wallpaper failure

[David Anderson]

Just wanted to pass on the the bus family that after 3 years I'm removing the wallpaper in my bus and replacing it with something else.  The paper split at every place the 1/2" BC plywood  butt joins.  I remember posting several threads back in 2001 before I installed the paper asking how to make the plywood joints smooth and able to accomodate wallpaper without an eventual tear.  IIRC, there was really no foolproof consensus to adequately do this and those that did have it up did not have too many years or miles of experience, but I forged ahead with wall paper, mainly because my wife really liked it.

Now, 35,000 miles later the system doesn't work.  I did put up some very thick, almost like rubber wall covering in my galley that looks like ceramic tile.  It hasn't torn at the underlayment joints, but does have a couple of wrinkles at those points.  It still looks good enough to keep up. 

I'm going to glue up some marble looking wallboard in the bathroom and replace the lounge walls with carpet.   This will solve the problem.  I've come to the conclusion that anything on the surface of the coach has to be able to move and give a little because of the constant flexing in a moving enviornment.   I'm sure most all of us know that already. 

I just wanted let everyone know what my experience was, hopefully to avoid a future problem for you.

David

[NJT5047]

Stuff happens!  Believe I remember when you were proposing this on one of the boards. 
I used wallpaper too...been on there for 3 years.  Still looks good.  Glued it up onto waterproof material similar to masonite.  The joints between the sections of 8' panels are covered with small wood strips covered with the same wallpaper.  Looks like an RV...for better or worse.   So far has proven easy to keep up and resilent to damage. 
If your wife likes wallpaper, you can buy RV panels in colors that would match most interiors from   www.all-rite.com   
Carpet on the walls will make the bus quiet.  Are you going to use Ozite or some such thin covering? 
I bought a 50'X10' (or thereabout) roll of  Ozite from Ron the Busnut for a reasonable price.  He may still have some available.  Someday this will be a headliner....someday!   
Post a pix of what you do.   
Cheers, JR

[Ace]

I'm with JR on using the underlayment first over plywood. then installing the wallpaper on the underlayment. The UL seams up better and tighter than plywood and the key ingredient to wallpaper is to use a liquid called sizing. Looks like white paint but the wallpaper really adheres to it! All home improvement centers carry it. It brushes on like paint and dries pretty quick!

Ours looks good and hasn't shown any rips or tears except of course where I did it accidently re-doing something else!  Another thing to remember with paper is to try and use a pattern paper. It helps to hide the seams!

Ace

[David Anderson]

Yea, pretty much a failed experiment.  I knew that going into it.  It won't cost much at all to fix it.  I bought the marble board melamine today, $13.00.  The walls in the lounge won't take but 10' to cover on each side.  I have some automotive type carpet available that I used in the cockpit area that will look very good. 

Just wanted to let others know about my experience.

David

[tomhamrick]

The wallpaper in our Eagle is doing great! We used underlayment which we first painted. We then put up wallpaper liner which is a thick white wallpaper. Next came the finished paper. We did not use a cheap thin paper, or prepasted. Works for us!!!
Tom Hamrick
1984 Eagle 10S

[David Anderson]

Tom,

The underlayment is probably the key to success.  I applied mine over 1/2" plywood which was screwed to the bus frame.  Lots of movement at the butt joints after years of travel.  If I had applied underlayment above the plywood, staggering the butt joints away from the plywood wall joints, I may have had success like you.   My coach is about 3/8" longer in the summer than in the winter, so lots of stress on any joining structures inside.   I've even been in the coach when a cloud shades it, then the sun comes out and I hear a loud pop from something that has just been stressed and moved.

Anyway, the marble melamine wallboard turned out really nice, so my wife is happy which makes everbody  happy.

David

[buswarrior]

And, besides movement and twisting, remember in your design thoughts, the swings in humidity inside the coach, especially when it is parked in storage.

Leave your maintenance manual open on the kitchen table for a few weeks, and see the top page wrinkle!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[NJT5047]

Storing a bus inside greatly lessens the humidity problem.   May be the reason my wallpaper is not having problems. 
I doubt my bus would be as completed (relative subject)  if not kept indoors where weather doesn't add another layer of complication.  Having an indoor place to work, secure equipment, and store supplies is highly desirable.   I built my old building 20 years ago...and at that time was looking at buying a bus.   14 years later I bought one.   Speedy huh?
JR