Ensolite

[Melinda M]

Hello fellow do-it-yourselfers!

I'm resealing the windows and replacing the wood window frames in my 1974 Trillium and I'm finding the glue used to attached the ensolite to the frames is super-human. Even though the frames are in really bad shape the glue persists and will not let go. If I use a razor blade and slowly separate it from the wood not only am I going to lose some, but it is going to take hours! (I have to reseal and reframe all 4 windows). The other option is to cut the ensolite out and replace it with new stuff and herein lies the question...

There are some helpful people out there pointing to the Ensolite links in the Helpful links section (http://www.fiberglassrv.com/resources.html...un=fiberglassrv), but I can't find any forum post that actually says someone has purchased or ordered these products. There is about 20 ensolite products available from IR Specialtly Foam but no pictures for any of them. Has anyone actually ordered any? Which product did you order? What was the cost?

Here's hoping someone else has gone through this already and can share their experience!

Cheers,
Melinda

[Alf S.]

Hi: Melinda M... When I installed the MaxxFan in the roof of our former Boler I did it on a bright sunny hot day!!! The yellowish glue went kinda gummy and soft with the heat, and I could slip a putty knife btw. the Ensolite and the fiberglass to pull the Ensolite loose. I put in a plywood ring under the fiberglass to act as a clamp ring and something to screw into to hold the fan mount.
A hair drier may help to add heat to soften the glue. If you can save the Ensolite it's much better/ cheaper too!!!
I'll try to post a pic.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Alf S.]

Hi: Again... Sorry I had to look thru my archives to find these pic's. Here's another with the plywood ring between the Ensolite and the fiberglass. The hot sunny day did the trick!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Melinda M]

Hi: Again... Sorry I had to look thru my archives to find these pic's. Here's another with the plywood ring between the Ensolite and the fiberglass. The hot sunny day did the trick!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

Thanks for the idea about the hair dryer Alf. It was a good thought, but didn't work for getting the wood detached from the glue. I'm finding that the glue peels away from the fiberglass shell okay, it's just getting the glue and wood to separate. There is one piece that is totally rotten - ie the wood is totally disintegrated, but where ever the glue touched the wood, the rotten pieces are stuck to it!

Thanks also for the tip about putting the wood frame for your vents between the ensolite and the fiberglass shell. I'm doing my vents too (just replacing with regular vents) and was wondering what I was going to screw down into. The previous owner just screwed into the fiberglass and put a nut on the underside, but it didn't provide that good of a seal.

[Daniel V.]

Hi Melinda,

If you're only having problems getting the ensolite off the wood, I'd say you're in pretty good shape. Unless it's not the original glue, it shouldn't take you that long to peel it off using a razor scraper like the one available here Richard's Tools for example.




Then use contact cement to glue it back on. Well worth the effort in my opinion. Related thread here Ensolite Repair - Stretch? Patch?.

[Donna D.]

Melinda, the only posting I can find that may answer some of your questions about the purchase of Ensolite and putting it in the trailer is this topic. This link will take you directly to the post in question: Jenny Jones - Total Boler Restoration

Jenny was last logged into FiberglassRV 3rd April 2009 - 11:13 PM and has her e-mail set to private, so you can't contact her that way if you have questions. Sorry.

[Alf S.]

Hi: Melinda M... Here's a pic of the finished installation of the MaxxFan. 2 3/4" plywood rings for depth so I wouldn't bump my head on the control knobs. I was able to stretch the Ensolite down over the ply and staple it then put on the trim ring.
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie