Headliner Sagging

[alscottfree]

The 1997 25' Safari That We Are Picking Up Sunday Has The Headliners Coming Down In Some Areas. We Are Assured There Were No Leaks, Just Extreme Heat & Cold - But We Have No Idea What Product Or Process To Use To Reglue Or Reattach This. Help????
Thanks, Al

[maxandgeorgia]

Droopy ceilings are not uncommon in the '90's trailers. If you use the search tool found on the menu line on the home page, using key words such as your thread title or "droopy ceiling," you'll find several discussions and proposed solutions for the problem. Some replace (BIG project), some reglue (glue often fails when reapplied), some tack up the ceiling using 5/8 inch screws and screw covers (the method we used), and others use various different approaches. Try the search tool and see if you can find a solution that would work for you. Best wishes! ~G

[k44g]

So maxandgeorgia, did your headliner shrink to a degree that it would not extend to the plastic trim on either edge, leaving a gap? If so, how did you deal with that?

Seems like one solution would be to use a vinyl tape along the edge of the headliner such that the tape would in effect extend the headliner to reach under the trim. Do you know where I can buy replacement trim?

[RedBlur]

At first, I tried to re-glue in our 1995, but that soon failed again. So, I used screws and screw covers to fix the headliner. It is a pain to do, but after three years, it is still holding. I stretched as I applied the screws, so I had to deal with a very small area of shrinkage at a trim seam, to which I applied a white silicone bead. That also worked out ok.

[alscottfree]

We Did A Reglue For Instant Fix - It Of Course Is Starting To Come Down, But In Only 1 Small Area That Leads, Of Course, To The Bigger Area Next.....so, We Will Probably Do The More Secure Route This Time - I Think The 113 Degree Days Last Week Started The Unglue - I Think, As Often, The Shortcut Was Not The Answer.(but Felt Really Good For Awhile.

[bake315]

Short of adding a bunch of screw holes to the ceiling, once the foam under the vinyl fails (and it is the foam failing - not the adhesive), the only real (read, proper) recourse is to remove the cabinets, along with the vinyl, then strip the ceiling until it's entirely free of glue and foam. I'm in the middle of this right now - and Georgia is right - it's a huge mess, and a huge pain. But in the end it's going to look like brand new, because it will be brand new. With any luck, I'll never have to fool with it again, and the (someday) subsequent owner won't have to, either.

[94Tri]

I had to deal with the sagging ceiling issue in the 94 tri axle I bought last summer. The previous owner had put rivets and screws every place it sagged...it had gotten pretty ugly. My fix was to strip all the headliner out. I then took a wire wheel on a small hand grinder and stipped off as much glue and padding as possible. This was an extremely messy venture. I even went as far as stripping all the fuzzy material off the wall surfaces. I ordered several sheets of thin aluminum from Aircraft Spruce in Georgia (chek them out online). I then added a second layer of aluminum to all ceiling and wall surfaces. I carefully cut the wall material and used it for templates on the new aluminum. I riveted everything in place and now have a shiny aluminum interior that is very clean and matches the exterior. It was a great deal of work, but it gets really good comments.

[Inland RV Center, In]

According to Airstream, the cause of the material drooping, is the failure of the adhesive.

Back then the Feds demanded that a water base adhesive be used.

In time, it was determined that that was a big joke.

We all have seen automobiles with defective paint jobs from that same era. The clear coat finish on those vehicles, as mandated by the Feds, was also water based.

Water based adhesives, will fail in time.

The fix, unfortunately, is to remove the wall covering, and then remove the old adhesive.

New wall covering material should be used, since some of the bad adhesive is on it as well.

During the warranty period, Airstream also provided new wall coverings and instructed dealers to throw away the original coverings.

Common sense says that "all" the old adhesive must be remove from everything. The problem was and still is, that removing the adhesive properly and completely from the foam that's on the back side of the wall covering, is impossible.

Like so many other things, starting all over, from the very beginning, is the only long term real answer.

Such is the case with that vinyl wall covering.

Needless to say, the water based adhesive and paint idea, was scrapped years ago.

Andy
Andy

[ritasmith52]

I tried to re-glue in our 1995, but that soon failed again. So, I used screws and screw covers to fix the headliner. It is a pain to do, but after three years, it is still holding. I stretched as I applied the screws, so I had to deal with a very small area of shrinkage at a trim seam, to which I applied a white silicone bead. That also worked out ok.[/quote]

[pcool3066]

I have a 28', 1996 Excella and the ceilings are starting to come down. I like the screw idea and would like to know where to find the screws and caps. Thanks to everyone for the advise on this problem.

[steven_georg]

Okay, first a really dumb question...Where is the search button on this forum?

Nevermind, I guess I just had to sign in first. Didn't realize that I had to have an account before I could search the forum.

As you can see, this is my first post here. We just picked up a '96 Excella 30', and the ceiling is sagging, so I'm looking into ways to get it back up. Don't really want to go with screws, so I wanted to sort through all the adhesives that people have tried and see if I can come up with something I'd like to give a try.

That's all for now. Thanks.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by steven_georg

Okay, first a really dumb question...Where is the search button on this forum?

Nevermind, I guess I just had to sign in first. Didn't realize that I had to have an account before I could search the forum.

As you can see, this is my first post here. We just picked up a '96 Excella 30', and the ceiling is sagging, so I'm looking into ways to get it back up. Don't really want to go with screws, so I wanted to sort through all the adhesives that people have tried and see if I can come up with something I'd like to give a try.

That's all for now. Thanks.

