Lined Interior??

[rgentry]

I am currently looking at Airstreams and seriously considering purchasing one soon. I have heard different opinions about the lined wall interiors. Some say that it is better to have this for many reasons, ie; less sweating, warmth, cleaning, etc. I would like to have any information/opinions about the lined wall interior vs the unlined.

Thanks!

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

We have a 2005 Safari 25FB, named Lucy, with the lined interior. We have spent 250 nights in Lucy and have pulled her over 40,000 miles. We prefer the lined interior for its insulative qualities both for summer and winter.

Brian

[wolverine]

We have a 2005 31' Classic with lined interior and we are very pleased with it. Easily cleaned, reduced noise, and more insulation. Having said that, I'm sure you will find many others with aluminum interiors that are very pleased with that design as well. Welcome to the Forums.

[hshovic]

We have the aluminum (in the trailer named Aeriel), and though it is all the above, it is waaayyyy cool at night, especially with indirect lighting (such as I put in, if I do say so myself) We have spent 75 nights there so far...

See the thread http://www.airforums.com/forums/f468...tml#post632803

[Airslide]

Mousefur... yup.. we have it too and boy was it ever dirty. The PO must have used something to clean it and made a huge mess of it..
So i decided to replace all of it. We used cream wall liner to match the original equipment. It took me two full months to strip everything off the walls and replace with new. OMG.. dont attempt this unless you are as crazy as me. Im very happy with the results but its alot of work. Be very careful when cleaning as the glue or dark spots can come through if you start scrubbing.. damp cloth and blot only!

Cheers.. Vinnie

[myoung]

There is no doubt that our 25FB Safari with a lined interior is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the Special Edition versions that have the aluminum interior. The insulating effect of the liner is obvious. In addition, the lined interior versions have smaller windows, which undoubtedly helps as well.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

There is no doubt that our 2005 25-B Safari with a lined interior is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the Special Edition versions that have the aluminum interior. The insulating effect of the liner is obvious. In addition, the lined interior versions have smaller windows, which undoubtedly helps as well.

Hi, and you can hang pictures on the walls with Velcro.

[Foiled Again]

The aluminum is cool looking and very easy to clean with a damp microfiber rag - a bit of dishwashing detergent if greasy, etc. It also doesn't hold odor or mould in high humidity. Nor will aluminum oxidation happen - then show through because the liner has absorbed humidity.

As a fulltimer I've heard many threads saying how humidity can be a problem in the winter. I always leave my shower vent open, and have never had this problem. Whether it's the shower vent or the aluminum interior I'm not so sure. Hotter in summer? With a 15K air conditioner it doesn't stay hot. Big windows facing the sun let in lots of heat, IMHO that may cause more problems than the bare interior.

Fling your arm up over your head while sleeping in 28 degree weather - you'll wake up abruptly.

Wish Airstream had a happy medium - Wainscotting with fabric in the bedroom - and bare above. I suppose that with a minimum of effort I could use a quilted fabric to make my own, and even attach the with the removable 3M removable hook hanger thingies (double sided foam strips with adhesive on both sides - that you pull and stretch to release. Easy to clean too.

Paula

Crap - another project - and I don't even own vintage.

Paula

[willyd]

Lined is the only way to go - cooler in summer and warmer in Florida's winters. I prefer the harder surfaces versus the fabric surface due to the sagging issues.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by myoung

There is no doubt that our 25FB Safari with a lined interior is warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the Special Edition versions that have the aluminum interior. The insulating effect of the liner is obvious. In addition, the lined interior versions have smaller windows, which undoubtedly helps as well.

Good point, we like our 22' SS for the same reasons.

[TinShack]

We bought our 28 S/O at Toscano RV in Los Banos, CA. It was 110 degrees F in the late morning (got up to 117 that day whew!) We went through about 20 different Airstreams and all of the lined trailers were 10 degrees cooler inside than the unlined. While I prefer the looks of the alumininum lined interiors from a design perspective, I prefer function over form so we bought the lined interior and have been totally happy with it.

