What is behind that carpet on the walls?

Jenturner · 08-08-2008, 03:31 PM

Is there aluminum behind the carpet that goes up the walls in newer models. I would like to remove the carpet, but am afraid of what I will find...

Why don't they make aluminum interiors for the 34'? With no carpet at all?

Inland RV Center, In · 08-08-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenturner

Is there aluminum behind the carpet that goes up the walls in newer models. I would like to remove the carpet, but am afraid of what I will find...

Why don't they make aluminum interiors for the 34'? With no carpet at all?

Behind the carpet is aluminum sheet metal.

You may or may not find scratches in it.

Andy

2airishuman · 08-08-2008, 04:32 PM

hi jen'

behind the mousefur (ozite) is aluminum skin, rivets, seam tape...

and the GLUE reside used to attach the fuzz.

removing the glue isn't easy and will leave an UGLY skin.

so no, one cannot just remove the mouse fur and have a ccd.

and don't forget above the mouse fur is foam backed vinyl also glued to the interior skin.

cheers
2air'

94Tri · 08-08-2008, 05:16 PM

Hey. I have a 94. First year for fuzzy wall and headliner. It was worn, stained, and ugly. My solution was to replace it all with and additional skin of aluminum sheet which I purchased from Aircraft Spruce out of Georgia. I used all the material I cut of as patterns to cut the aluminum by. After a few

hours of labor, I now have a 34 footer with an all aluminum interior. I used several hundred rivets and several sheets of .025 aluminum and only added approximately 125 pounds of weight at the most. It was hard, tedious work, but the results made it a no brainer for me.

2airishuman · 08-08-2008, 05:54 PM

hi 94tri...

good info.

i assume u cut around cabinetry and removed some of the interior?

have u any pictures to share with us?

cheers
2air'

94Tri · 08-10-2008, 09:00 PM

Yes I trimmed around cabinetry and removed the couch, dinette table etc. to cover all "visible" surfaces. I took smaller cut pieces and lined the inside of my cabinets as well. During normal usage their is no visible fuzzy stuff or headliner. I get compliments from anyone who looks inside. I will try to get some pictures up soon. It's great the way light plays off the interior surfaces at night.

As a side note, you can order the aluminum in 4 x 12' sheets rolled up and shipped very reasonably by UPS. Aircraft Spruce has inventory listed on the internet (aluminum, rivets, etc). I hope this idea can help others with the first soft wall/ ceiling campers with adhesion issues.

loveshack · 08-19-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94Tri

Yes I trimmed around cabinetry and removed the couch, dinette table etc. to cover all "visible" surfaces. I took smaller cut pieces and lined the inside of my cabinets as well. During normal usage their is no visible fuzzy stuff or headliner. I get compliments from anyone who looks inside. I will try to get some pictures up soon. It's great the way light plays off the interior surfaces at night.

As a side note, you can order the aluminum in 4 x 12' sheets rolled up and shipped very reasonably by UPS. Aircraft Spruce has inventory listed on the internet (aluminum, rivets, etc). I hope this idea can help others with the first soft wall/ ceiling campers with adhesion issues.

Thanks for the info, great idea. Do you think it is necessary to remove the "rug" before running the new skin? Just curious, I thinking about the pain in the a** it will be to pull all of the rug down.

94Tri · 08-20-2008, 04:16 PM

Loveshack
The main reason I pulled mine off was because the material was stained, had soaked up several years of full timer cooking odor, and odors from being in storage a few years. My only concern about leaving it in place is whether it would cause a pillow look once the rivets where pulled tight. If not, it seems it would make a sound/ insulation barrior.

loveshack · 08-21-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94Tri

Loveshack
The main reason I pulled mine off was because the material was stained, had soaked up several years of full timer cooking odor, and odors from being in storage a few years. My only concern about leaving it in place is whether it would cause a pillow look once the rivets where pulled tight. If not, it seems it would make a sound/ insulation barrior.

I thought that may happen. I was thinking about the insulation factor. I think you have the right idea about removing it completely. It will be more work/time but it will be a cleaner finish. I looked at the Aircraft Spruce website today. Did you use the All Clad or bare aluminum?

94Tri · 08-23-2008, 07:52 AM

I used the bare aluminum.

Phil/Edee · 09-19-2008, 08:33 PM

After much research... I finally found what I believe to be a replacement for the "mousefur" !! This is the link to the page...

Hytex Industries

Thanks, 2Air, for the correct name... Ozite.

NOW... wonder how much work it would be to remove and reline the walls??? The POs had a leak that led to mildew and we've taken care of everything except the stains on the lower walls...

Just tho't I'd pass this along.

Edee

2airishuman · 09-19-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil/Edee

... wonder how much work it would be to remove and reline the walls??? The POs had a leak that led to mildew...

got a picture of the issue?

generally mildew will NOT form on ozite.

the polypropylene fibers don't hold odors or grow things, at least that's the theory...

what does happen is, a water leak will bring black stuff to the surface, that looks like mildew, but isn't.

the black stuff is a byproduct of alum-on-alum, mixed with dirt and rivet dust...

even without water leaks the black stuff can creep to the surface (for example VACUUMing the walls will do it) of the ozite.

to reduce the chance of this happening again, first find and correct the leaks...

then after removing the old mouse fur, replace ALL loose, or missing rivets on the inner skin.

then tape over ALL the panel seams, edges and overlaps....

then spray up the new mouse fur and walls with 3m spray adhesive, and apply the mouse fur somewhat like wall paper.

while time consuming the process isn't that hard.

it's wise to practice on some loose slab of aluminum, tweaking the amount of glue to apply and the rolling process for the fur...

i suspect someone has posted a 'how to' on this and there are many other threads on the black stuff not being mold.

airhog1 posted pics of mushrooms growing on a/s carpet last week, so anything is possible.

cheers
2air'

Phil/Edee · 09-20-2008, 08:38 AM

So that's why the normal cleaning methods aren't working! *)* It definitely sounds like a project for next year! Just glad I finally found the info.

Yesterday Phil finished putting down our new Konecto tiles in the AS. It only took two days after the carpet was out and it looks Great!! What a big difference it will make in keeping things tidy!

Thanks for all the questions everyone answers on here!!!

Edee

MarkWilde · 06-21-2009, 09:51 AM

I kave an older airstream (1987) and have a semi-upholsterd type waisnscoting (sp?). I am re-upho;stering them with new skeleton boards, new foam, and a material I wi;ll choose....

Good luck