Interior trim panel above rear window detaching. How to re-attach?

[SGT ROC]

I would use a staple instead of pin nails. This "wood" is very thin and as you already have found the staples can pull right thru. The staples were probably set to deep into the wood and this may be why they pulled thru. A little look around the whole panel you may be better to remove it entirely and make sure there is something to fasten to.

Brian

No matter what, I would glue it too. I have used Gorilla Glue, and "Tacky Glue" with good success. Regular wood glue may not hold if both surfaces ae smooth and finished. If you use the Gorilla glue - use it a little sparingly as it expands. Of course, there must be a backer for any of this to work. Good luck.

[Houndbb]

No matter what, I would glue it too. I have used Gorilla Glue, and "Tacky Glue" with good success. Regular wood glue may not hold if both surfaces ae smooth and finished. If you use the Gorilla glue - use it a little sparingly as it expands. Of course, there must be a backer for any of this to work. Good luck.

Spoken like a true woodworker: glue AND mechanical fasteners!
N

[Wicked ace]

Get some dark finish nails at your favorite home supply and tack nail it back in place along the line of staples. If you push you should feel the bracing they nailed to. Get someone to hold it up with you first to check fit then to get the nails started to hold it up.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grip-Rit...-202308579-_-N

[boyscout]

Update: at first I didn't find any staples, but a closer inspection revealed a row of staples *very* close to the back of the panel. There has to be a backing block for those staples. I'll have to remove the wooden valence over the window to get a nail gun up to the line, but I think it's doable. Due to the flimsy-ness of the panel, I think I should use a pin nailer (the one I was thinking about buying, right? ) Any thoughts? -Steve

Steve, Grand Design probably used a pin nailer to attach the side trim pieces on the valances at each of your windows; they did on ours.

All but two of ours have fallen off after just several thousand miles of travel - not bumped off, just shaken off - and last two will soon do so. Note that these are VERTICAL pieces where the stresses of road travel are more perpendicular to the pins. I'd *guess* that pin-nailing a horizontal piece up such that its weight and travel stresses are just pulling the pins out the way they went in wouldn't last long at all. (However if you want me to tell your wife that you really need a pin nailer, PM me!)

I've reattached our side trim pieces with a brad nailer and they are *much* more solidly-attached. However that horizontal panel you're fighting with may be more paper than wood, and brads may not hold it very well either.

Therefore I'd go with staples, decent-sized ones, and use one of the "magic marker" furniture blemish pens to hide them.

Good luck.

[andrewssteve]

I've reattached our side trim pieces with a brad nailer and they are *much* more solidly-attached. However that horizontal panel you're fighting with may be more paper than wood, and brads may not hold it very well either.

Therefore I'd go with staples, decent-sized ones, and use one of the "magic marker" furniture blemish pens to hide them.

Good luck.

Thanks for the analysis. I agree. Last month I had to remove the valance and those vertical trim pieces to rewind the shade (After I took it down, I think the rewinder might have been accessible without removing the valance. . .).

Yes -- the vertical trim pieces are pin nailed. I removed the pins and re-installed with heavy-duty 3M Velcro tape -- in anticipation of removing the valance at some later date -- didn't know I'd be soon re-attaching the horizontal panel.

To re-attach the panel, I agree the pin nailer is something I can put off buying -- for now. But I think the staples are a compromise, too. I'm leaning toward a 1/2 inch wide, flat molding strip pre-drilled with cosmetically pleasing, equally spaced holes, then attached that thru the panel and into the backing block with brown/bronze pan-head screws.

I've been staining with (MinWax?) Coffee stain and topping with satin polyurethane. Seems to blend pretty well with the rest of the finish in the 2018 310GK.

All this advice has been great. We're on vacation now in the Wisconsin woods, heading for Michigan's UP. I'll get this project taken care of when we get home first of October.

Thanks.

-Steve

[mccomas820]

I've got a trim panel that's detaching. Need advice for re-attaching.

This shot is looking out of the rear window in my 2018 Solitude 310GK. Trim panel is perpendicular to window plane, above windows. Two puck lights and a switch in the panel:

Attachment 22416

Here's the left side of the panel showing the puck light. This side is not detached.

Attachment 22417

The center of the panel, with the light switches, is barely detached:

Attachment 22418

In the next post, I'll show you the detached right side of the panel.

My husband bought a brad nailer and fastened everything. Can’t even tell and everything is secure

[mccomas820]

My husband bought a brad nailer and secured everything. Several folks have borrowed it. Looks great.
Staples aren’t fastened tight

[pilot1]

I glued them and then I used a pin nailer to help hold then, Can not see and thing and looks like it never come down

[Travel]

If you use tape be sure to us painter’s blue tape.

[JiMissy]

I bought a 2 gallon air compressor when we went full time in our first motorhome for reasons such as filling tires and such. It was not long after that I bought a finishing air gun that shot 5/8 to 2 inch nails just for maintenance in the trailer. Seems this is a good example as to why. Even in the new 2019 solitude I have found a few reasons such as trim to use it. Cost of that gun surr beats the ijconvience of searching down some one to do it, hauling the rig to them and paying their price.