My bathroom walls are going to be FRP. I'm using FRP for the bathroom because my bus gets pretty dirty out in the desert.
Anyhow, I was going to use FRP on the ceiling too, but I realized it probably wouldn't stay that well. I'm using some carpet on the ceiling in the rest of the bus, but not sure I want carpet on the bathroom ceiling. What do you guys use in the bathroom? I'm thinking about just painting the ceiling, or maybe upholster with vinyl.
Brian, my walls and ceiling are white vinyl over 1/4" foam. Easy to keep clean and going on 12 years old now.
We like it. YMMV
GaryD
We use luan covered with marine vinyl. stretch vinyl over front staple on back and fasten assembly to ceiling frame work.
I'll have to pay a visit to the upholstery store this week. The closest one I know of is only open 2 1/2 days a week. You would think they would have a white vinyl in stock.
My idea for foam is to use the really thin foam that goes under laminate flooring. Would that work, or should I just get the thinnest upholstery foam?
I have used it but watch it will react with some adhesives. melt we actually use thin quilt batting.stapled to the luan they don't show.
The underpayment foam WILL work. Just use a spray adhesive then cover it with your choice. I did my whole coach this way and it looks as good today as it did 8 years ago!
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I used Kemlite spray glued (Dupont 90 spray glue) to the plywood ceiling on my bus 18 years ago and it is still up. I've used the same thing in my truck-works well and is light weight, and cleans easy. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: TomC on July 22, 2012, 09:59:09 PM
I used Kemlite spray glued (Dupont 90 spray glue) to the plywood ceiling on my bus 18 years ago and it is still up. I've used the same thing in my truck-works well and is light weight, and cleans easy. Good Luck, TomC
What is Kemlite? Is that another name for FRP panels? The Kemlite brand has changed to Crane Composites and they make a number of different products.
Have the upholsterer show you some headliner samples, they usually have the foam backing, they also should be able to supply you with headliner adhesive.
About glue didn't say it would not hold just that the flooring foam like pad did react and ?melted and made hard like uneven texture in my case. with proper foam prob would be OK. just check compatibility. was DuPont we tried. just went back to our old ways with the quilt batting we used on our other coaches.
Do I really need adhesive? My panels are 22" and 30" wide. Can I just wrap the vinyl around and staple it on the backside?
Any upholstery supply shop, or a upholster can get you spray adhesive specially made for foam that will not melt the foam. You have to be careful on the ceiling and make sure the adhesive is designed for high temp's. Foam adhesive not meant for high temps will not hold when exposed to the elevated temperatures that can be found at the ceiling. Granted this is probably worse in a car than a bus, but that depends on how well insulated the bus is, regardless a bus in storage can easily see temps rise above 100 degrees.
Panels upholstered without adhesive will cause the fabric to sag. Warm temps will cause some fabrics to heat up and stretch leading to more sagging. If you wanted to hold the fabric up without adhesive you could do so with buttons, or some type of sewing if you know someone with a machine that can accommodate that kind of width. But the adhesive would probably cost less because its a lot less labor intensive.
Both Home Depot and Lowes sells 4x8 sheets of a Formica-type laminate that is meant for home shower stalls. It is white and textured. Sort of a nubbley, pebbley finish. You have seen it a hundred times in bar and restaurant restrooms on the walls. Cheap, flexible and durable.
Mike in GA
Brian,
At the risk of getting you angry I want to remind you that you tend to start a bunch of really difficult tasks right before you leave on a big trip and I'm assuming that since we're getting on to August that your rocketry trip to the desert must be soon. Maybe keeping it simple this year before you leave will lead to alot less stress right before you leave. Just my two cents...
RB
Our bathroom is done in a wood grain laminate. It was wallpapered over, and we scrapped that off. It is still fine. Laminates are tough stuff.
Quote from: RickB on July 23, 2012, 09:37:51 AM
Brian,
At the risk of getting you angry I want to remind you that you tend to start a bunch of really difficult tasks right before you leave on a big trip and I'm assuming that since we're getting on to August that your rocketry trip to the desert must be soon. Maybe keeping it simple this year before you leave will lead to alot less stress right before you leave. Just my two cents...
This past week I found a bunch of issues with my shower that necessitate major repairs to the bathroom. The FRP in the shower was not installed properly so it has been leaking. Some of my friends installed the FRP and they spread the glue on the plywood instead of on the FRP itself. Only about 25% of the FRP was actually stuck to the wall.
I ripped the whole thing apart yesterday in about 4 hours. Part of the repairs include an opportunity to do something with the ceiling. I redid the bathroom once before ti make it smaller and I expect it will take 2 to 3 weeks to get it all back together.
Quote from: Mike in GA on July 23, 2012, 09:23:18 AM
Both Home Depot and Lowes sells 4x8 sheets of a Formica-type laminate that is meant for home shower stalls. It is white and textured. Sort of a nubbley, pebbley finish. You have seen it a hundred times in bar and restaurant restrooms on the walls. Cheap, flexible and durable.
That is FRP panels. I am using it on the walls in my bathroom, but I have my doubts about using it on the ceiling. I've read it can be done, but it requires mechanical fasteners instead of just glue.
Also available at HD & Lowe's are thin white fiberglass 4x8' panels that are impervious to water/moisture and clean easily. Check them out. Gerry H
Gerry i believe thats the same as FRP
Also i used it in my bath on the ceiling and only used liquid nail! 8 plus years and no droops!
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What Ace and Gerry said works really good. cheap, easy to clean and adheres well.
I was just at the store picking up stuff to repair my bathroom and I saw a 4x8 plastic sheet that is flexible instead of stiff. I wonder if that would work better because it is lighter than FRP? It is also a lot easier to cut without all the fiberglass dust. I will still use regular FRP for my shower walls.
Mike in GA that board is called Dairy board and is a FRP product. It comes buppy and smooth HTH
Brain we used Vinyl also, as Bob said what you use under it is a big deal. It will lay down smooth if you use a good 90 dupont or even 3M 77 spray adhesive. spray both sides of batting and whatever you are sticking it to. Then spray your vinyl and let it skin along with the side it sticks to on the batting. Smooth it and get it into place the first time because it is very hard to move. but well worth the look and cleaning. We used a natural brown leather color only because white is tough to keep stuff of of. It all cleans very well no matter what color. Its just that the brown is more forgiving. Its a light brown color so as not to make it dark looking. Screw the panel up with button top screws the press on type. Take some of the material to an upholsterer and they will cover them for you for very little.
Dave
I decided to go with gray vinyl instead of FRP for the bathroom ceiling. I will be using 3/8 BC plywood with a 1/8" round over on all sides. When attaching the foam do I want to wrap the foam around the edges, or just have the foam on the flat surface?
Around all edges looks better!
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Good morning. I got plans 0n using 12x12 self stick vinyl squares. but I think the use of an additional glue etc would be needed.The reason for 12x12s is hard to make a cutting error.
Quote from: Flight102C3 on July 26, 2012, 07:20:18 AM
Good morning. I got plans 0n using 12x12 self stick vinyl squares. but I think the use of an additional glue etc would be needed.The reason for 12x12s is hard to make a cutting error.
That will be an interesting effect on a ceiling.
Interesting to say the least! Might be ok if the ceiling is flat (hardly) but as soon ad you run into an area that isnt flat or square fir that matter, your 12x12 idea of cutting error goes out the door because you will have bigger problems, such as gaps in the joints over edges overlapping! Its hard enough to do it on a square flat floor!
When you get r done, please do show us!
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