Waterproofing a 2017 Berlingo

[Vos]

Hi all,

Have seen some other posts similar to this one but looking for some extra info and photos (hopefully) of what people have done.

We have a 2017 berlingo without bulkhead with a 350ltr tank.

We noticed that the drivers side footwell had become soaked and water had pooled under the seat.

I saw a post from @spruce who mentioned about fiberglassing this up but we have no idea how to even get started with that (anyone have photos?)

I've attached two pics, one of the back and one of where we think the water is making its way into the cab.

Does anyone have any advice on how we can stop any spillages making their way into the cab and soaking the carpet?

Thanks in advance

 

[spruce]

If you look at the people carrier version, you will see that the front plate covers what would be the footwell in the people carrier. That plate isn't water tight. This is why we removed the trim and fibre glassed a tub. Any water spillage could find its way out of the rear doors.
To complete the tub at the side loading door, I fibre glassed over a wood piece 1" x 1" to act as a barrier base.

I contacted a fibre glass supplier in Newcastle, East Coast Fibre Glass suppliers, and asked their advice. We had to scuff the paint to create a key for the resin and matting. We then got a non-slip topcoat, which is available in lots of colours.

All the tank securing boltholes were drilled on the ridges. We have had a couple of spills, but the van has remained dry. His previous van was a Peugeot Partner and that van stank of damp due to water spills. Hence the reason for a fibre glass tub.

The mistake I made was to do it in winter. It took ages for the fibre glass to cure, even though I added additional hardener to the resin mix. I ended up putting an electric fan heater in the back to speed the process up.

There are a couple of YouTube how to videos fibre glassing over plywood in a van. I personally opted not to. I fitted the tank first and then removed it to do the job. It was then easy to redrill those holes through the fibre glass.

 

[Iron Giant]

I'd personally buy a bulkhead and then seal along the bottom edge with U-Pol Tiger seal it will stop water from entering the cab and soaking the carpets and also seal along the bottom of the plywood and paint the plywood this is how I did my doblo years ago ProtectaKote

I now have a 19-plate berlingo with a factory fitted bulkhead and haven't done any of the above and just put a hand towel over my tank lid after filling up as it can leak on my way to work so this does prevent any water coming out of the vented lid going anywhere

 

[THL4KEL]

Bolt a sponge to the the underside off you tank lid and when the water splashes about the sponge stops it leaking out of the vented lid.

 

[Vos]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

@spruce - so just to clarify, you fibreglassed directly onto the metal bed?

I don't suppose you could grab a photo of your sons so we could see how you've done it all?

It's my Mrs van so don't want her driving around with it damp and it's already made its way into the carpets!

 

[Iron Giant]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

@spruce - so just to clarify, you fibreglassed directly onto the metal bed?

I don't suppose you could grab a photo of your sons so we could see how you've done it all?

It's my Mrs van so don't want her driving around with it damp and it's already made its way into the carpets!

Best to get hold of a decent humidifier if you can that will get the moisture out, also if you and your wife value your lives you'll get a frame for the tank and get it bolted in otherwise in a accident someone will get seriously injured or crushed to death

 

[spruce]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

@spruce - so just to clarify, you fibreglassed directly onto the metal bed?

I don't suppose you could grab a photo of your sons so we could see how you've done it all?

It's my Mrs van so don't want her driving around with it damp and it's already made its way into the carpets!

Yes. Directly into the metal floor.
Over the years I've seen so many rusty floors as a result of water trapped under the ply wood flooring.
I honestly can't remember whether the resin suggested was epoxy or polyester.
But one works and the other doesn't apparently.
I appreciate most vans these days have better rust proofing than the old Ford Transits did, but my head told me to remove the ply flooring.

I'll see if I can get some photos tomorrow morning. The problem is his 500 litre tank takes up a lot of space and will block out much detail.

 

[spruce]

Here are a couple of photos of son's 2002 Berlingo 800LX. I'm sorry, but there isn't much to show.

Here is the first photo of the fibre glassing on the driver's side. I removed the ply-lining. There was a lip which I coated with fibre glass.


The following photo shows a metal lip behind the driver's side that the half height steel bulkhead bolts to. I remove the bulkhead and extended the fibre glass up the lip. Once cured, I replaced the bulkhead. You can see the fibre glassing into the corner where the load securing eyes are. I also removed the seat belt covers and fibre glassed behind them. Most of the sides are between 50 and 75 mm deep.


The next photo is from the passenger side. I fibre glassed the complete wheel arches on both sides. In the background is the side sliding door. I glued a piece of wood 25mm x 25mm onto the floor and then fibre glassed over it. Had I not done that, water would have seeped into the foot well through the door trim. In fact, there was a hole specifically put there for it to happen.


Here's the wood base block close up.


I did 2 layers of fibre-glass. Each layer was done completely, so the fibre glass cured together. I then coated with blue topcoat which was non-slip. Fibre glass isn't totally waterproof, it's the top coat that makes it waterproof.
Here's a photo of the bulkhead across the van.

 

[spruce]

Here is the last photo of the section behind the passenger seat.

The bulkhead was removed from his first van that didn't have a side sliding door. I cut a box section out for the long Unger poles we first used.



So this is a complete 'tub' on 3 sides. Any split water exits out of the back doors. BTW, I did this 7 years ago this past December.

Your Berlingo is totally different. You will need to make and glue in wooden sections to support the fibre glass sides. It looks like you will have to 'shape' them as your trim curves.

 

[Vos]

You're a legend, thanks @spruce

 

[Deleted member 7446]

Hi all,

Have seen some other posts similar to this one but looking for some extra info and photos (hopefully) of what people have done.

We have a 2017 berlingo without bulkhead with a 350ltr tank.

We noticed that the drivers side footwell had become soaked and water had pooled under the seat.

I saw a post from @spruce who mentioned about fiberglassing this up but we have no idea how to even get started with that (anyone have photos?)

I've attached two pics, one of the back and one of where we think the water is making its way into the cab.

Does anyone have any advice on how we can stop any spillages making their way into the cab and soaking the carpet?

Thanks in advance
View attachment 29684


View attachment 29685

Check Facebook marketplace or ebay. You may find an original intact bulkhead which is a lower pressed panel and mesh upper
Cheap as so many youngsters are buying vans of all sizes for micro campers.

If you can get that bulkhead you can at least seal it.

Providing your tank is safety secured it wouldn't be a huge job to make a plywood lower panel just to create a buffer against any spilt water and then coat that and tie it into the floor coating and waterproofing

The only issue with that variant of van is condensation due to the open plan design and no sealed load space separate from the cab