It doesn't matter what adhesive you may want to use, it will not work until you completely remove the old adhesive.

The old adhesive is the problem. Adding more adhesive to a bad adhesive, is a waste of time and money.

Two things you can do.

Install screws, or remove the foam backed vinyl, clean off "ALL" the old adhesive, and then install new foam baked vinyl.

Again, the old, "BAD" adhesive is on the foam as well. You will have trouble trying to get it off the foam, without destroying the foam.

Not what you want to hear, but you will waste your time and money, if you try any salvage routine, other than the screws.

The Airstream factory, also says, it can't be done.

Andy

[starfire104]

We also had this problem. We took it all down and had it reholstered $2500 later, it looks new and it should . I need to know about replacing the draperies, our are rotten and look bad. That is a lot of sewing, all those pleats...any suggestions where to go?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by starfire104

We also had this problem. We took it all down and had it reholstered $2500 later, it looks new and it should . I need to know about replacing the draperies, our are rotten and look bad. That is a lot of sewing, all those pleats...any suggestions where to go?

Replacement drapes are available through a dealer from Airstream.

Andy

[fcreigh]

I, like many of you, had the problem with the headliner coming loose on my 1996 30' Excella 1000. Fortunately the foam is still in good condition on the vinyl. After many attempts, I was advised by an Airstream tech that I might try using 3M Hi-Tack 76 spray ahhesive. That was not easy to find, but I was finally successful and sprayed in the areas I could get to without pulling any more of the headliner loose. I then quickly smmothed the headliner back in place and fortunately I was able to slip it back under the original strips that held it in place. Next thing I did was get several 8' strips of 1" wide white finish molding from Lowe's (it looks almost exactly like the original molding strips) and screwed them in place parallel to the original strips. This secures the newly glued area and actually looks like OEM except for the stainless screw heads and washers. I definitely recommend going this route in lieu of a complete re-do unless it's already too bad to attempt.

[Emh142]

I have the same problem. Did you find a solution???

[tdeLorme]

We had the sagging headliner/ceiling problem in an early 90's Foretravel Motorhome. I cut 1 1/2" strips of 3/8" thick oak and stained them to match the coach's woodwork. My wife then held the sagging material in place while I installed the "bows" to the ceiling. I used screw cap washers with the screws and it looked original when we finished. Now, that was a forty foot motorhome. If we have to do the AS we just bought, I really think striping it down to the skin is what I would do. The bows work and look fine, but you will always know there is a problem up there. Here is a great source for screw caps.

Screw Covers, Screw Caps & Snap-Caps® - Buy Now!

[addone]

I have a '94 Excella tri axle, with this same problem. I bought the replacement foam backed vinyl, but can not figure out how to get the plastic strips and front plastic cover down to replace....does anyone have any suggestions or should I just take it in to the dealer 3 hours away?

[Chaplain Kent]

I realize I am posting to a year old thread but have some tips and a warning to share. The ceiling in our 94 Excella was completely removed along with the adhesive, the PO had then tried to shine the aluminum to give it the new retro look. The only problem was they paid no attention to trim and the insulation around the edges was sticking out along with the pattern of rivets used in construction. It was ugly so I recovered it with new marine grade foam vinyl. I used 2 1/2 " wide plastic screen molding from Lowes between the seams. This has a ridge on the bottom side which the vinyl tucks into giving a neat edge. I was also able to work with the 54" material not worrying about getting it exact since I had wide molding. I went to an automotive upholstery shop and purchased spray adhesive called Headerbond. This product is good for temps up to 215 degrees. Purchase a spray applicator from Lowes to help apply the spray from the can. this is a plastic apparatus which fits over the top of the spray can and gives you a large trigger handle to operate the spray nozzle with. Mark a center point on the vinyl and the ceiling. Apply the adhesive to a four foot area, two feet on either side of the center line and then the same on the vinyl. Align the center marks you made and smooth out the vinyl. It adheres immediately but since you are working with just a two foot section in each direction it is workable. Make all of your cutouts and then apply the glue to the bottom part of the ceiling and vinyl. Here is the warning. the adhesive is very flammable. Turn off all electrical 12V and 120V. Why do I say this? I nicked an electric line and started the entire ceiling on fire, all of my new work up in flames in seconds. By time I got the extinguisher and put out the fire the ceiling was black, along with the top part of the walls. The floors and everything else was covered with extinguisher dust. I have since cleaned up, and redone the ceiling. It looks great, although the second time around I did do some patching in to save buying extra vinyl over what I already had to replace so there is a strip of 4" molding by the door which covers a blank spot underneath. For the next few years we will be sweeping up fire extinguisher dust but at least i put out the fire before any major damage was done.

[ritasmith52]

Originally Posted by alscottfree

The 1997 25' Safari That We Are Picking Up Sunday Has The Headliners Coming Down In Some Areas. We Are Assured There Were No Leaks, Just Extreme Heat & Cold - But We Have No Idea What Product Or Process To Use To Reglue Or Reattach This. Help????
Thanks, Al

__________________________________________________ ___________
I had the same problem, mine was from the extreme heat from no shade on top.
I went to Lowe's, bought small self drilling screws as well as the round tops and I started to screw them into ceiling. I had to get the top stretched first until I could get screws in every 8 to 12 inches apart. I made the lines straight and from one side to other and from front to back. I waited until the late afternoon when roof was cooler. It took me about 2 hours, I made sure the lines were even and it looked like a cruise ship when I finished. DO NOT USE ANY GLUE, will not hold. Not bad for a country girl from ALABAMA.