on RVs of all levels and types. It is pretty inexpensive, easy to work with, flexible, and quite durable. It can cause dark streaks to run down the sides of your RV but it is usually minimal. It can also bubble. TPO is much like EPDM but instead of a rubber base, it is plastic. Aluminum is sometimes used. It is long lasting and pretty easy to repair, but the rain will eventually wash away the oxidation causing unsightly streaks down the sides of your rig.
While fiberglass is the most expensive, it is also very sturdy and does not create the dark streaks like other types of roofing does.
Laminated or Built-Up
The RV construction itself is done one of two ways, laminated or built-up. Laminated construction creates a single unit out of the exterior wall, insulation, framing and interior wall. It basically layers them together using adhesive. It is a pretty sturdy construction, although repairs may be a little more difficult in some cases and more expensive. It is pretty lightweight too, especially considering the strength.
Built-up construction is a step by step process that assembles each section at a time so they are not all one piece. The interior wall is separate from the wiring and insulation and they exterior wall is separate from all of that. In some cases, a built-up RV is less expensive and easier to repair or replace because of the separate components.
A word about insulation.
Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) and spun fiberglass are the two materials most commonly used for RV insulation. Foam-Cor is a thin sheet or Styrofoam and may be used to insulate RVs with aluminum sides and wood frames. It is typically an add on. Fiberglass insulation is used in homes as well as RVs and is easy to install, fire resistant, durable, and pretty expensive. It is also effective and lasts a long time. Styrofoam is more expensive to install and to purchase but it works great as insulation. It is lightweight but extremely effective. Our Travel trailer (a 2012 Keystone Vantage 32FLS) has Styrofoam insulation and it is incredible.
Do your homework before buying a used RV. Research they model’s construction, user reviews, and various components. Ask the seller if there have been any modifications, repairs, or replacements. Protect yourself. This is one lemon that makes some pretty nasty lemonade.
Comment
jwaiteJanuary 11, 2016 | 11:50 AM
VIN 5HRFF25267C019726 I need to replace the entire roof cap on my travel trailer due to damage and there is water damage to the interior ceiling, cabinets, flooring and wall material. Is it possible to do these repairs at a reasonable rate?
Author: Stephanie A. Mayberry
