Need advice on a remodel

[solow58]

Just an old redneck with a lot of southern smarts but not to smart,so as not to ask for advice. Just replaced bad sections of floor and window weather stripping on 4104 next is to put new ceiling in over the bus ceiling what's the best thing to do or use.the ceiling and insulation look good but would like to put foil to reflect the heat. Have foil on walls,and 3/4" furring strips with 3/4" foam board.not sure what finishing to use.

[sparkplug188]

Probably the most common wall board is 1/8" or 3/16" smooth utility plywood.  It is ultra lightweight and relatively inexpensive.  It is usually glued and stapled to the studs. The staples get filled with spackle, sanded, primed, then painted or wallpapered.  This is the way almost every "sticks and staples" motorhome and camper trailer is built.

The fire ratings on foam insulation assumes it is sandwitched between drywall and fire rated plywood.  Drywall is nearly impossible to burn, whereas utility ply will easily ignight and burn rapidly.  Before you make any final decisions, make few test samples and burn them as they would be installed.  You will be suprised at how a few minor changes in material type and thickness will cause a wall to either self extinguish or burn out of control.

There are many other options-- if you can dream it up, it has probably been done.  I am sure others weigh in and post what has worked well for them.

[TomC]

I used furniture grade 1/8" plywood (no formaldehyde). Then just painted it with 1.5" Oak strips running over the screws. Good Luck, TomC

[Gordie Allen]

I stripped the ceiling to the aluminum, spray foamed and then covered that with bubble foil.  Then I screwed luan plywood (all the grain goes in one direction, so it's easy to bend). Then glued 1/4" foam backed Naugahyde to the plywood.

[shelled]

solow,

anywhere you put reflective foil which is in contact with anything else, it transmits heat very well -- just the opposite of what you want.  The shiny foil is aluminium which is one of the best conductors of heat there is.

If there is an air gap between the shiny side of the foil and anything else, then the air is the actual insulating material against conductive heat transfer and the shiny foil "insulates" against radiant heat transfer.

The 4104 doesn't have copious head room for more foam insulation, so you get more bang for your buck and better head room by painting the exterior of the roof white using a paint or "coating" that has hollow microbubbles in it like Masco or BusKote or several other brands I don't have stored in my memory.

edward

[robertglines1]

Depends on what look you are going for. A thermal break to stop transfer of hot/cold thru roof ribs:: then what floats your boat. I used marine vinyl which is easy to clean stretched over laun covered with quilt batting to give it a soft sound deading effect. You can roll and tuck it. Diamond shape-- anything.  I already had 2inches of foam from factory. the luan acted as the thermal break.  Some have went with tongue and wood for their ceiling.  Lot of heat loss and gain thru ceiling.  Put you hand there in hot sun.  bet you can locate every rib.  FWIW  everyone does it different.  Do it your way. If you go to bus projects 45XLE page 1 there is a picture of my ceiling .  Bob

[robertglines1]

For the out of box guys:: I know it is being done because I just was in one for the first time and didn't realize it until the owner told me.  He had added his insulation outside 3 inches and created a new exterior roof. You could not tell it.  Don't know details just know it has been that way for several years coast to coast with no problem full timer.  WOW!  Sure one upped my outside the box thinking.  I would do it in a heart beat.  Remember I do crazy things.. do not do unless you think it thru..  I have my build supper efficient under the roof but I have the entertainer extra inside height advantage plus I'm only 5 ft 9..  I need a stool to work on ceiling..Bob

[Brian Diehl]

Depends on what look you are going for. A thermal break to stop transfer of hot/cold thru roof ribs:: then what floats your boat. I used marine vinyl which is easy to clean stretched over laun covered with quilt batting to give it a soft sound deading effect. You can roll and tuck it. Diamond shape-- anything.  I already had 2inches of foam from factory. the luan acted as the thermal break.  Some have went with tongue and wood for their ceiling.  Lot of heat loss and gain thru ceiling.  Put you hand there in hot sun.  bet you can locate every rib.  FWIW  everyone does it different.  Do it your way. If you go to bus projects 45XLE page 1 there is a picture of my ceiling .  Bob

Bob - what vinyl did you use and how much did it cost?  Also, how did you attach the vinyl and plywood to the ceiling?  I'm trying to figure out what to do with my ceiling now that I have all the cabinetry in.  Should have done the ceiling first then added cabinetry.  Oh well - live and learn.

Thanks

[robertglines1]

easy: 30 X 96 inch pieces 1/4 inch luan screw to ceiling steel thru thin insulation(thermal break) then 1 x2 strip length ways for step down center each side of sheet. Notice I left shelf to put led rope type lighting on.  then another piece of 1x2 down each side length ways. Then screwed another piece of luan 32x96" length ways)thicker insulation under it.  Before putting  furring strips down sides of center piece of luan(wood) I covered it with off white marine vinyl. stapled under where the strips(1x2) would be attached. Before attaching the 1x2 in place I attached the vinyl to the top of them letting it hang down. Then screwed thru the 1x2 attaching to ceiling-next came outside luan attached then vinyl stretched over and stapled to outside edge length ways.  In the picture the final trim was not installed to cover the staples.  Wish I was better at picture posting because it makes a nice/easy app. Used two pieces on center run of 1/2 x2 instead of 1x2 to get off set for shelf .  Get couple pieces of scrap and play with it and you can see how it works.  Used 3/4 inch blue foam board in step down area(insulation). Lighting is 12V DC led dim-able. I use quilt batting(light weight) under vinyl to smooth edges. `.  lights.. Led's $80---Insulation $175..Vinyl $275--Batting $45--luan$90..1x2 and 1/2x2 $36.. I use the screws that have the drill bits on the end for drywall into metal studs to attach wood to bus structure. You might have to pre drill with 1/8 inch drill bit for some areas.  Hope this makes sense.  Bob

[solow58]

Thanks for all the ideals guys,luan sounds like the way to go!I would like to see your pics. Bob but not sure how

[robertglines1]

pic

[robertglines1]

pic

[robertglines1]

Or go to bus projects page    subject         45LE     look on first page  for  more pic. Look on bottom of this page .  Where it says Bus topics and change it to Bus Projects.  Lots of board members have recorded  build records there.   Bob

[Seangie]

To keep transfer of heat from the frame to the wood to a minimum (null actually) I used reflectix over the frame held in place by 3/4 furring strips drilled to the frame and then used foam board between the furring and 1/2" ply over that.  There is no heat transfer on my walls with that setup.

Ive got pix and video on my website under the shell tab.


-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org