Fibreglass vehicle repair: caravans, motorhomes and GRP body panels.
Cracked corners, a holed side panel, a scraped moulding, a kit-car wing: GRP bodywork can often be repaired and refinished without replacing the panel. The question that decides it is what's behind the skin.
- GRP SKIN
- SKIN REBUILT
- REINFORCEMENT
- CORE MADE GOOD
- FOAM CORE
- INNER LINING
Vehicle and transport fibreglass we repair.
Caravans
GRP sidewalls, front and rear panels and corner mouldings: cracks, punctures and impact damage.
Interior damp and timber-frame repairs: to be confirmed · placeholderMotorhomes
GRP body panels and mouldings with cracks, impact damage or delamination.
Truck, bus & trailer panels
Cracked, holed or impact-damaged GRP body panels and mouldings on commercial vehicles and trailers.
Kit-car & bodywork panels
Cracked, crazed or broken fibreglass body panels and shells.
Damage you can see, and damage you can't.
Impact cracks and punctures
Anything from a hairline stress crack to a hole through the skin. Stress cracks often appear near corners.
Damp and water ingress
Water gets in at joints, seals, windows, vents and awning rails. The signs are a musty smell, discolouration and walls that feel soft or spongy — and there can be far more damage beneath than shows on the surface.
Delamination
Many caravan and motorhome walls are a thin GRP skin bonded to a foam core. Water, impact, vibration and age can separate the two.
Crazing and worn gelcoat
Fine surface cracks and a faded, chalky finish on older panels and bodywork.
Find the cause, then rebuild the panel.
A panel repair only holds if whatever caused the damage — usually an impact or water — has been dealt with first. This is how the work is typically done.
- 01Identify the constructionFirst the material: some caravan panels are ABS plastic, not GRP. Then the build: a GRP-and-foam sandwich, GRP over a frame, or a one-piece moulding.
- 02Deal with water firstIf water has got in, the entry point has to be found and sealed and the affected area dried before the skin is repaired.
- 03Cut back and reinforceDamaged GRP is ground back to sound material. Cracks are reinforced, not just filled; larger damage is rebuilt with glass mat and resin.
- 04FairThe repair is filled and sanded back to the panel's original line.
- 05RefinishThe area is finished in gelcoat or colour-matched paint and blended into the surrounding panel.
Where the work happens.
On site
Some repairs can be carried out where the vehicle is kept; others need workshop conditions. Tell us where the vehicle is and whether it can be driven or towed.
In our workshop
Caravans, motorhomes and removable panels can be brought to our workshop, where a repair cures and is refinished under cover. For commercial vehicles, tell us how long the vehicle can be off the road.
- On-site coverage area: to be confirmed · placeholder
- Workshop address: to be confirmed · placeholder
- Largest vehicle the workshop can take: to be confirmed · placeholder
Catch it early and it's a repair.
Repair usually suits
- Damage confined to the GRP skin.
- A core behind the panel that is dry and sound.
- Local damage: a crack, a puncture, a scraped corner.
- A panel that can be faired back to its original line.
A new panel or section is usually better when
- The core behind the skin is wet or has broken down over a large area.
- Damp has spread unnoticed and whole sections need cutting out.
- The damage is extensive enough that a replacement panel is the more economical route.
There is no fixed threshold: it takes an inspection to tell which side of the line a panel is on. If you have a damp report or moisture readings, send them.
What to tell us.
- Make, model and year.
- Which panel, and where on it.
- Photos: a close-up and a wider view.
- Whether the damage goes through the skin.
- Any signs of damp: smell, soft walls, staining, or a moisture reading.
- The paint or colour code, if known.
- Whether it is an insurance claim.
- For commercial vehicles: how long it can be off the road.
Vehicle panel repair questions.
Can a cracked GRP caravan or motorhome panel be repaired?
Yes. Hairline stress cracks and deeper fractures can both be repaired: the crack is reinforced and filled, then refinished. A replacement panel is the alternative when the damage is extensive.
How do I know if my caravan or motorhome has damp?
Look for a musty smell, discolouration, and walls that feel soft or spongy. A moisture meter gives a firmer answer. Damp can be extensive behind a surface that looks sound.
Can damp damage be fixed without replacing the whole panel?
It depends how far it has gone. Caught early, the repair is limited to the affected area. Left, sections may have to be cut out and replaced.
Is filler enough to fix a hole?
Not on its own. Filler and gelcoat are finishing layers. A hole or a deep crack needs new reinforcement behind them to restore strength.
Will the colour match?
Panels are refinished in gelcoat or colour-matched paint and blended in. Older gelcoat and paint fade, so a perfect match to a weathered panel can't be promised.
Can the repair be done where the vehicle is kept?
Some repairs can be done on site; others need the workshop. It depends on the repair, the weather and the access. Tell us where the vehicle is when you enquire.
Is it covered by my insurance?
That depends on your policy, so check with your insurer. If it is a claim, tell us when you enquire.
Do you repair commercial vehicle panels and kit-car bodywork?
Yes. We repair GRP panels on trucks, buses and trailers, and fibreglass kit-car and bodywork panels. Tell us what the panel is and what has happened to it.
Not quite what you have?
Tell us about the vehicle and the damage.
Make, model, which panel and where it is kept — and we'll come back to you about a repair.