ROBERTSUNRUS is right, you can hang velcro backed items from it. I have baseball hats with velcro adjustable straps and they hang great too!

[karenjude]

One of the reasons we traded in our Classic for the Ocean Breeze was that we didn't like the wall lining (or the carpets) in the Classic. We have two children and I'd find scuff marks on the wall (I never did figure our how that was possible). Also, it just started to look old and tired. We're very happy with the aluminum now. Aside from the cool look it's very easy to clean and keep looking nice.

[28totow]

Rgentry,

By the time you get to this reply you have figured out that liner vs aluminum is a personal decision, both having +'s and -'s. One benefit of our aluminum interior that I don't believe I've seen mentioned is with no liner, you can detect rivit heads that have sheared off. With over 68,000 miles we have had several (10+) rivets that have been replaced. How you would detect this with a liner I don't know. Airstream will tell you (or at least they told me) that missing interior rivets do not effect the structural integrity of the unit. For my money, I want as many screws, rivets, etc. in place at all times.

Pay your money, take your chances.

[dogpound]

We have the lined walls in our unit. Around the stove, sink and bathroom lavatory we have what looks like a vinyl wall covering that has a tendancy to wrinkle in the corners around the counter top. I have seen this replaced with aluminum and that looks great. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Good Luck

Bob
Member Four Corners Unit/CAC
WBCCI # 10105
AIR # 28748

[ROBERT CROSS]

First A/S unlined. Classic lined...we vote lined.

[Buzzy4]

We've had one of each. We do a lot of boondocking and it is often quite dusty. Thought the fuzzy walls would start looking pretty nasty after a while even with frequent vacuuming. The aluminum walls are much easier to clean.

As for insulation, we find that here in Texas in the summer it takes a bit longer to cool the metal interior but, with a 15,000 btu AC it isn't much of a problem. We have also stayed in both types in weather that was in the teens and found little difference in the comfort. The walls are a bit cooler to the touch and perhaps we use a bit more propane keeping it warm, but we have never been cold.

For my purpose it is aluminum without question.

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Fling your arm up over your head while sleeping in 28 degree weather - you'll wake up abruptly.
Wish Airstream had a happy medium - Wainscotting with fabric in the bedroom - and bare above. I suppose that with a minimum of effort I could use a quilted fabric to make my own, and even attach the with the removable 3M removable hook hanger thingies (double sided foam strips with adhesive on both sides - that you pull and stretch to release. Easy to clean too.
Paula
Crap - another project - and I don't even own vintage.

Paula

Paula,
Next time when I am down, I'll show you this wainscoting you wished for in my unit..It's pattern is rather simple to replica ..And, YES..It's nice to touch with barefoot year round~!!

[Gene]

Any metal surface will feel cooler than a cloth one, even if it is the same temp. I sometimes wonder if the belief the aluminum interiors are colder or warmer than the mouse fur ones is "conventional wisdom". Does one feel different because of a perception that is not objective? Has it been measured with a thermometer? Just curious since we're not going to sell ours with aluminum interior. If the windows are smaller (see Post #6) in the mouse fur units, that would probably make the biggest difference in temp.

We liked the aluminum interior—after all, isn't this about design and aluminum? We were concerned about the mouse fur (if you own one with mouse fur, you'll call it "lined") absorbing cooking odors plus keeping it clean. The aluminum looks really cool, especially when the lights reflect off it. Do not rub against the aluminum anytime, but especially in the winter, while naked—it will always feel cold. Maybe some people like rubbing against it, don't let me stop you.

So, like 28totow writes, it's a matter of taste. Make sure of what you like and then buy it.

Gene

[mello mike]

Soveriegn. The previous owners had drill holes for various items and the walls were stained so we went with putting this on the walls in the living area and in the twin bedroom area. It looks great and provides excellent insulating properties. When you install it make sure you use lots of spray adhesive. Oh yeah, the stuff is called Ozite Fabric aka hull liner.